How to be an Awesome Boss

What makes someone an awesome boss? According to leadership consultant and executive Larry Olmstead, it is not charisma, personality, or authority. Great leadership is intentional. Drawing on decades of management, consulting, journalism, and organizational development experience, Olmstead presents leadership not as an abstract theory, but as a set of learnable skills and daily disciplines that directly shape organizational culture, employee performance, morale, retention, and trust. Written in an accessible, conversational style and reinforced with real-world examples and stories, Olmstead demonstrates how strong leaders combine accountability with empathy, ambition with realism, and high standards with genuine respect for people. Readers are provided with actionable guidance on communication, performance management, coaching, conflict resolution, employee development, workplace culture, trust-building, and leading teams through uncertainty and change. The book also explores one of the defining realities of modern organizational life: constant change. In an era shaped by AI, economic disruption, political polarization, and nonstop workplace transformation, leaders must help employees navigate uncertainty, stress, and resistance while still maintaining performance and innovation. Designed for frontline supervisors, mid-level managers, executives, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, HR professionals, and organizational development practitioners across industries. "How to be an Awesome Boss" also includes Facilitation Guides to help HR leaders and managers drive leadership discussions deep into their organizations. Practical rather than academic, the book equips readers with immediately usable leadership tools while making a broader argument: organizations perform better when people are led with intentionality, consistency, accountability, and respect.