How to tell if you work for a superboss

Jazz great Miles Davis was a superboss. So was San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh, Oracle founder Larry Ellison and famed designer Ralph Lauren.

That’s the contention, anyway, of Tuck School of Business professor Sydney Finkelstein in his new book, "Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent." Such leaders aren’t just successful; they also propagate an outsized share of innovation and recruit protégés who go on to form a “tree of talent” in their fields.

“Superbosses are people who help other people get better, who help other people accomplish what they never thought possible,” Finkelstein tells me in the video above. “They know how to motivate people dramatically. They inspire you.”

There’s no exact formula for being a superboss, but here are some of the characteristics:

- They don’t typically follow the corporate playbook.

- They have a powerful ability to connect with people.

- They’re intensely passionate.

- They seek talented workers from unconventional places.

-They’re comfortable trusting their employees—even inexperienced ones—with major responsibilities.

-They mentor enthusiastically, more by instinct than obligation.

-They set ambitious goals for themselves and their workers, pushing people to the extreme of their capabilities.

-They often encourage star workers to leave for better opportunities, since they’re confident they’ll be able to cultivate new talent. Plus, sending protégés off into the world expands their own network.

Lorne Michaels, the legendary producer of "Saturday Night Live," makes the cut as a superboss, according to Finkelstein. SNL cast members past and present describe an intense work environment in which people compete against each other to come up with the best skits, but also collaborate to make everybody’s work better. Michaels makes clear every week that the show is the top priority, not himself or any given star. While the show has had its ups and downs, its remarkable longevity—41 years on the air—testifies to Michaels’ success. Plus, SNL has churned out a forest of comic talent, from John Belushi to Tina Fey, unlike any other program ever.

We all know what suckybosses do, in contrast to superbosses: They play it safe, promote themselves ahead of their employees, angle for political advantage and even take credit for other people’s work. If you’re stuck with a suckyboss, there may not be much you can do except leave, since resistance to change is a core attribute of the small-minded.

But enlightened leaders who want to make themselves better bosses can readily do so. Finkelstein’s web site, Superbosses.com, offers a 12-question quiz anyone can take to see how they rank on the superboss scale. “Anyone who wants to become more like a suberboss can certainly do it,” Finkelstein says. “Vision is not just for CEOs, it’s for anyone.” Among his tips: Look beyond the usual sources to find great employees, give them room to be creative, and let them have the limelight. And remember: When the employees shine, the boss does too.

Rick Newman’s latest book is Liberty for All: A Manifesto for Reclaiming Financial and Political Freedom. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.