Take A Memo Please…It’s Boss’ Day

So, is it Boss’ Day or Bosses Day? It really does matter. Boss’ Days means that our boss possesses the day (although I guess our bosses possess every day we work for them) and Bosses Day means a day of bosses, which could be a pretty scary idea. Whatever the grammatical treatment, today is the day we honor our boss. And by honor, I mean give them things similar to what dads get on Father’s Day so we can say we gave them a gift because we know that although they may not say anything, they do know that it is Boss’ Day. In short, not giving a gift on Bosses Day is akin to career suicide, just like blogging at work, but I think I’ve already detailed that extensively.

For the record and before I go any further, I will tell you that my part of our Bosses Day gift is an Office/Dunder Mifflin mug that says ‘World’s Best Boss.’ I don’t like to brag, but sometimes I am quite the superb gift giver. Except for that episode a few weeks ago where I gave Lucy and Ethel 6 new fish. We’ve just decided to not talk about that anymore…

I’ve never been a boss so I am on the honoring instead of honoree side. I will admit right here and now (especially since my boss knows about and may actually read my blog) that I like my boss and feel fortunate to have him as my leader. Bosses can be different things to different folks: friend, mentor, colleague or enemy. Not sure about the enemy part? Just think, Darth Vader and Mussolini were both bosses and I don’t consider levitating your employees while choking as something exemplary bosses do (yes, I am speaking about Mussolini). There are mafia bosses and Boss Hogg. Every former President was a boss and the guy running your favorite bowling alley is a boss. I could also argue that if you are a parent you’re a boss, but since I have to freely admit that my daughters rule me, I won’t push the point. I have a dog and sometimes she listens to me, so I guess I am a part-time boss after all. I also planted grass seed and talked to it every day so it would grow and guess what – it did. Yes, I now think I am a boss.

Many people would follow their boss off the edge of a cliff. Of course, many more would rather push their boss off the edge of that same cliff. With all respect to my boss, my favorite boss is not even real. It’s Michael Scott of Dunder-Mifflin. On the surface it seems like it would be aggravating working for him, but I and my co-workers think it would be endlessly entertaining. The guy tries so hard and fails miserably to gain the friendship, not to mention respect of his employees. Plus, he has no conscience and no idea of what is and is not appropriate to say around the workplace. For him, it’s just so hard (that’s what she said). And we all know that social awkwardness makes for great entertainment!

Aside from being in charge, getting to do fun bossy type stuff and having to make most decisions, it has to be hard being a boss. Do you want your staff to like you? Do you try to befriend them or do you make decisions regardless of what it will do to them? I’m sure it’s not a popularity contest but it is nice to be liked so I imagine that makes the going difficult for every boss. Seriously, aside from God and Jimmy Buffett, can you think of a boss who is liked by every one of their underlings? Dictators don’t count because they are liked by their staffs under the fear of death, which I hear is a pretty strong motivational tool. Be warned though. I tried using it for a while at work and it didn’t give me the same results. Perhaps stirring the fear of death in my coworkers would be easier if I stopped saying ‘that’s what she said’ after every other sentence.

So, if you are a boss and happen to be reading this blog, Happy Bosses Day! If you have a boss, then this day may not mean as much to you. Incidentally, what day is there to honor employees? Yeah there is Labor Day and many companies have an employee appreciation day that might include a BBQ or a percentage off company merchandise, but who considers that appreciation? Appreciation to me involves being hoisted up and paraded around while I sit in my chair to the tune of ‘For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow’ or ‘La Bamba’ (don’t ask).

What day do employees get to go to work and receive some kind of recognition? I should probably be more specific here. I mean good recognition and not the kind of recognition where HR shows up unannounced to meet with you about something you may or may not have done that may or may not have involved blogging on company time because that is far from being considered good recognition. If you are a secretary Administrative Professional (oops, forgot to be PC there) you get Administrative Professionals Day. If you are a mid-level worker, I guess you just don’t get a day. Sadly, there is no ‘Mid-level Worker Day’ when you can be given cards and stuff, although that really doesn’t have a good ring to it, does it. I guess there are always sick days, but don’t expect your fellow employees to send a card, unless you are really sick, but that’s nothing to celebrate now, is it?