Island Issues

Hate The Boss? Then He’s Likely A Good One

Hate The Boss? Then He’s Likely A Good One

If you don’t like your boss very much that person is probably a good leader. If they’re humble, even better. 

At least that’s what I picked up from a couple of  recent Wall Street Journal articles citing assessments offered by a firm founded and headed by Amelia Island resident, Dr. Robert Hogan.

In an essay titled “How to Lead Like George Washington” in the September 22 issue of the Wall Street Journal, I came across a reference to Amelia Island resident Dr. Hogan’s firm, Hogan Assessment Systems.

The article, by Sam Walker, former WSJ reporter and author of “The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership,” outlined what Walker says are the essential qualities for leading by example and how Washington mastered them.

George Washington displayed great leadership qualities

In it he references a study by Hogan Research, an arm of Hogan Assessment Systems, a sought-after creator of  worldwide workplace personality tests, saying: “…likable bosses don’t always inspire confidence.” He adds: “A 2018 study by Hogan Research showed that leaders who are perceived as leisurely, colorful, mischievous and hedonistic tend to earn lower marks for integrity and accountability.” According to the article-referenced Hogan study, “bosses who are considered diligent, cautious, and reserved earn higher ratings for integrity than those who seem excitable.”

The second article, titled “The Best Bosses Are Humble Bosses” by Sue Shellenbarger in the WSJ‘s  Wednesday, October 10 issue, quotes Hogan’s Tulsa-based Chief Science Officer Dr. Ryne Sherman as saying: “Humble leaders can also be highly competitive and ambitious. But they tend to avoid the spotlight and give credit to their teams.”

According to the article Hogan Assessment plans to announce a 20-item scale early next year that is designed to measure humility in job seekers and candidates for leadership positions

“Humility and honesty”, says Ms. Shellenbarger, are measured by a cluster of attributes that appear in some people, including sincerity, modesty, fairness, truthfulness, and unpretentiousness. She goes on to report that: “The same people tend to avoid manipulating others, bending the rules or behaving in greedy or hypocritical ways.”

Be careful of how you treat servers, etc.

She warns readers that if they’re being interviewed for a new job, to make sure they treat the receptionist in the lobby with respect and dignity. And if they’re asked to lunch or dinner by a prospective boss make sure to be courteous to the servers and others in the restaurant. These folks may be on alert to report back to the company. “If these people report disrespectful or self-absorbed behavior that can be a deal killer,” says a head of human resources for a global company quoted in the article.

I also learned recently that Hogan’s company performs a “Dark Side” personality test, a test that alerts enterprises to employees whose bright and cheery side might just turn ugly under pressure.

Dr. Hogan, who since moving to Amelia Island, has opened two restaurants and bought another two. He owns and helped create downtown’s The Tavern and the south end’s Pogo. He also purchased the Parkway Grill not too long ago, and is currently converting the former Centre Street Alley Cat piano bar — next door to The Tavern — into a beer garden.

Dr. Hogan’s Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company, Hogan Assessment Systems, Inc., which he founded, in 1987, provides research-based assessment and consulting services that assist businesses customers worldwide in hiring the right people, developing key talent, and evaluating leadership potential. It offers talent assessment services, hiring recommendations, employee management and coaching, succession planning, leadership development, and even safety programs. The company also provides a variety of Web-based leadership resources.

I wonder if Dr. Hogan has developed a special leadership program for his restaurant management teams here and if so how that’s working out.

Oh, and Dr. Hogan should make sure he pats his PR Department or PR agency on the back for getting him two valuable and authoritative  mentions in the WSJ in two consecutive months, no easy task.

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Restaurant Tipping Toppling? New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer observed that restaurant tipping meant his employees who served food earned up to 300 percent more than the people preparing it and he thought that wasn’t fair. So his staff no longer receives tips. Two years ago he began implementing his “Hospitality Included” program and for the past 25 months raised prices and salaries in his more than a dozen NYC restaurants, eliminating tipping. So far he says his retention numbers have improved as has service, and other city restaurants are following suit. Will such a program reach this far south, and if so would customers and servers hereabouts prefer it?

