The Boss Holds the Key to Job Satisfaction
If you love your work, ever think part of the reason may be because you happen to have a good boss? Or are you unhappy on the job, mostly because you work for a turkey?
The other day I spent an afternoon at the Buena Park Mall asking people whether they’d had mostly good bosses or bad ones in their working careers. I discovered it’s a hot topic with a lot of people, who have a lot to say about it.
Nearly everyone I interviewed rated “fair treatment” high on their list of expectations of a boss. I expected that. What surprised me was finding so many complaints that bosses need to be more understanding about employees’ personal problems.
I’ve always heard the opposite side of that--bosses complaining about workers who let personal problems interfere with their work. But many I talked with said bosses should learn flexibility.
“Yes, work is important; but so is family,” said Linda Ruiz of Los Angeles, who was shopping in Sears with her husband, Phillip. “If you need to stay home with a sick child, or you need to take someone in the family to the doctor, hey, that’s a part of your life you can’t avoid.”
Tabita Vela of La Habra, who came here 12 years ago from Romania, made two good points about her manufacturing job. One, many workers have no choice but to take abuse from bad bosses.
“When you are new here and don’t speak the language well, you can’t afford to speak up against your boss,” she said.
Her other point: “I’ve found that the more education a boss has, the better he’s likely to treat you. He’s more aware of options in dealing with his workers.”
Many shared the view of William Bohlin of Anaheim: “A bad boss can turn a good job into drudgery.”
Later I put the question to Barbara Geraghty of San Juan Capistrano, who lectures to sales groups and is author of the book “Secrets of Peak Performers,” which includes tips for executives on how to be better supervisors.
She told me: “Good bosses remove obstacles, including themselves, so you can do what you do well. Bad bosses hover; they insinuate you don’t have it under control. It saps your strength.” (That “hover” issue was brought up by almost everyone I interviewed at the mall.)
My own view on bosses is tempered by my brief experience as one. Years ago I was an assistant city editor for the Louisville (Ky.) Times. The city editor, exasperated at the high absentee rate among our three office clerks, turned the task of their supervision over to me.
After a week where their absences had created a serious problem, I met with them and announced: “We’re going to have a new policy here. If you can walk, and breathe, and reach for two aspirin, you can come to work.” The next day one of them called in sick and left this message: “You tell Hicks I can’t breathe.” I’ll admit: It wasn’t a job I was cut out for.
Last week I was discussing the boss issue at the Orange County Fair with Aileen Hollowell, who does volunteer work at Cal State Fullerton. I liked her response: “I’m retired. Now I have the best boss I ever had--me.”
Help in the City: Art Ortiz, who has worked at The City shopping and business complex’s engineering division in Orange for 19 years, has had to learn to deal with tragedy. Seven years ago, his wife and daughter, as well as his mother-in-law and a nephew, were killed when a fire swept through his home. One of his sons suffered burns over 60% of his body attempting to save them. Then, last year, a second son was seriously injured in an automobile accident.
Now a third son, Paul Ortiz, is suffering from leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. The City has set up a combination bone marrow and blood drive at its site for the next three Tuesdays, beginning today. (Today’s drive is at its TRW Building, through mid-afternoon.)
“We have tried to find a match for Paul among our family and friends but have struck out. We need help,” says Ortiz.
Dole Country? The presidential campaign comes to Orange County today. Republican candidate Bob Dole is scheduled to address the Orange County Forum at a luncheon at the Irvine Marriott. The $35 per ticket event is sold out.
Girls Get It First: One expert opinion is in: Claire Becker, a volunteer with Future Scientists and Engineers of America based in Anaheim, says girls perform better than boys in math and science programs at the elementary and middle school level. That’s based on participants in the clubs it runs.
But the group is worried that not enough students of either gender want to pursue those subjects as a career. Says volunteer Bill Haloulakos, a McDonnel Douglas engineer: “Students are not choosing science and engineering classes, and this is a problem for America.”
Wrap-Up: Patty Cordova, who teaches math at Cerritos High School, was one of the few at the Buena Park Mall who told me she’s had mostly good bosses in her career. But the problem, she said: “The outstanding ones always seem to move on to another job.”
Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling the Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax to (714) 966-7711, or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com
