True leadership rarely announces itself with grand gestures. More often, it reveals itself in quieter moments and small kindnesses that remind us there’s a human behind the deliverables, carrying the weight of the work. Perhaps that is what makes a boss worth celebrating.
Several weeks ago, during a rather pressing period at work, I sent a message to my department head on Slack. The matter was urgent, something that required immediate clarity, and I expected, quite naturally, a swift, practical response. He did respond, outlining the necessary next steps, precise and efficient as always. But at the very end of his message, he added, “It’s lunch; have you eaten?” I remember pausing when I read that. The message itself was not long, just a single question, but I found myself lingering on it.
There I was, entirely absorbed in the mechanics of the task at hand, yet this small, almost offhand remark was not merely about food. It was a brief acknowledgement that I was still a person, not just a “cog in a larger system.” It struck me then that true leadership rarely announces itself with grand gestures. More often, it reveals itself in quieter moments, small kindnesses that remind us there’s a human behind the deliverables, carrying the weight of the work. Perhaps that is what makes a boss worth celebrating.
World Boss’s Day usually fills our feeds with the usual LinkedIn soundbites: “She’s a visionary!” “He’s so inspiring!” “Grateful for leadership that pushes me to grow!” And sure, those things can be true, but sometimes, the best bosses aren’t the ones with the loudest voice, the biggest office, or extreme “TED Talk energy.” Sometimes, the boss worth celebrating is the one who sees you. Asks how you are and actually listens to your response. A boss who understands that part of leadership is emotional labour.
Harvard Business Review reports that employees who feel psychologically safe are 76 per cent more likely to engage, 50 per cent more likely to stay, and 67 per cent more likely to take smart risks. Yet in many cultures, including ours, authority is rarely questioned. Many employees are still “yes-sir-ing” their way through one-on-ones, hoping to stay out of trouble rather than speak up. I’m not advocating “soft leadership”; I’m challenging leaders to create environments where people feel safe enough to lead themselves, where employees can grow, fail, own their truth, and still be trusted.
4 things great bosses actually do (even when no one’s watching)
1. They build psychological safety. Sometimes it's by modelling vulnerability by taking responsibility publicly, even when it’s uncomfortable, with simple statements like “That one’s on me,” which defuses defensiveness and thus in turn models accountability, proving to the team that blame isn’t a survival strategy. In addition, they invite their subordinates to share creative ideas without judgement, making it safe for others to speak up, experiment, and grow.
2. They don’t glorify burnout. They normalise rest and ask about your bandwidth before assigning more.
3. They celebrate progress, not just outcomes. A quiet “well done” after a rough meeting. A shoutout in a team call. They make you feel seen, not just useful.
4. They manage up, down, and across with integrity. They don’t say one thing to the team and another in exec meetings; their values stay consistent, regardless of the room.
So to Tyler, my department head, and to every boss who leads with heart rather than ego, this is for you. You have earned the trust of your team, made difficult days less so, and helped build a culture where people can exhale. Because of your leadership, I don’t feel micromanaged; I feel trusted. You keep me in the loop and check in, but you never hover.
The space you leave for me to work makes my job feel less like an obligation and more like ownership. You have created a room where ideas are not only heard but invited. In the past, at a previous job, I might have kept my ideas to myself, unsure if they would land or be discarded, driven by the need to perform, but I speak without fear because you listen with intention, and in doing so, I have become more myself. I have watched you choose humility when you could have chosen authority by asking questions when you could have given commands, and I have learnt from that.
So here is my simple offering, in these words, to say you are doing a GREAT job!
Even though World Boss’s Day has passed (it's marked on October 16), let’s celebrate the kind of leadership that doesn’t just look good but actually feels good to work under because, at the end of the day, the best bosses don’t lead from above; they lead beside us. And sometimes, they even ask if we’ve eaten.