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Some Good News & Some More Good News: According to statistics I found in a Georgia Public Policy Foundation publication, U.S median household income is at a record-high, inflation-adjusted $61,372. When folks factor in that today’s households contain fewer people, the news is even better, notes economist Mark J. Perry of the American Enterprise Institute. Apparently that will result in Americans spending more on holiday shopping in 2018 than they did last year, according to a new survey of consumers by Accenture. Overall, Americans will spend an average of $658, a roughly four percent increase compared to the average $632 spent in 2017.

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Bad News Department: A review of  Tallahassee Democrat Mayor Andrew Gillum’s gubernatorial platform against Republican Congressman Ron DeSantis looks like it was ripped straight out of the Crazy Uncle Bernie Sanders’ playbook – a $15 an hour minimum wage, Medicare for all, more gun control, more corporate taxes, spending to head off climate change, even more incontinent spending on education, abolishing ICE, and impeaching Donald Trump. Nothing yet about a free pony but I’m sure that’s coming.

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Hide the Women & Children The Democrats Are Coming: After listening to an unhinged Hillary Clinton this week on CNN fuel public discord by telling Americans that “Democrats will not be civil until they win back control of the government” it becomes obvious that — if nothing else — that Donald Trump has done the American people a great service by  preventing this deranged, delusional woman from becoming president. And if he only does half of what he promised the country is way ahead of where Obama dragged it.

The face of the Democrat party

The rest of the Democrat party is equally nuts.  Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his wife were harassed and screamed at by obscene left-wing loons in a restaurant in Washington, D.C. Former Obama Attorney General, Eric Holder, called for civil discord; And the face of the Democrat Party, Congresswoman Maxine Waters,  encouraged civil disorder saying: “If you see anybody from that Cabinet — in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station — you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”

Two senior Trump administration officials were heckled at restaurants. A third was denied service. Florida GOP Attorney General Pam Bondi required a police escort away from a movie about Mister Rogers after activists yelled at her in Tampa — where two other Republican lawmakers say they were also politically harassed, one of them with her kids along.

Add all of this to the Democrat’s disgraceful and disgusting display at the Brett Kavanaugh hearings and the American voter has had enough of this vile, hysterical behavior and I fully expect the GOP to win future elections in landslides — Reagan style. The American people are fed up. And to ensure a large GOP turnout the left should continue to feature Nancy Pelosi on as many TV programs as possible.

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Speaking Of Crazy: Teenage Parkland High School student activist, David Hogg, not long ago targeted Florida grocery store chain Publix as an enemy. The teen’s outrage at the Lakeland-based company was due to the fact that the company made donations to a then Republican gubernatorial candidate, Adam Putnam, an avowed supporter of the Second Amendment and the NRA. Hogg went nuts trespassing and calling for a public boycott. Following the Publix announcement, he tweeted out this message: “Together we can do anything. Together the young people will win by choosing love.” Apparently “love” entails threats, extortion, and trespassing in order to get his way. I wonder how much more of his affection the community can tolerate.

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Chuckle Of The Day:  At breakfast a man asked his wife: “What would you do if I won the lottery?” She replied: “I’d take half, and then I’d leave you.” He said: “Great! I won $12 yesterday. Here’s $6. Stay in touch.”

