Thank you Ex-bosses. Thank you for making me who I am today

Throughout my service in my current company, I had a many opportunities to be guided by many different managers. I had recently been promoted to Assistant Manager and now I have subordinates under me. I thought and thought if I am a good manager in the eyes of my subordinate and then somehow it got me thinking how do I define a good boss?

This brought my mind to the past and started to evaluate my bosses again after all these years. After thinking maybe I should list down all the bosses that I worked with before to have a clear picture and not miss anyone. That is why I started blogging (since I have to write out why not blog about it). I will list down their advantage or strength as a manager. The bad things, better don’t publish because afraid I get sued for defamation.

1. Farok, Manager : Very concerned about subordinates & customers
2. Joyce, A. Manager: Work like a mom, taking care of subordinates.
3. Jason, Manager: A man who gets things done and made me better. I truly he play some part in carving me to who I am today. He thought to treat people the way I want to be treated. The thought me how to control my compulsive temper. He showed me what its like for the life above me and he treated me like a son or brother. Even after he left the company, he continued to help me grow. He is like a sifu to me
4. Frances, A.Manager: Iron Lady. Went through a lot together with her. A very practical person and very optimistic. Believes in what we can do and never afraid of doing too much. She too thought many things. She is also a laughing Buddha for the company. Now, she handles other department but still very helpful as usual
5. Chai, G.Manager: No comment.
6. Joanne, S. Manager: Great lady. Very systematic. The fascinating part about her is how she could instill fear in me in a very gentle way. Weird right? She thought me many things and she is also a sifu to me. Strict when is required, gentle when its appropriate. She is one lady many people misunderstood her maybe because the hung a strict face all the time. She is a great teacher in planning. Truly a guru because imagine she could make a person like me to become more systematic. She is also an expert in personality. Actually she made me interested in personality and organization behaviour. She is also a person who saw my talents in training
7. Daniel, A.Manager: Helpful manager but at times being bullied by me. I felt sorry for what I had done in the past.
8. Adrian, S.Manager: My sifu in preparing me to be a manager. He made me do stuffs that even most of the managers don’t do. He guide me in new tasks. He is also a very close friend of mine. He share many of his experience with me so that I could learn from the mistake he done before. He is also a very misunderstood person. Many dislike him but not me. He also showed me the “darkness” when seated above.
9. Sally, Manager: Systematic, practical and pushy manager. Make you do things and kept on reminding you to do it. Helps to defend you if you are framed. Scold you if you did things wrong. A women who has a clear line between good and evil. She is also playful when the situation allows.
10. Soo, A.Manager: Rich guy, close friend. A person you can count on as a friend. Very easy going and helps you in times of trouble.

After listing all my bosses I know who I am today. I am a combination of Jason, Adrian and Joanne. I treat subordinates like Jason, caring and share the subordinates’ feelings. Train them like Joanne being strict at times and prepare them to climb the corporate ladder like Adrian. Lets hope that my boys like me the way I am. I hope I don’t pressure them too much because it had been busy for them recently.

Today 2 out of 3 of my sifu had resigned. I know I must appreciate the one which still remains but she is now AGM. Its difficult to have time to talk to her like it used to be. Now I hope I could be a good role model for my staffs. It is time I get entrusted to than being entrusted.

What do you think? Am I good enough?