Dirty Words at Work
Chapter 6: Boss
noun: Boss
The idea of a boss and even the word boss has changed significantly in recent decades. A boss is someone in a position of authority or one that has power over another. Thus, a boss is someone who has responsibility over another person’s behaviors, or at least those they have authority over.
The word itself has not been entirely devoid of scrutiny. Some companies have eliminated the word from agency language all together. Instead, companies often use words like Supervisor, Manager, Shift Leader, Key Person, or similar titles. In many cases, using the word “boss” to describe such roles is less and less acceptable in professional settings.
So what’s the big deal anyway?
The word itself brings about different feelings, depending on who you ask. Some may feel it under-represents the role an authority figure plays in the productivity and continuing education of subordinates. Others might feel it instills a feeling of control.
Yet others might suggest a boss is representative of power over someone, thus creating a feeling of resentment. Most modern companies desire to create a work space where an authority figure is respected and followed rather than feared or resented. The word boss has the ability to bring about the latter feelings in some, depending on who you ask.
The future of individualism
You could argue that much of American society has taken a more individualist perspective where no one wants to feel like someone else has power over them. The word boss incites such labels of authority. Those that reject the word might feel such authority held over them is inappropriate or wrong.
Many of us have heard similar phrases to sentiments like “I want to be my own boss,” or “the man is holding me down.” Such phrases inside the unnamed positions of authority is someone who holds power over another negatively. In follows the assumption that you can’t live life to the fullest if you have to follow the instructions of another. This is where the idea of a boss as a negative connotation runs into problems.
Are bosses good for more than an authority figure?
In reality, most people need some coaching, direction, support, or encouragement to learn and accomplish a job, at least at first. These roles are traditionally the responsibility of a boss. The word ceases to mean what it was intended to when it is inundated with negative connotations of a differentiation of power. It is then that “boss” becomes a dirty word.
Is a boss necessary?
Some people feel that authority held over them leads to a negative experience. However, some roles and even people benefit from coaching, training, and supervision. It is through these positive relationships that they can improve their own efficiency and self-efficacy in their job. By remembering that a boss is still just a person trying to accomplish a job, those appointed under them can better understand why a boss exists and how to navigate the ins and outs of a supervisor-subordinate relationship.
The connotations with the word boss seem to rarely be about job title or stature, but rather entirely about power held and placed over. “Boss” in and of itself is not negative in the workplace, but the discomfort and conflict brought onto the label can be.
Recommended Reading
Introduction to Dirty Words at Work (DWAW)