Applying for a New Boss

　　When I went off to college, I got one piece of advice from my father: "It doesn't matter what courses you take, just find the great professors." Sure enough, I soon discovered that all subjects were interesting, as long as I had good teachers.

　　In Professor Weinstein's class, for example, I could almost hear the prisoners being moved through the streets of Paris during the French Revolution. And going back even further, I can still recall things about the planets that I would've forgotten if not for the eagerness of my second-grade teacher. What it boils down to, for me, is that a great teacher somehow makes a subject come alive.

　　Great teaching is not limited to school, though. An excellent boss can do the same thing, turning every day into a learning experience. He can give you confidence, making you more willing to ask a question, take on responsibility, or even suggest a change in some out-of-date company policy.In short, a great boss knows how to teach.

　　My advice, then, is not to interview for the right job. Instead, interview for the right boss—not a best friend, but someone who is willing and able to help you grow professionally.

　　What are some signs of the wrong boss?Well, anyone who:      * is surrounded by the same team year after year. If you're such a good teacher, why aren't these people moving on to better positions?      * lacks a sense of humor.Life is short. Work is hard. Let's lighten up when the mailroom loses a package, OK? There's no reason to get your nose out of joint.     * loves typing, and has a hatred toward talking. Why are you continually e-mailing me when I sit across the hall?

　　Who are the best bosses I've had?

　　Angela, my first boss out of college, was smart and direct—she was not afraid to call a spade a spade. She ruffled feathers around the company, but would readily let me in on what she thought and why. She'd been there 30 years but was still a busybody—I loved that.

　　My other boss, Tom, had a saying: "You can sleep when you're dead."Working for him was more than a little tiring. But he was also really open—quick to ask for input and to give it.We frequently had differing opinions, yet our discussions helped both of us learn more about what we were trying to achieve. A great boss both gives and earns respect. But how do you know when you've found the right boss?Trust your instincts. Be yourself and see if he is someone you want to learn from for a couple of years. If that person is dull, distant, or passive in an interview, guess what they're going to be like Monday through Friday. Interviewees are on their best behavior in that type of climate, but so are interviewers. You don't like what you see?The power is yours—go and check out other bosses before you jump aboard for the long run.

　　Churchill divided people into two groups—those for whom work is work and pleasure is pleasure, and those for whom work is pleasure. Whichever you are, my recommendation is to make sure you know where both you and your boss belong. If you're in the same group, then he could very well be just the teacher for you.

寻找新老板

　　我离家上大学时，父亲给了我一条忠告：“选什么课无所谓，只要找到好的教授就行。”果然，不久我就发现只要有好老师，所有的课程都令人感兴趣。

　　比如说在温斯坦教授的课上，我几乎听到了法国革命时期囚犯们在巴黎被游街示众的声音。我现在还记得再早些时候学到的有关行星的知识，要不是我那位二年级老师讲课的那股热情劲儿，我恐怕早就将那些知识抛到九霄云外去了。对我而言，这一切可以归结为一点：一位好教师能把课上活了。

　　当然，好的教育并不局限在校园。优秀的老板能够把每天的工作变成学习的过程，从而起到同样的教育效果。他可以给你信心，让你更乐意请教别人，担负责任，甚至提议改变某些已过时的公司政策。总之，好老板深知如何教人。

　　因此，我的忠告是：不要只为合适的工作去应聘，而要去应征合适的老板——他并不一定要成为你的好朋友，但应是一位既愿意又有能力在职业方面帮助你成长的人。

　　那么糟糕的老板有哪些特征呢？他们：

　　1 . 年复一年被同样的人包围。假如你是这样一位很优秀的老板，那你周围的这些人为何没有升职呢？

　　2. 缺乏幽默感。人生短暂，工作又辛苦。在收发室丢了个邮包时，也让我们放轻松些，好吗？用不着闷闷不乐。

　　3. 喜欢打字，讨厌当面交谈。我们在同一间办公室里，你为何要接二连三地给我发电子邮件呢？

　　我接触过的最出色的老板又是谁呢？

　　安吉拉是我大学毕业后遇到的第一位老板。她不但聪明，为人也坦率——她直言不讳。在公司里她免不了会得罪人，但她会随时让我了解她的想法以及为什么会有这个想法。那时她在公司已待了30年，但依然爱管闲事——我喜欢她这一点。

　　我的另一位老板汤姆有一句口头禅：“人到死时方能安睡。”为他工作虽然很累，但他心胸开阔——他乐意向我征求意见，也乐意给我提供建议。我们经常意见相左，但由此产生的争论也使我们更深地理解了我们共同追求的目标。杰出的老板既给人以尊重，也赢得尊重。

　　然而你怎样知道自己找到了好的老板呢？请相信自己的直觉。保持自我，然后判断一下在未来几年内他是否是那个你想向其学习的人。假如那个家伙在面试时了无趣味、难以接近、消极被动，可以想象平时的周一至周五他们会是什么模样。在那种气氛中，应征者处于最佳状态，而面试者也不应该例外。你不喜欢看到的这一切吗？决定权在你——不如去看看其他老板之后再决定是否长期加入这家公司吧。

　　丘吉尔曾把人归为两类，一类认为工作与快乐泾渭分明；另一类却把工作当作快乐。不管你属于哪一类，我建议一定要搞清楚你自己和老板各属于哪一类。如果你们是同类，那么他可能就是你要找的好老师。