I heard a great speaker yesterday–the (female) CEO of a billion-dollar materials company. She shared a little of her career history and how she had started her own business many years ago. She explained that the reason she’d done that was that it was the fastest way she knew to become the CEO.
That is certainly one of the primary reasons people start their own businesses, whether it’s a high-capital operation with assets, inventory, and employees or a one-person, home office, service offering. Being your own boss appeals to many independent, creative, capable people.
You report to no one but yourself. (Okay, there’s no question that clients rule—but the thing is, if you have a tyrannical or clueless or disrespectful client, you can always “fire” the client. Not so with the boss.)
I’ve had some good bosses—from whom I learned great things and who earned my respect—and I’ve had some bad bosses—who abused their authority, took advantage of those lower on the food chain, made it to their higher positions more on politicking and sucking up than on genuine leadership capabilities.
One of the reasons I eventually craved to become my own boss was not, ironically, because I couldn’t wait to get away from those horrible bosses. Rather I was empowered because of some of the good bosses I had, because of the skills I learned from them, the recognition I received from them, the encouragement they gave me. Their good leadership imbued me with a sense of confidence in my abilities and belief that I could go out and do my own thing.
My “boss” is tough and exacting, expecting me to meet very high standards. There’s no question she’s my toughest critic. But she’s also flexible and forgiving and says nothing when I decide to change my priorities or pursue some crazy new idea or take the day off. We’ve had a great relationship for over 19 years now!
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