BOSS BLUES
Being in charge is every employee’s dream — until it comes true
ROSS Belfer should have been on top of the world.
In the fall of 2014, Belfer, now 30, quit his job at a Manhattan-based p.r. firm to launch creative agency Xhibition in Tel Aviv with a partner. He was the founder, CEO and director of public relations for the company, constantly traveling between his homes in New York and Tel Aviv to meet with travel, art, tech and entertainment clients.
“I always envisioned working for myself and creating my own sustainable lifestyle and income,” says Belfer, who quickly grew his firm to a staff of nine full-time employees.
But over time, the dual responsibilities of p.r. director and CEO started to pile up; Belfer lost patience with employees, and his social life suffered.
“I basically became a half-human in my personal life,” he says. “No sleep, no time to cook for myself and essentially no time or energy to run my own life or errands.”
Belfer’s case is all too common, says Jaime Klein, founder of Inspire Human Resources. “From the sidelines, it looks glamorous being the leader, as there is a perception of additional prestige, pay and career advancement,” she says. “Many employees assume this is the only career path to take.”
In fact, a 2011 Berrett-Koehler survey of 150 bosses revealed that 68 percent of managers don’t really like being the one in charge.
If you find yourself up for a promotion — or wondering if you’re ready to launch a company of your own — there are clues that indicate whether you’re up for the job.
You may be a good fit for a manager role if you enjoy mentoring others, coaching a team or motivating a group, according to Klein. “Leaders spend a lot of their time directing others, reviewing their performance and helping them by holding up a mirror to tell how they are perceived, as well as telling employees about their strengths and weaknesses,” she says.
But it doesn’t stop there: A good boss shows employees how to conduct themselves correctly through role modeling behavior, giving them examples of how to handle stressful situations and pointing out examples of how others handle things in an appropriate manner.
If you do land a corner-office gig only to realize that being the boss isn’t everything it was cracked up to be, you don’t have to suffer in silence — or stay in a role that doesn’t suit you. Klein suggests being honest with your manager, and explaining why being a leader may not be a match for you, and that you want to continue on your path as a star individual contributor.
Belfer’s unhappiness at the helm of the company came to a head at a recent meeting at Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel, where he was “chewed out” by a client over issues with the company’s p.r. strategy.
“I completely ran myself into the ground,” Belfer says, adding that he longed for the days where he could devote his time to his true strength — p.r. — and not stress over the financial aspects and development plans of the business. He also missed having someone above him to oversee the big picture.
“The work [being the CEO] entailed was not specifically what interested or inspired me to open this operation in the first place,” Belfer says. “I realized that there were other profes- sionals who could helm the position at a high level, and that I was best utilized as the lead director and creator of p.r. strategies and media exposure for our clients.” Belfer talked to his partner, explained his situation and gave ideas for his replacement. A month later, the new structure was put into place, with Belfer as director of p.r. The firm will now move to New York in September. “My quality of life and work output have both improved tremendously as a result,” he says. And the business? It’s doing just fine.