A recent conversation with a friend…

FRIEND: I hate my job.  My boss is a terrible person.  He never helps anyone, barks orders, won’t let you do your job, no support, ugh. How can I make him see his methods are wrong?

ME: Well, you can’t change your boss.  The only person you can change is you.

FRIEND: What do I need to change?  He’s the one who is creating the awful workplace.

ME: What your office needs is leadership and you can lead.

FRIEND: I can’t lead, I’m not the boss.

ME: Leadership has nothing to do with being the boss.  You don’t need a title to lead.  You simply have to go first in showing others in your office a different way, a better, more positive way.  Leaders go first, they show the way.

FRIEND: Okay, what do I do?

ME: Find every way you can to help the person to the left of you and to the right of you.  You must go to work every day with the thought, “how can I be more helpful?”  How can you listen more, be more responsive, take more ownership of problems and find solutions for the others in your office.  The culture shift begins with you.  If you quit and go somewhere else, there’s a pretty good chance you will end up in a similar situation.  Great workplace cultures are far and few these days.  Start now and make some change in your office, not for you, but for everyone else.  You will unfortunately have to live with your boss, but you can help make the best, the absolute best, out of the bad situation.

What can you do to lead a transformation in your workplace?  What can you do to change the dynamic?  How can you show leadership?