Does it pay to have an influential boss?
Influential or not we all have someone we report to. Some might ask aren’t all bosses influential by default? Well, my answer to that would be Yes and No. Yes, all bosses are influential to a certain extent, however, there are few who are more influential than the others –in terms of the power of influence over senior management, bigger team sizes and more scope of work responsibility.
Pros of having an influential boss:
Contacts: An influential boss has a good professional network both inside and outside the organization. This, you can leverage presently and in the future indirectly/directly helping your career growth in the organization or even outside it.
Visibility: An influential boss knows the right people in the right places. From senior management to his other counterparts in various departments all know him. Hence he has the power to project your good work in front of the right people thus taking you to the next level.
Relatability: An influential boss will also be ambitious in nature 90 out of 100 times. Thus he can not only understand the ambitions of his reports he can also help them become successful as he sees his own reflection in them.
Role Model: Lastly he’s influential for a reason so you have someone to look up to. He has a lot to offer in terms of learning on the job if you are willing to learn.
Cons of having an influential boss
Overambitious: You may have a boss who is influential however is also overly ambitious leading to unrealistic expectation setting for yourself and your team which in turn will lead to unnecessary stress and work pressure.
Too much influence: If you are on good terms with him good for you however what happens if your work/personal relationship gets spoilt with him? You are doomed to a mediocre career in the company since he has influence over a lot of people!
Flip Side: An influential boss may not necessarily also be a good leader. Worst case scenario he may be a selfish Influential boss. Who may be interested in his own progress rather than developing his team members? Well, in that case, Best of luck to you! However, my suggestion would be to still try and maintain good relations with such a boss. As they say, the world is round! You never know who can help you when!