What Type of Superboss Are You?

In Sydney Finkelstein’s book “Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent” we learn about outstanding leaders who succeeded to build great teams. He explains the background of individuals like technology CEO Larry Ellison and fashion pioneer Ralph Lauren among others and pursues to find out how they became a “superboss” and what they are doing differently.

In this article we are going to dive into the different types of superbosses out there and find out what type of superboss you are – or which one you could be. If you enjoy the subject, I strongly suggest you to check out the full book by Finkelstein. It currently holds a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.com with 40+ reviews.

Managing talent as part of HR is one thing, but how do you attract the talent? If you are not “only” team lead but also try to be entrepreneurial with your role, you need to attract top talent of the industry, manage to let them perform at their best and manage to keep them in the company.

What is a superboss?

Obviously the super boss is a type of superlative for the term “boss”. Therefore a superboss is a somewhat advanced boss manages his staff a little better than others. A superboss grew to radiate a magnetic charisma, based on his or her proven and tested integrity and authenticity.

Superbosses tend to have a very clear vision statement. They are able to express and explain their goals in two sentences or less if need be but could also write books about the objectives, they are trying to achieve. The superboss can also be very competitive and usually is not afraid of failure.

The superboss often tries to assemble a team of people, who are different versions of themselves. They would usually hire people who they feel pursue the same goals and understand their own way of thinking. Candidates need to demonstrate a compatible degree of intelligence and creativity too. The superboss will not go for large numbers, but pursue high quality in his or her teams.

The team will be challenged and encouraged to achieve their maximum performance, push hard and have great ideas. Superbosses are not only directly managing their team members but are also focused on the bond and relationship between the individual team members. The optimal bond between co workers should be interested in each other, caring and yet a little competitive.

What types of superbosses are there?

While there are many shared characteristics among the three types of superbosses, there are some differences that makes them special. Here’s a description of each:

1. Iconoclasts

This special type of superboss never planned to lead or inspire. It is a natural byproduct of their dedication and effort. They have a strong focus on their vision and can spot good qualities in people who share their values and eagerness. Team members are considered followers and are not directed.

2. Inglorious bastards

The bastards are driven to win and excel. They want to achieve a lot and will risk something, if it gives them an edge. The bastards tap into their team for support and expect only excellence. Failure tolerance is not their strong suite. Joiners are usually drafted into the team by the superboss.

3. Nurturers

Nurturers are the gardeners of the office. They invest a great deal of care and patience into developing their team and extending their expertise to perform better. This approach is often time-intensive, but can have a positive effect on the future of the organization and the individuals of the team that can last for decades.

How to become a superboss?

Everybody can potentially become a superboss. Even if you’re not really the boss of anyone, you can still practice the values of a superboss and maybe you will become the leader of the pack at some point. I wouldn’t say all three of the superboss types are considered to be very positive, but all three of them do perform – and their teams perform.

So how do you move towards being a superboss now? Finkelstein knows three questions to ask yourself in order to estimate your superboss readiness. If you can’t answer these three questions in a most optimal way, you are not yet a superboss and need to improve a little bit.

Do you have an inspiring vision for your business, and do you use this vision to motivate your team?
Are team members feeling close to each other, are they comfortable with all the others?
Are you spending enough time to mentor employees and help them learn?

Would you reply to them all with the right answer? Is there a field you lack in? No worries, knowing of a gap is the first step for fixing it. Start to be a superboss today!