Let me share a realization I've come to over the years after working with hundreds of thousands of managers. Your directs don't see you as a nice person. I'm not saying you're not a nice person—I believe you are, and your directs probably believe so, too. But that's not how your directs see you. They see you as their boss. It's a hard truth, but one worth remembering. Because of the power of your role, your directs don't see you the way you see yourself.
