National Boss’s Day has rolled around again. Did you have October 16 marked on your schedule as the day to honor your boss? Or does your boss remind you constantly that he or she is worthy of your daily adoration?

I have never liked the word boss. I have been in leadership positions and I am currently CEO of Know More Media but I have never considered myself as “the Boss.” So I did some quick research to better understand the term "Boss.".

According to Wikipedia, National Boss’s Day honors "superiors for being kind and fair throughout the year." Kind and Fair are great traits for a Boss and I can see why employees would want to honor a Boss that embodies kindness and fairness.

However, if look up “Boss” at dictionary.com you find some interesting definitions and "kind and fair" are not included.

Of course, the traditional definition -

• (noun) a person who employs or superintends workers; manager.
• (verb)  to be master of or over; manage; direct; control
• (adjective) chief; master.

Did you also know that Boss means:

a knoblike projection as applied to botany, zoology, architecture, geology, nautical and originated as early as 1250 AD as a lump, growth, boil

Does that sound like your boss?

The word “Boss” can also mean - hollow; empty

as well as - first-rate; topnotch.

Turn to the thesaurus and you find these words as synonyms for “Boss.”

• administrator
• chief
• chieftain
• controller
• director
• dominator
• employer
• exec
• executive
• foreman
• head
• head honcho
• honcho
• quarterback
• leader
• master
• overseer
• owner
• superintendent
• supervisor
• taskmaster
• top dog
• tyee
• tyhee
• wheel

Come to find out the word “boss” means many things. Perhaps that is the meaning of “Boss’s Day” - there are many types of bosses – not just good bosses and bad bosses or fair and kind bosses.

Despite its reputation, being the boss is not easy and is not for everyone. It requires making unpopular decisions, being accountable, balancing the needs of individuals with the demands of the organization. The best bosses don’t boss but lead.

National Boss’s Day seems like a funny concept but it is a good reminder that good bosses, those that are fair and kind and also good leaders are people worthy of our respect, important to get to know, and valuable to emulate.