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The Origin of Boss's Day
The origin of Bosses Day dates back to 1958. Patricia Bays Haroski, an employee at State Farm Insurance Company in Illinois, registered it with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Haroski chose the date because it was her father's birthday. Who was her boss? ....her father.
Why you should celebrate Boss's Day?
One of the things I get from a lot of people is they don't know why they should celebrate Boss's Day, especially if they don't like their boss. I have a had a few very wonderful and not so wonderful bosses and managers. All I can say is chalk it up to attitude. Even if I didn't like my boss, I still celebrated boss's day? Why would I celebrate Boss's day for a boss I don't like. Well to be honest with you, being a manager or a boss can sometimes be a thankless job. In my corporate experience, bosses typically work long hours and do a lot of paperwork. They are also at the forefront much like a referee breaking up fights and having to make decisions on the "grey" areas. Sometimes things for a boss are not all black and white. It's a wonder why more kids in this country don't want to be President of the United States anymore. The Big Boss, The Big Cheese, The Commander in Chief has a pretty tough job that very few people want to do. So just a shout out to our Commander in Chief, President Obama, Happy Boss's Day to you too! So even if they get it wrong or they get it right, they deserve some credit. Be gracious.
Teams and Boss's Day
The other part of Boss's day is not everyone on the same team even agrees on what to do for Boss's day. Take the boss out to lunch? Buy them a gift? Do a potluck? Pretend like the day never happened? I have been in teams where there is a power play of sorts on what to get the boss. Some folks on the team have more money than others, some folks clearly have no idea what the boss likes or dislikes. The best thing to do is to come to a consensus quickly or for special office events create a standard. In one of my previous groups we had potlucks and every person automatically brought the same dish every time even if it's just breakfast tacos from Taco Cabana.
Did Somebody Say Breakfast Tacos?
All in all pick your battles. The surest way of getting fired is your attitude. Having a bad attitude about Boss' day or not participating (even if you forgot) will speak volumes. It's less likely to cut like a knife but put your differences aside and if need be send a cordial email at least. It's the thought that counts, isn't it?
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