I am the Boss

It is International Boss's day!! 

In addition to giving my world class boss (dad) a kiss on the cheek, I am taking a moment to think about the "Boss" mindset that I seek to inspire in my own life in my own business, "Ivey Baker, The Woman, Incorporated."

I am the boss of what I allow to enter into my head, my heart and my gut. 

I am a boss, deciding what is worth showing up for and what is a poor use of my time. 

I am a boss of who I employ on my team of advisors.  Constructive criticism is one of my keys to success and I am constantly asking for feedback.  alone I am able to fire whoever I like, whenever I like if they try to pull me back or put a ceiling on what I am capable of. 

I am a boss, filtering through the rave reviews and criticisms that I allow to create accurate or false stories in my head. 

I am a boss who's work doesn't feel like work, but one that encourages a culture of work/life balance. 

I am a boss that puts the values of my company before making a quick profit on sacrificed integrity. 

I am a boss that embraces change.  I am the boss that awards creativity, exploring innovation and one that embraces failure. 

I am a passionate boss; one that can be both inspiring but intimidating. 

I am a boss eager to solve problems but one that can come across as... (shocker) "bossy". 

I am a boss with a vision, one that sees opportunity beyond the horizon but can have difficulty executing on the ideas and possibilities up ahead. 

I am a boss that tends to try to do everything myself, but one that can really excel with a talented team.  

I am a boss that has little interest in her own glory but rather the success of others. 

I am a boss that is frustrated when people do not use their own gifts, take risks, or challenge the status quo.  

I am a boss that cannot sit still, often takes on too much and has to take a step back to honor myself and those I serve. 

“Because i am the boss of me, i am in control.  ”

We all start somewhere working for someone to accomplish a particular goal.  Many of us may want to climb the corporate ladder and be the person we are working for one day or maybe we want to branch off and work for ourselves.  Regardless of where we stand today or our goals for the future, we have the choice to be the boss of ourselves, our mindset and our actions.  

In the truest sense of the word, who is your current boss?  Are they supporting you in the way that you need?  Giving you feedback?  Allowing you to take on opportunities where you could excel?  

A few years ago, I left a boss that wasn't necessarily bad, but one that basically hired me into my desk and rarely came around.  A little gut check of my own, I wasn't really asking much of him or calling him out for his lack of support.  We cannot assume that our bosses and leaders are going to hold our hands and guide us to opportunity.  We must take ownership of our own success, but we can't keep rewarding bad bosses either.  We either need to have pulse checks with them or we need to strip them of the talented people that we are and move on.   I frequently have check in points with my own boss, my dad.  On occasion, they are emotionally charged or laden with some "baggage".  These conversations are harder than you might think but they take place.  My success is dependent on these tough talks and I cannot be afraid to have them.    

If you were the boss, would you want to work for yourself?  In the world of "entrepreneurism" could you work for yourself?  Do you have the drive, the passion or the critical knowledge and skills to be your own boss?  To take risks and charge forward in the face of adversity? Or do you have the leadership skills to lead a team?  To inspire?  To educate? 

In this incredibly competitive work force that is also filled with opportunity we have to take responsibility for the type of employees we are by being the boss of ourselves.  In control of how we think, how we behave, how we act and react.  Divine intervention aside, if we take ownership of who we are, our strengths and weaknesses, we are in control of our future.  We are the boss. 

We have probably all had an ass hole boss at one time or another, but hopefully we are all working for the boss of our dreams. 

There are days when I think it would be a lot of fun to work for me, there are days when it would be exhausting and then there are days when I'd want to punch myself in the face.  But that's life.  I think the key to having a great relationship with the boss version of ourselves is to embrace and praise what makes us great, push our limits and strive for more, but to also be very open to adjustment when those around us (who love us and want our "business" to succeed) call us out for our ass hole tendencies.   

Are you the boss of your own life?  What kind of boss would you be?  

Boss up. 

-IV