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Drinking, Dining & Dancing: A sign on the door at the 14-year-old Barbara Jean’s Amelia Island restaurant announced that the Gateway Boulevard eatery, just east of Shave Bridge permanently closed October 8.  There are two other Barbara Jean locations, the original one in St. Simons Island, GA and the other in nearby Ponte Vedra. People answering the phone at those two locations confirm that they are still open for business. If you have a friend who is a member of American legion Post 54 at 626 South 3rd Street, then have that pal invite you to join him or her this evening, Friday, October 12, beginning at 7 p.m. to hear area piano man John Springer and his drumming buddy, Rob Taylor, tonight at the post for a fun evening of “stump the piano player.” Springer has been a fixture in the super club scene hereabouts for many year, most recently at the just shuttered 801 Beech Street Restaurant and Bar. Tomorrow, October 13, at Main Beach folks can enjoy both barbeque brisket and pork while listening to the Decades Band and The Honey Badgers while supporting the “Cueing For a Cure” fundraiser for cancer awareness for just $10 a plate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or you can go to the Saturday dedication of the $5 million “It-Looks-Like-An-Airplane-Terminal Building” at the local airport from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and have “light refreshments.” Me, I’m having barbeque. Animal lovers may want to consider the 14th annual Pasta4Paws event, Saturday, Oct. 13, 4- 9 p.m. at the Atlantic Recreation Center sponsored by the Nassau Humane Society. Adult tickets at the door are $17 for a spaghetti meal. If they have voices left after the Main Beach barbeque, Hupp Huppman, along with pal Ray Hetchka, will perform for the animal lovers. And there will be a silent auction.

11 Comments

Mary Ann Howat - 15. Oct, 2018 -

Where has civility gone? No. 45 has brought incivility to new highs. Just saying! Read about Teddy Roosevelt and then feel free to comment on where we are today.

Coleman Langshaw - 14. Oct, 2018 -

So…the Democrats’ civil discord is a terrible, obnoxious, disrespectful and inexcusable tactic? I guess then, me saying (in reference to the Orange Haired Clown in the White House) I would like to “punch him in the face” is way over the line? Wait, sorry, I am plagiarizing here, isn’t that what our Ronald McDonald wannabe buffoon said during his campaign in 2016? Oh, but that’s OK, Chump’s civil discord is always applauded by his ilk, its only offensive when the shoe is on the other foot. Do his supporters even know the definition of hypocrite?

Susan - 13. Oct, 2018 -

We experienced a tip-included restaurant in Crested Butte, CO, and we loved it. Felt no pressure to tip otherwise. Made it so simple.

Colson Hillier - 12. Oct, 2018 -

Australia has a non-tipping culture – works well there!

Simon Legree - 12. Oct, 2018 -

That means you had the best boss in the universe in Atlanta!

He had the best communications pro working for him, too.

Tom Yankus - 12. Oct, 2018 -

On the 18 year old David Hogg…Can you imagine what would have happened to us at 18 if we had mirrored his activities! Your Tampa Plant, my St. Pete Dixie Hollins High School Administrators would have prevented these activities especially if our respected high school names were linked to it. By the way, betcha’ we know who is funding his shenanigans taking Hogg and friends to various locales.

Hupp - 12. Oct, 2018 -

Lou,

Dave is not allowed to judge anything for the remainder of 2018 following the debacle with the “two first place” best burger fiasco earlier in the year.

His judging license will be reinstated in 2019.

Gary McKillips - 12. Oct, 2018 -

Even when restaurants include tips, they either ask for extra, or you feel obligated to do more. I say let’s stay with the present tip system. BTW, I love the way Uber does things. No messing with tips on the spot. You can do something later, but you don’t feel that’s part of the deal.

Jenny Steele - 12. Oct, 2018 -

My boss is a slave driver! 🙂 Remind me to tell you the story about a guy on a first date and how he treated a server. Love my Friday morning coffee breaks with you Dave! Good job!

Lou - 12. Oct, 2018 -

Are you going to be judging the BBQ on Saturday?

JEANNE WYATT - 12. Oct, 2018 -

As always, Dave, I love your comments. Just one correction. The American Legion event is tonight Oct. 12th (not Friday the 13th!). John will be having an interactive show with military, college, show tunes. Also, a $7 pulled pork dinner will be served with chips and coleslaw prior to John’s 7 p.m. start. Great weekend coming up all over the island.