Facilitating discussion on The Boss

This document has been prepared to support a discussion about the insights into leaders' behaviour in the novel, The Boss. These notes could be used by a senior manager mentoring another manager. They could be used by a facilitator in a workshop discussion with a group of managers, or by a coach mentoring an individual leader.

The events in The Boss are based on true stories. While the characters and the organisation are fictitious, the events describe what some managers actually do in leading their teams. By describing real behaviour, The Boss provides a unique education tool.

Behind the story of The Boss are serious leadership messages. Leadership characters in The Boss are based on types of bosses - there is a constructive boss, there are several aggressive, competitive bosses and others who are passive and compliant.

A significant dimension of leadership is the messages leaders send to staff. Leaders send messages in everything leaders do or don't do. They send messages in what they say and don't say. All the time, staff are "reading" messages from their bosses and forming or confirming opinions of their boss. A leader should be conscious of this, and seek to manage those messages so that the leader establishes a secure and motivating environment for their people.

Use the following, or similar questions, to facilitate learning and insight from The Boss.

1. Which character reminds you most about yourself? Why?

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of that character?

3. What character is the most desirable leader? Why?

4. As the Chief Executive, what is the key style of John Squires? What is good about this style, and what are the disadvantages of this style by a CEO? What could John do differently?

5. How would you describe the leadership style of Nicholas Strange? What are the advantages and disadvantages of his behaviour? What are the implications of his behaviour for other managers and for Harlow Kane staff?

6. How about Marcus Pomfrey? How would you describe his management style? What are the implications of his style? Does he provide the most motivating environment for Lauren and her colleagues? What should he do differently?

7. Think about the two performance appraisals that Marcus conducts with Lauren. What message does Marcus send? Would this have been intended? What could he have done differently?

8. What about the career development discussion Lauren has with Marcus? What message was sent by Marcus? What could he have been done differently?

9. What about Lauren's two pay reviews? What outcome might have Marcus wanted from the pay reviews? Did he achieve that outcome? What could he have done differently?

10. What insight do we have of James Swann's leadership style? What actions does James take that endears him to Lauren and her colleagues?

11. How similar or dissimilar is Lauren to your own staff?

12. In regards to your own staff, what do you need to do to be a motivating leader for them? What works well right now that you need to continue? What should you change or do less of to be a more constructive leader for them?

13. Staff talk to their friends and family about their boss. What would they likely say about you? Why would they say that? What do you do or don't do that leads them to the opinion they have?

14. If you featured in a novel, what would you like written about you? Write down five words that you would like said about you. What specific actions do you plan over the next 12 months to be an effective leader for your team?