Success Advice
(Video) Aaron McGruder – Making Millions From My Cartoon “The Boondocks”

Aaron McGruder is a successful American cartoonist best known for writing and drawing the Controversial Comic Strips & TV Show “The Boondocks“, based on two young African American brothers from inner-city Chicago now living with their grandfather in a sedate suburb.
Aaron McGruder, started drawing in his teenage years. Through his own research, Aaron knew that most professional cartoonists are self-employed. So in some sense, Aaron knew what he was getting his self into. For example, he knew that professional cartoonists typically had their work disseminated through newspapers via syndicates. This allowed Aaron to focus his energies effectively.
In hopes of polishing his craft, Aaron began submitting his comic strips to the “The Hitlist Online” in 1996. There, he received tremendous feedback. He recalled receiving 100’s of emails with positive feedback. However, he does recall receiving one email that told him he was “wack.” He was able to get his comics into his University paper, which had a readership of 20,000 people. Unfortunately, Aaron’s comic was pulled within 2 months. However, later on in the same year, Aaron’s comic was featured in “The Source” magazine.
Aaron, later, successfully got a writer at “Editor & Publisher” to write a story on him. This got Aaron nation-wide attention. Aaron used this opportunity to get in contact with key people. He contacted these key people associated with syndicates (e.g., Universal Press Syndicate (UPS)) by mail and in person. He met some people from UPS at a National Association of Black Journalists convention.
The UPS expressed interest in Aaron’s work. Having done his research, Aaron knew that it would best he let the lawyers handle the negotiations (something that, from his research, he knew other African American cartoonists didn’t do). This allowed him to maintain rights over all of his characters. Aaron was quoted as saying that in his first year of syndication he would be pulling in a successful income in the “six-figure range.”
Aarons Advice: Get help when you need it. When you’re about to get into negotiations that has to do with your intellectual property, make sure you have lawyers on your side, because if you’re dealing with a large company, they DEFINITELY got lawyers on their side.
Inside the mind of Aaron McGruder – Boondocks Exclusive (Part 1)
Inside the mind of Aaron McGruder – Boondocks Exclusive (Part 2)
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
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9. Eliminate Favoritism
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10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
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11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
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12. Provide Leadership Development
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13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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