The Managers You Never Forget
They’re not the ones who push you hardest but the ones who have your back.
The managers you remember years later aren’t the ones who pushed you hardest. They’re the ones who had your back when you needed it most.
The first time I really learned that lesson was very early in my career, back when I was an analyst at Lehman Brothers.
There was a 2 week stretch where I once pulled 4 all-nighters (thankfully not in a row!). On the fourth, I collapsed in an elevator while on my way home to change.
I remember feeling lightheaded, and the next thing I knew I was staring up at the ceiling and people were asking me if I was okay.
I definitely wasn’t since I had a big gash on my forehead that needed medical attention. So I took myself to the ER, where I waited until midnight before someone could see me.
It was at that point that my skip level messaged me on my Blackberry, saying, “I’m so sorry to hear about what happened, take all the time you need to get better…so feel free to turn that deck by 9:30 instead of 7:30.”
Generous, right?
Thankfully, my direct manager jumped in to say not to worry, that he had it covered. He then messaged me privately to say he would handle everything. 1st ballot GOAT candidate AFAIC.
That message made all the difference.
Every company has late nights, crunches, and politics. What makes people stay isn’t the work itself. It’s often the reassurance that someone is on their side.
Years later, in a very different stage of my career, I try (I don’t always get it right, admittedly) to show up the same way:
Reassuring. Supportive. Clearly on my team’s side.