Role of the Boss

Found this article on how the relationship should be between an employee and his boss.

"My job is to hold the umbrella so the shit from above doesn't hit you.

Your job is to keep me from having to use it."

"I think this is  brilliant because there is so much wisdom on so many levels.  First, it is really funny, especially when paired with the picture in the post.  Second, there is deep wisdom there about the relationship between a good boss and good followers -- these are mutually supportive relationships, not one way. 

Even the best boss can't do everything.  This boss --"gschaadt "-- is more than willing to go to bat for his people.   But the implication for him or any other boss is, if people keep creating conditions where he or she constantly has to protect them, say, from superiors that they piss-off because they do shoddy work or break too many rules or anything else-- a point comes where the difficult employee ends-up undermining the boss's reputation, the reputation of his or her team, and ultimately hurting everyone involved. "

Courtesy: Bob Sutton's blog

Your birth order and number of siblings, is more important than you thought.

According to research, your birth order plays a very significant part of your personality.

"Firstborns, over represented among CEOs and political leaders, are likely to be relatively more comfortable and successful in situations where they can execute within an existing structure,........."

"As children, first-borns strive to emulate and please their parents, and often dominate and care for their younger siblings. Parents tend to delegate responsibility to firstborns, who identify with their parents and with authority. Therefore, relative to their younger siblings, first-born children tend to be more extravertedconscientious and academically inclined, and more dominant and authoritarian." 

"Additionally, firstborns may be uncomfortable when they are required to work in subordinate roles."

"Second-born children, relative to their older siblings, tend to be more flexible and open to new experiences, more empathic and altruistic, more creative and innovative, and more rebellious,...."

Read the whole article here.

Another research shows that  people with multiple siblings tend to be better leaders. Because, they are more in tune with constant harsh feedback from their siblings and are better tuned to reality.

" having multiple siblings also had other advantages as it forces you to learn to cooperate and learn that the world does not swirl around you -- plus to return to the strongest finding form this study, siblings usually give each other unvarnished feedback, making it tough for any of us to live in a fool's paradise."