16 Qualities of a Good Bosses

This article outlines the qualities of good bosses.

Working for a good boss is a very motivating experience. It makes one to work even harder and give their very best efforts at the workplace while at the same time enjoying your job.

A Good Boss has a Clear Vision

For a boss to effectively lead his or her team, they need to have a clear vision of exactly what they want to achieve at work and in which direction their team should be going.
The boss needs to clearly understand the big picture regarding the company including the company’s vision, mission, and strategic goals, and then clearly identify where his unit, department, or team fits within the overall company vision.

Knows How To Execute The Vision

After having a clear vision. It is important to put it into action. A good boss should easily communicate their specific vision to subordinates. The vision ensures focus, alignment, and efficiency.
It is important to break down the vision into bite-sized chunks and outline the roadmap for getting to the desired goals one step at a time. A boss can communicate the vision through various forums such as group meetings or one-on-one discussions with staff.
The objective is to share what needs to be accomplished and why, and then encourage questions from subordinates to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
A good boss frequently reminds the team about the vision and regularly measures results against established milestones and targets and course corrects appropriately.

Sets performance expectations

Research suggests that employees experience increased stress levels when they don’t have a good understanding of what is expected of them. Good bosses Set clear performance expectations by providing specific job descriptions that layout expected tasks and include employee goals.

Supportive

No one wants to work with a difficult or uncaring boss. A good boss is kind, helpful, caring, and compassionate. This does not mean that the boss should be a push-over, but rather the opposite is true. The boss should be confident enough to show their human side. Employees who work for a supportive boss are more likely to be happier, less stressed, and have higher work output.

Gets to know employees

A great boss will stop by and say hello and take a personal interest in his or her employees’ lives. Employees feel valued when the boss shows an interest in their hobbies, family, and other interests outside of work.

Makes work fun

Having a fun working environment is something every employee can appreciate. Creating a fun workplace can be as simple as holding monthly potlucks, birthday celebrations, or door decorating contests. These types of small events are not only fun but also be great team-building exercises

Is Available For Employees

A good boss has an open-door policy and is available for subordinates when they need him or her.
Accessibility is critical; it gives you an advantage because employees feel comfortable reaching out and talking to you especially before a problem arises.
That way you don’t end up being a boss who is running around helter-skelter wildly putting out fires because employees were afraid to approach you in the first place before the fire started.
An approachable boss is trusted more by subordinates and breeds a culture of high morale and greater employee engagement in their work.
Subordinates in turn feel comfortable sharing with the boss their suggestions, feedback, recommendations, solutions, and ideas that could be valuable for the success of the company.

Recognize efforts

A good boss always finds an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the good work done by employees. Whether it’s with a certificate, an award, luncheon, or email, employees will always appreciate praise.

Decisive

The inability to make a decision or letting decision-making drag on and on is a trait of a poor boss. Good bosses are decisive and do not get caught up in “analysis paralysis.” Leaders need to remember that how a decision is made is often more important than the decision itself. Leaders who make decisions with speed and conviction might not always get things right, but they’ll be able to keep their organization moving forward. Wrong decisions can be fixed, but indecisiveness will damage your organization and reputation beyond repair.

Shares credit with staff

This is a big one. In many job satisfaction surveys, employees point out their dislike of their boss when he or she takes all the credit for an accomplishment. One of the most demotivating things a boss can do is either ignore or forget to acknowledge the input, contributions, and work. It uplifts the spirits of the team when a boss publicly points out the good work and individual contributions that staff has done in making a specific project a success. It also strengthens collaboration and trust among the team.

Empowers Staff

Good bosses give staff freedom and authority to make decisions within certain tasks and areas of their expertise.
This enables employees to fix problems, come up with ideas and suggestions, and implement solutions without having to keep going back to the boss or supervisor to ask for permission.
This creates a liberating environment where employees can really shine and become top performers within their respective niches.
The overall beneficiaries of employee empowerment are the customers who get faster and more top-notch, high-quality service.
Employee empowerment can likewise lead to creativity and innovation where the staff figures out better, easier, faster, and more efficient ways to do their daily processes.

Set realistic and clear goals/targets

Great bosses don’t assign cluttered work. They clearly specify the work description of every staff member, in a way that the employees have a clear understanding of their tasks and what is expected of them
Research has shown that having a clearly defined work description reduces stress at the workplace.
A good boss can thus reduce the stress of their workers by discussing with them, one-on-one; to make them understand the roles they need to play, to ensure the success of the organization. A great boss also gives timely updates whenever there is a change in expectation. Whenever these changes occur, good bosses also clearly explain what the new tasks are, and the best way to execute them

Respects The Perspectives Of Employees

Great bosses do not act like overlords. They value the thoughts and ideas of their employees, and always seek their perspectives.
When a boss asks for the perspective and feedback of an employee, it makes the employee feel that the boss holds them in high esteem and values their input into the success of the company.

A Good Boss Listens To Employees

One way to compliment someone and to show that you care is to truly listen to them. Good bosses make time to listen to their staff.
Good bosses listen to staff without interrupting them, allowing the staff to fully articulate their issues and feel they have been heard and understood.
A good boss asks questions to learn more or clarify what they have just heard.
In addition, the boss can give well thought out answers as a result of listening keenly.
A good boss shows nonverbal signs to signal that they are listening to you such as nodding, looking at you, and making eye contact. By listening to employees a boss can learn important information.
It correspondingly builds trust and confidence between the boss and subordinates. Listening shows empathy for staff especially if the staff is sharing personal information that is affecting their work output. Finally, listening to feedback about current processes and propose

Cares About The Well-Being Of Staff

A good boss genuinely cares about the happiness of his or her staff.
Some ways of caring about the well-being of staff include the following: providing good and safe working conditions; enabling career growth for employees; providing monetary rewards such as promotions, pay raises, and bonuses.
Providing good competitive salaries and benefits, professional development and training; challenging work assignments, and offering regular feedback and praise.
Other ways of caring about staff consist of valuing staff time by having fewer and relevant meetings; instituting and upholding a company culture with strong shared values and encouraging work-life balance.
Flexible work schedules; telecommuting; employee recognition and awards; and valuing employees as individuals and genuinely asking about the employee’s hobbies, interests and family.
All these actions help to increase job satisfaction and show employees that their boss cares about them.

Provides Feedback

A great boss gives timely feedback during projects and assignments. They check on the employee from time to time and give feedback at every crucial stage of the job – before giving their final feedback at the end of the project.
By giving timely feedback, an effective boss allows the staff to correct any anomaly on time, so it doesn’t affect the final results
Furthermore, even when giving negative feedback, great bosses make their reviews constructive and instructive – in a way that’s encouraging instead of deterring the efforts of the staff.