I think most people get a kick from putting a smile one someone's face or making a person's day when they least expect it. Even though Bosses Day is a holiday, it's an often times forgotten one and I'm sure most bosses aren't expecting Bosses Day gift baskets to be piling up on their desks by the end of the day on October 17th. Yet having been on both sides of the exchange, I must say that the element of surprise coupled with the fact that you went out of your way to get your boss something for the neglected holiday. I now work for myself out of home, so alas I don't plan on receiving any Bosses Day arrangements unless my wife decides to go for that; yet somehow I feel the notion of me saying I'm her boss or her ever admitting to anything of the sort would be blindly optimistic at best. But although the day is dead for me as a holiday for the time being at-least, I still do feel as though it's important to emphasize the importance of the power the day can have.

When I was acting as a manager at a health care facility a few years ago, I must admit that I still remember the first time someone gave me a Bosses Day gift. It was during my third year, so having received nothing the prior two years I certainly didn't expect any Bosses Day fruit baskets to accompany me home that evening. Yet lo and behold, waiting for me in my office after I returned from lunch was a large fruit basket unlike anything I'd ever quite seen before. I didn't even realize it was Bosses Day so at first I was a bit taken aback; nobody in my family had died or anything recently, so why was someone sending me this gift? I turned to the basket, opened it up and read the card: "Happy Bosses Day Mark, we appreciate your hard work. – Reception". The few women who ran the reception area had pooled together and bought me one of the Edible Arrangements bosses day gifts arrangements. The surprise was touching; I wouldn't call myself overly sensitive, but I certainly choked up a bit. While I tried to always be friendly to all of the staff under my supervision, I didn't really think I was well-liked which I didn't mind because I'm a believer that offices tend to run better when there's someone for the employees to team up against. It can bring an odd sense of unity to have one person to blame things on. So to see this arrangement was for me to see that the extra work I had been putting in keeping everything together was appreciated by the staff. Ever since, when I have been reporting to bosses I find myself taking note of when the holiday falls and reminding them that success in business involves a two-way street of gratitude.