My first boss was a sweaty, lech whose hands regularly found their way to places they should not have been. I knew I wasn’t going to last long in the job when I found my 21-year-old self slapping the advertising agency’s major shareholder in the face after he suddenly squeezed my breasts in full view of the creative team.
I was reminded of this strange episode in my life when I listened to Tracey Swanepoel’s introduction to her book, The Leadership Riptide and How to Escape. She also found her experience at an advertising job earlier in her career disappointing, with lessons on how not to run a business. In her case, her boss literally threw a document at her.
That was the last century; you didn’t complain. Instead you moved on if you weren’t prepared to put up with the office culture and norms. It’s hard to imagine anyone in the workplace getting away with groping others in public or hurling books and other items across a desk these days.
Some things may have changed, but as Swanepoel points out in her book: many old-fashioned ideas and systems endure, to the detriment of getting the best out of people and ultimately adding value for shareholders. She shares insights on what works, what doesn’t and how to develop business leadership skills to help nurture talented individuals who can thrive and be happy.
Tracey Swanepoel’s audio book is free for BizNews community members. Download the first instalment by the business strategist, author and founder of THINKspiration, here.
PS: Webinar alert. A reminder to sign up for the BizNews Wednesday noon webinar if you are thinking of emigrating to the United States. This event, which is sponsored by green card and business visa specialist CMB Regional Centers, is free, but you must register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.
