Everything is Awesome #8 : I love my boss!

I often tell people "I like my boss, but I don't want to see my boss" which basically sums it up quite nicely. He's a really wonderful, kind person, but he's stubborn and old fashioned and can really a downer, a glass half empty kind of guy.

Last Wednesday I asked him for a raise. Actually I had been trying to ask him for 3 months but I only see him once a week and sometimes it's hard to get a moment alone with him. I also wanted to ask him when we were both pleasant and energetic enough (he does have his good days too).

I am not a confrontational person and I tend to avoid things when they make me uncomfortable or unhappy. That doesn't mean I wimp out on opportunities that feel right, and this felt right.
Still, I was nervous. I don't like asking for things, but my time is valuable.

So I asked him and at first he gave me some of his old man humor. "You mean raise the curtains?". That's what he's like when he's a good mood. You can imagine why I avoid him, even though I like him. I told him I'd like to help him with advertising, and I even managed to tell him why I think his advertising is crap. I insisted many times that I'd like to help his company do better than its doing, and I mean it. I like the palace and all the people which is why I am there. I told him I don't expect anything until there are results, but I'd like a raise as soon as things pick up.

To my surprise he was entirely receptive. For months I had imagined him telling me how bad the business is doing and asking much more of me for a negligible raise. I know he doesn't value his own time as much as I do, so it was hard to imagine him respecting my time and effort as much as I do.

At first he asked if I wanted more hours to which I told him I can make more somewhere else so it's not worth it. Then he asked if I was ant a commission. I said that one time benefits aren't very useful because they'd be quite rare.

He said "I'll run over the numbers and see if we can do something. I'm not sure yet but I understand you have your life to worry about and need incentive for working"

I walked out of the office feeling so happy with myself. I didn't care if I got a raise at that point, I just felt so happy that I had finally asked him and that he responded so positively. At that moment I wanted to start writing this but I got busy with something and didn't have a chance.

3 days later, he sent me an email saying he'd give me a 10% raise and the extra hours were there if I wanted them. This will make my life a whole lot easier. I may actually be able to travel once in a while and start saving for the next step.

So as much as I make jokes about how lame he is, he's an awesome guy. I realize that when I bring my best, he responds. Most people do. By my best I don't mean working harder, or giving more, I mean being both confident and able to look at things objectively and accept the reality of the situation, and see his point of view. Had I complained or tried to get whatever I could without looking at it from his point of view, I'm quite certain it would not have gone well and I'd probably be scrambling to find a new job right now and getting into debt in the process.

So I love my boss
And I love myself
I'm awesome