"A Letter to My Former Boss" (7 Things every Employer Needs to Hear)

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with one of the brightest, most gifted, and talented young leaders I’ve met in a long while. This leader quit her job as a highly-successful, award-winning, well-paid professional to come to work at our church! She now works longer hours, gets less pay, and has more stress. Which prompted to my question: WHY?

As we talked over the next few minutes, I posed a challenge to her. Would she be willing to write “A Letter to my Former Boss…”

Below is her letter. If you’re a leader of people in anyway, I think there are a ton of takeaways in her words.

7 Things I Would Tell My Old Boss:

1. Ask more “who” questions.

 It’s always about people—yet people were rarely the subject of our conversations. I’d love to have told you stories of what was happening in my world, but it’s hard to tell a story that has no main character.

2. Take more than a snapshot to judge the movie.

You always gave me great reviews. And I’m glad. But I’d have been happier if those reviews were authentic. I’d have been happier if you could have seen the magic I worked on a day-to-day basis, not just the poof of smoke between tricks. And, above all, I’d have been happier if my assessment consisted of something more complex than checking off boxes.

3. Creativity lives in the margins.

I’d actually have loved to figure out that problem. I had an incredible idea for that new project. I had an awesome strategy we could have used next month. I had the courage to execute all these—but I needed permission, too. And sometimes the greatest permission is the gift of time.

4. It’s supposed to be fun.

Living in fear didn’t make me want to do better at my job or make me more deeply desire to excel. I already felt the urgency of needing to do my job right, and I bore an intrinsic burden for my mission.  I wish you’d have let me be driven by passion, not panic.

5. Say thank you.

Thank your employees. Not in a blanket address to the group or in a non-specific, overgeneralized, or empty phrase.  Show them you notice the details so they are encouraged to attend to them.  Show them their efforts do not go unnoticed.  I wish you had been as generous with your gratitude as you were with your directives.

6. Encourage rest.

People are not machines; they are humans. But, like machines, people can burn out—and we do-gooder types are in especial danger of overload.  Telling us to beware of this danger is one thing—but giving us explicit instructions to rest is another.

7. My vision tank was on “E”.

I can’t remember the last time my team assembled for the sole purpose of painting, casting, or re-casting vision. No wonder we were so loosely-knit. Our common joy was crowded out by common woe, and our vision felt like nothing more than an over-romanticized dream of yesteryear.  I know that gas is expensive, boss, but so is buying a new car—and, unfortunately, this car had to leave the lot to fill its tank.

Come on Leaders, pick 2 that you need to improve in the next 30 days…