Being a leader is hard work… being an inspiring leader is even harder. By following these tried and true leadership lessons you are sure to knock it out of the park!

1.    If You Are Angry, Yell

Anger is an emotion and you have the right to not only feel angry, but express that anger. If it happens that you are angry at the people who work for you, you should let them know. This is best done publically and with a raised voice.

2.    Miss Deadlines

And miss them often! When associates see their boss isn’t concerned with their work or hitting deadlines it will allow associates to relax and feel like they can have fun at the job. This often results in extended time on Facebook, long lunches, and a general negative attitude.

3.    Gossip

The best boss I ever had was notorious for gossiping. The people who worked for her always felt comfortable sharing their fears, concerns, thoughts, hopes, or dreams since they knew the entire staff and all our clients would quickly find out. I would often overhear people saying “Telling Liz* (fake name for anonymity) spreads the word faster then sending an email!”

4.    Do It Yourself

Your time should be spent proving that you can do the job… and you can do it better then anyone else on your team. How else will people agree that you should be the boss?

5.    Happy April Fools Day

Remember that today is April Fools Day and none of the above leadership lessons are accurate or helpful. In fact, the only things they will assist with is getting you fired, upsetting the people you work with, and creating an unhappy situation for yourself.

We recommend the opposite of all of the above if you are serious about your leadership. Approach situations with curiosity and questions (not anger and yelling), match expectations you set for the team (maybe even exceed them), build the trust and relationship with associates by respecting their privacy, and allow your associates to assist in accomplishing your goals!