5. I’d give him a kidney My first boss wanted to surround himself with what he felt were great people. He
was there for guidance, but he let you run with your strengths regardless of whether or
not something was in your job description. Working for him you just felt more capable,
smarter, part of a team.
Not everyone liked him – he was polarizing. But without exception, the higher per-
forming people loved him for the opportunities and those just trying to do as little as pos-
sible would have burned him in effigy.
But he had this magic where he could just make you feel like you could do abso-
lutely anything. He instilled confidence like no one I’ve ever known. There is a lot of lip
service every day to team players – but at the risk of sounding like a cliché, he really had
a way of making you feel like you were part of a team. You knew what you did mattered.
It mattered to the company and it mattered to him.
I don’t have any idea how he did it. No effusive compliments, no empty praise, no
weekly luncheons or gift cards. When he said ‘thank you, I couldn’t have done it without
you,’ you just knew he meant it. There was never a question that he had your back. He
engendered a loyalty that’s rare. I haven’t worked for him in years, but if he needed a
kidney, I’d see if I was a match.