Dave Ferguson, author of Boss or Leader: Are You Leading for a Living or Living to Lead?, feels corporate America has always been full of ‘bosses,’ partly because society has elevated them as something we should all achieve as professionals. While there’s nothing wrong with being a boss, and there are plenty of good bosses, there’s a distinct difference between being a boss and being a leader. According to Ferguson, the main difference is that bosses value productivity, accomplishments, and tasks; whereas leaders value people. The latter believe that if the people feel valued, the results will come. The main focus of a boss is the productivity, or the bottom line, Ferguson says that, “When you work for someone like that, every day’s a Monday.” He argues that while most people go to work for a paycheck, being mentored by a leader opens things up – the vision gets bigger, we see ourselves doing bigger things, we’re not being micromanaged, and there’s freedom to ‘mess up.’
Ferguson says the book is for everyone – from seasoned leaders to teens, and anyone looking to make a transition between the two roles. He adds, “If you value people, leadership should be your thing.” The book is an easy-to-read resource guide meant to make us ask difficult questions once we’re done reading it. Ferguson indicates that, “A leader’s main job is to develop more leaders, not producing results.” He also adds that people can become bossy when they have a lot of responsibility, don’t know how to handle it, and don’t allow themselves to be humbled by it. Ferguson cautions that while bosses value winning more, sometimes the people pay the price and that can lead to high turnover rates. He adds, “Not everyone wants to be driven, they want to be led.”
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