What makes a good boss?

Many of us can recall at least one person in our life who really made a difference in our lives. The same goes with bosses. There are bosses who are known for teaching, mentoring, guiding and helping their people grow in their career. Then there are also bosses who are seen as self-centered, known for making life miserable of people around them.

Researchers have shown that most of the traits we associate with bad bosses make up to less than 20% of bad bosses. Moreover what makes bad bosses is not about horrible things they do to their employees but about positive leadership activities they fail to do.

As a boss if you are not liked by your employees, it’s not exactly the telltale sign of being a bad boss. Being a good boss is not about being a Mr. Nice Guy all the time. After all as a boss it’s your responsibility to work towards moving your company forward. At times you will find yourself standing at the cross road where you are expected to make hard decisions and some of them may turn out to be unpopular. The key is to know and understand what is expected from you as a boss.

The traits that make a good boss are highly subjective. Bosses should take a hard look at how they manage their employees. They should be open to any ideas that have the potential to improve their managerial skills and create better work environment for all involved and improved retention.

Here are some of the traits of good bosses:

Good bosses respect and appreciate employees. They know that investing in their employees has huge return on investment (ROI) potential.
Bad bosses are driven by their own opinion and may not value the opinions of their team. They fail to see how every effort plays a crucial role in determining success.
Good bosses value their employees and strive to create an environment where there are opportunities for his employees to develop professionally and enjoy overall well being.
Bad leaders may hide faults and view their employees only as a vehicle to carry out an agenda.
Good bosses assume the role of facilitators and provide supports to the team. They are team player and always take the ultimate responsibility for failures. Great bosses inspire, encourage and set the bar high for themselves and their team.
Good bosses don’t micromanage, instead they provide enough freedom that creates enough scope for optimum performance. Effective bosses give employees the information, support and guidance they need to do their jobs well.
Many good bosses become mentor by taking employees under their wings. They invest significant amount of time into their development and literally become their on-the-job-parent.