Bosses

Bosses are an inevitable part of life as a teacher and we must all learn how to deal with them equitably if we are to succeed in our ambitions to be happy at our place of work.  They are, like all creatures, varied and different.  All of them are human.

Probably.

Just kidding.

We all want different  things from our bosses.  Some want a person who is just going to leave them alone to get on with their job.  Some want someone to talk to regularly to ensure that what they are doing is what is expected of them and is the right thing to do.  Others want a boss who will ‘gee them up’ with lots of positivity whilst some teachers just want someone to deal with some of the shittier aspects of school life like discipline issues and parents who are over-demanding.

What all of us want is a boss who will not make us feel bad, make us feel angry, make us feel depressed or make us want to quit teaching as a profession.  And what we certainly don’t want is a boss who will try to destroy our lives because they hate you.

That last one, I know what some of you are thinking.  A boss who will try to destroy you?  Really?

Really.

I’ve been subject to one and seen others subject to some as well.  These people exist, they have a position of power over you and they are misanthropic sociopaths who see you as someone that they can and will make life extremely miserable for.  They delight in it.  It gives them energy and happiness.

I’ve seen it too often and heard too many tales from fellow teachers.  Very often these bosses do not last very long in their positions but the damage that they do is profound and long lasting.   I wish they were rare but, alas, they are not uncommon.  The best thing to do when faced with such people is go to your union.  Immediately.  Do not muck about, talk to someone there.  They will tell you to collect evidence – do so.  They will tell you to seek support from them or from other organisations set up for this purpose – do so.   

Do not fight that battle alone.

Not all bad bosses wish to personally ruin you and your life, this is true.  On many occasions you will just be collateral damage in their path of destruction. 

You see, not all bosses who become bosses are suitable to be  bosses.  Some are power crazed pyschos, some are hopeless human beings, some are really crap teachers who have found a way to escape being found out that they are crap.  Some are just bullies.  Some have serious alcohol or drug issues and many are just plain inadequate despite being really well meaning.

I’ve met them all.  I liked the latter ones because their heart was in the right place but they just couldn’t get to grips with what is a terrible responsibility. 

Incidentally, I am not sure what my friend Mike* and I did to deserve it but we had three unbelievably bad bosses in a row – first an outright  bully who also fleeced the school of thousands of pounds then someone who left her husband and ran off with the Chair of Governors and then a psycho of epic proportions who didn’t ever leave her office and ended up having a nervous breakdown.

*Name hasn’t been changed.  He isn’t embarrassed by it at all and neither am I.

They were formative years. 

Of course, not all bosses are bad even if you think they may be from time to time.  Just think of it like this – sometimes the students that you teach hate you because you gave them a bad grade or told them off or didn’t praise them enough but, overall and through time they do respect you.    It’s the same with good bosses.

They do exist.  I’ve met them.  I’ve had a couple of them who have been absolutely brilliant and for whom I would do anything they asked.   I’ve had some good bosses whom I have respected and still do, mainly because it’s not a job I could do or want to do or would ever do no matter how much you paid me.  I enjoy life too much.

But what makes a good boss apart from not wanting to destroy you and your life?

Well, it’s not an easy question to answer because, as has already been said, we all want slightly different things from a boss. 

I think we can all agree that we don’t want an over-friendly boss who demands that we be happy with them all the time and insists that we go out all the time socially to become BFFs.  Equally we don’t want someone who looks down at us via their nose as if we were some kind of extraneous creature to be tolerated.

Do we want a boss that plays football with us?  Hell, yeah! Brilliant!  Do we want a boss who discusses what gigs they would like to go to?  Sure!  Or someone who talks about how to make the best paella?  Do we want a boss who moans like Hell because their kid has kept them awake since three in the morning?  Of course!  It makes them human.  It makes them relatable.  It makes them seem like a normal person. 

Do we want a boss who can produce a fantastic Mission Statement for our school? 

Dear God, no.

What teacher has ever gone home and told their family how amazing their boss is because of the incredible Mission Statement that they have ended up with through collaboration and discussion?  I mean, seriously, a Mission Statement?  Really?

Nah.  What we teachers want is someone who doesn’t spend all day behind their laptop.  Who doesn’t spend their time in endless and pointless meetings and can recognise such  things for what they are.  We want someone  who understands that the success of a school is not reliant upon the opinions of parents and students but upon the staff.

Too many bosses think that the students are the priority in a good school.  Or the parents.  That’s bollocks.  It’s the staff.  All of them, not just the teachers.  You have happy staff,  you have a happy school.  It’s not complicated.  You treat your staff right, they will treat everyone else right.

Some of my best bosses have been the ones who get this and are believers in that very old-school idea of ‘Management by Walking Around’.  It’s an ancient concept.  The manager/boss leaves the office and wanders around the school talking to their employees about this and that.  They offer positivity like “Hey, I really like your classroom displays!” or “Nice shirt!” or “Ashley’s mum came by the other day and said how much her daughter is enjoying your class.”   They tell you about something  they liked about the weekend or the evening and they don’t go into too much detail about work. 

And they smile!  They make it seem like they are happy just as you do when you are with your students in your class.  Everything that you do to make your students feel good is what a good boss should do when with their minions.  It doesn’t matter how old you are, someone saying nice, supportive and positive things to you make you feel better.

And you know how you feel when your students say something nice about you?  Well, we as teachers should also say the odd nice thing about our bosses – if they deserve it of course.

Here’s to good bosses!  May they be ever numerous.