{"id":7652,"date":"2014-06-25T13:43:35","date_gmt":"2014-06-25T13:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.123print.com\/blog\/?p=7652"},"modified":"2018-06-14T08:31:37","modified_gmt":"2018-06-14T13:31:37","slug":"are-you-a-boss-or-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/are-you-a-boss-or-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You a Boss or a Leader?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you just hired your first employee, you were fortunate enough to obtain that\u00a0promotion, or have been managing a team for years \u2014 ask yourself, how are you planning on showing up tomorrow? The distinction between a boss and a leader may appear small, yet the impact you can make on your team is significant.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Are-you-a-Boss-or-a-Leader.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-7705\" title=\"Are you a Boss or a Leader\" alt=\"Are you a Boss or a Leader\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Are-you-a-Boss-or-a-Leader-239x300.jpg\" width=\"239\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Are-you-a-Boss-or-a-Leader-239x300.jpg 239w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Are-you-a-Boss-or-a-Leader.jpg 577w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px\" \/><\/a>The worst misperceptions that I have seen with people in their transition to becoming the boss:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Assuming that because of your title, you know everything.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s my way or the highway.<\/li>\n<li>You can tell people what to do; delegating everything.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s not my fault if someone on my team cannot &lt;insert task, skill, decision&gt;.<\/li>\n<li>You can work less; you have people to do the work for you.<\/li>\n<li>You have to be serious all the time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Who wants to work for someone who has that type of attitude? No one.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>As a leader, you are tasked to:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Motivate, inspire and believe in your team even when they lose faith.<\/li>\n<li>Be approachable; create an open environment that your team will come to you with both celebrations and problems.<\/li>\n<li>Encourage innovation \u2014 so what if it\u2019s a different approach than has been used in the past?<ins cite=\"mailto:Rhonda%20Walinga\" datetime=\"2014-06-24T12:52\"><br \/>\n<\/ins><\/li>\n<li>Embrace collaboration \u2014 the winning idea can come from anyone!<\/li>\n<li>Develop and mentor your employees to become the <b>best<\/b> they can be.<\/li>\n<li>Be willing to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. No challenge is \u2018too good\u2019 for you.<\/li>\n<li>\u2026 many, many more \u2026 the list is endless!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Easier said than done, right? There are tons of books you can read about leadership, but none of them can tell you what type of leader you should become. They can give you some great ideas, but it really comes down to what style works best for <b>you <\/b>and hands-on experience. Whatever style you choose \u2014 remember you and your personality need to be a part of it!<\/p>\n<p>Here at 123Print, I\u2019m known for being an instigator for office tomfoolery. We all work so hard, that it\u2019s important that we have fun while doing it! Below are three recent examples:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff771c;\">April Fool\u2019s Day<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/April-Fools-Day-at-123Print.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7653\" title=\"April Fools Day at 123Print\" alt=\"April Fools Day at 123Print\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/April-Fools-Day-at-123Print-300x300.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/April-Fools-Day-at-123Print-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/April-Fools-Day-at-123Print-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/April-Fools-Day-at-123Print.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We covered our brand manager\u2019s office with Post-it\u00ae Notes \u2014 head to toe! You can see the other innocent pranks we played here at 123Print in our <a title=\"Quick Office Pranks for April Fool's Day | The 123Print Blog\" href=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/quick-office-pranks-for-april-fools-day\/\" target=\"_blank\">previous blog entry<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff771c;\">Toys for Pods<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Toys-for-Pods-at-123Print.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7654\" title=\"Toys for Pods at 123Print\" alt=\"Toys for Pods at 123Print\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Toys-for-Pods-at-123Print-300x300.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Toys-for-Pods-at-123Print-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Toys-for-Pods-at-123Print-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Toys-for-Pods-at-123Print.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>These toys are not only to spark creativity, but they also give me the opportunity to throw a ball or two at let\u2019s say 9AM on a random Tuesday around the office. (Mary, my HR manager, I promise that I\u2019ll continue to be careful!)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff771c;\"><strong>Five-Star Cindy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Five-Star-Cindy-at-123Print.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7655\" title=\"Five-Star Cindy at 123Print\" alt=\"Five-Star Cindy at 123Print\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Five-Star-Cindy-at-123Print-300x300.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Five-Star-Cindy-at-123Print-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Five-Star-Cindy-at-123Print-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Five-Star-Cindy-at-123Print.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>My operations manager, Cindy, has been working hard at transitioning to a new review vendor. She was so excited when we got our first review \u2014 that night I ran to Michael\u2019s and bought supplies that my team and I could use to decorate her desk while she was invited to a \u2018pretend\u2019 meeting. (Read more about our <a title=\"123Print Now Partnering with ResellerRatings | The 123Print Blog\" href=\"http:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/123print-now-partnering-with-resellerratings\/\" target=\"_blank\">new reviews<\/a>\u00a0in another blog.)<\/p>\n<p>Leadership takes focus, practice, awareness and diligence. It\u2019s not a light switch that can be turned on overnight. Like all of us, you\u2019ll make plenty of mistakes. It\u2019s okay.\u00a0 It\u2019s all in how you recover. Just because you are the one in charge, do not be afraid to admit when you make an error. Your employees will appreciate your candor \u2014 and it might even be a good reminder that you are human and make mistakes, too! A mentor of mine once said, \u2018Leadership is a journey, not a destination.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Please don\u2019t just take my word for it. Do some reading on the subject to help develop your own style. Here are four great books about leadership:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><i>Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us<\/i> By: Daniel H. Pink<\/li>\n<li><i>Who Moved My Cheese?<\/i> By: Spencer Johnson, M.D.<\/li>\n<li><i>The Habits of Highly Effective People<\/i> Books By: Stephen R. Covey<\/li>\n<li><i>Leaders Eat Last<\/i> By: Simon Sinek<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>How do you integrate your personality into your leadership style? What advice would you give fellow leaders? What mistakes have you made? What type of leader do you aspire to be? Do you have any book recommendations?<\/strong> Please add a comment below, tweet us <a title=\"twitter.com\/123print\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/123print\" target=\"_blank\">@123Print<\/a> or leave a message on our <a title=\"facebook.com\/123Print\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/123Print\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a> page.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you just hired your first employee, you were fortunate enough to obtain that\u00a0promotion, or [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1464],"tags":[1648,1649,1646,1647,1650],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7652"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7652"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9209,"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7652\/revisions\/9209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}