I have received some very nice compliments in my day, but one of the nicest is when people have told me I am the best boss they ever worked for, anywhere.
I don’t consider myself a cookie-cutter, Management 101 type guy. I know professional protocols, policies and all the buzzwords, but when I am working with the people reporting to me, if you saw me in their midst, you’d likely think I was one of them. Because I am. I started at the same places they did, did the same jobs, etc. While you often see the gorilla pictured in a polo, in truth, 9 out of 10, I was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. You were just as likely to find me covered in grease digging around inside a machine as you were at a desk doing paperwork.
I feel that gives me a unique view and rapport with the frontline workers, because they know I have been through what they have. And they know I am not afraid to get my hands dirty.
During, and even after my time working with my previous teams, several of them told me I was the best supervisor they ever worked for. To this day, I still get messages like that from some of them, and I am very proud of that.
To know my time with them had a positive impact is very meaningful, and gives me a great sense of accomplishment.
The Beginning At Last 
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