I have had several memorable experiences with leaders, unfortunately, not all of my experiences were good. However, there is one leader experience that stands out above them all; for the first time in a leader-subordinate work environment, I felt that my supervisor was grooming me for leadership.
Our relationship developed by default. I say default because we were all we had when our company began. When building a business with someone, you have to trust each other; you both have to serve for the good of the company and each other. Therefore, our relationship developed through innovation, creativity, trust, and teamwork. In our work situation, I felt like a teammate rather than a subordinate.
My supervisor vocalized her praises of me and took time to correct me when needed. In seeking my counsel, she let me know that my thoughts and ideas mattered to her and to our company. Since she knew I had strong communication skills, she would ask me to read some of her e-mails before sending them; she didn't trust her tact but she knew I had a way with words.
My words and life greatly influenced my supervisor. She knew and respected my values as my beliefs and work ethic were reflected in my daily conduct. My supervisor was impressed with the way I entreated dissatisfied customers and she often commented about her desire to implement those same skills in moments of customer-frustration.
My supervisor impacted my life in many ways but I was most impacted by her desire to watch me grow and succeed. Watching her lead with honesty, boldness, and integrity set a great leadership foundation for me. In addition to watching her lead in sincerity and humility, I experienced what it's like when your boss "let's you fly". For example, an opportunity to manage another location became available and she was the hiring authority; without reservation, she recommended me. As I left our company to manage my own, I knew she was preparing me to lead the entire time I was with her. Because our relationship was more than manager-employee, we are still friends though our career paths have changed.
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