How to be an Awesome Boss

A practical leadership guide for managers navigating today's fast-changing workplace. Drawing on decades of executive leadership, consulting, and organizational development experience, Larry Olmstead argues that great leadership is intentional—and that strong people management is one of the most important drivers of organizational success. Written in a direct, accessible style and grounded in real-world examples, "How to be an Awesome Boss" provides actionable guidance, practical tools, and facilitation guides for first-time supervisors, experienced managers, executives, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and HR professionals alike.

What they are saying about "How to be an Awesome Boss"

How to Be an Awesome Boss is a must-read for anyone who leads people or hopes to someday. Through engaging stories, real-world examples, and practical advice, Olmstead shares powerful leadership lessons that inspire readers to become more effective, compassionate, and successful managers. The book goes beyond management theory, offering actionable insights that can be applied immediately to build stronger teams, earn trust, and bring out the best in others. Whether you're a first-time supervisor or a seasoned executive, this book will challenge the way you think about leadership and leave you with valuable tools to become the kind of boss everyone wants to work for.

- Rachel Small, Chief Operating and Financial Officer, German Marshall Fund

How to be an Awesome Boss is filled with inspiration and practical examples for anyone leading a team. The content is readable, actionable, and written with humor and compassion. Larry Olmstead's own character and experience shine through in sharing stories from his career in communications and community development. The world would be a better place if we had more awesome bosses!
- Katy Castagna, President & CEO, United Way Monterey County, Salinas, CA

Larry's writing style is crisp and clear and fun. And the message is fantastic. The anecdotes are completely relatable and great illustrations of the challenges. I hope this gets used in college classrooms because it's the clearest and most accessible such text I've ever read. I've already recommended it to two friends, one who is already in a leadership role and one who is about to assume one.
- Carole Leigh Hutton, retired CEO, editor & marketing executive

How to be an Awesome Boss is a very readable, practical, and quick guide on how to become an intentional leader in any setting. Larry Olmstead, a journalist at heart, offers an entertaining and useful perspective on the main issues that managers and leaders face in the workplace, with helpful facilitation guides to lead discussions with leaders at different levels within any organization. This is a very useful tool for building people-skills in your company, with the goal of producing greater results and more job satisfaction at every level.
- Donnell Ewert, Board Member, The California Endowment and retired Director of Health and Human Services for Shasta County, CA.

How to be an Awesome Boss is full of advice from a man who’s had the experience to back up his suggestions. Having worked alongside Larry for many years, I can attest to his following the principles he details. A good reference to keep close at hand.
- Susan Lewis, executive assistant to the CEO, Knight Ridder (retired)

I’ve had occasion to read more than my fair share of books on leadership over the course of my career. How to be an Awesome Boss felt like a fresh approach to the topic. As is true of similar books, it includes insights grounded in the experience of a seasoned leader; in this case, the leader is one who has served in and supported a wide variety of organizations. The case studies or vignettes are detailed and provide rich context to what the author shares.  What stood out to me, however, was the emphasis placed on self and group reflection and on intentional, what I might call values-driven, action. In ending many chapters with questions for discussion, the author acknowledges the importance of connection, collaboration, and of working to craft specific responses to challenges operating in a specific context.  The exercises provided in the appendix are useful tools that can be adapted for use in any organization. Whether you are a C-suite executive, manager, someone who exerts leadership in your organization without a title that suggests such a role, or a business/leadership coach, you will find wisdom and support in these pages.  And you just might want a second copy to share with a colleague. I did.

- Sharon Brisolara, PhD, Director, Inquiry That Matters

How to be an Awesome Boss provides a real-world perspective of the challenges, opportunities and successes of leadership, while highlighting specific scenarios dealing with employees in a myriad of workplace settings. The book is well-written and a must-read for anyone in a leadership role. Every "boss" should have a copy in their library for easy referral.

- Greg Balkovek, Redding (CA) Planning Commission; retired business and non-profit leader