That behind every successful employee features a ‘good’ boss, is a known fact. But are all heads the same? No, for, time-and-again we hear of these so-called leads making a mess of their employees’ lives. They find sadistic pleasure in ill-treating their subordinates and have fun in their miseries.
However, this is not the case all the time. There are effective bosses around whom employees feel comfortable. So how exactly does one identify such a boss? Here are a few ways:
The first trait is that you can be yourself around your boss. Meaning, you need not worry about what you say and how you behave in front of a friendly boss. Even if you need to convey something which might be a bother to the organization, a ‘good’ boss will not vent his anger on you.
He or she will be approachable at any time, and will always lend a patient ear to the concerns of his sub-ordinates.
The importance of behaving as a team player is often undermined by organisations. And even if some of them do understand, they only stress on the lower rung of players to be team members, but leave out the boss. What is the need of the hour is that the boss too should be considered as a part of the team. Someone who apart from assigning tasks to others, also take us a section of responsibilities himself. Similarly, in the wake of anything going wrong, the team lead must not hold only the others accountable, he or she should be understanding enough to take initiatives to clear the mess themselves.
Temperament is also a highly significant aspect that tends to be overlooked in firms. Some may argue that ultimately it is the work done that matter, and how the boss is on a personal level should be nobody’s business. However, HR experts feel that how the leader is as a person, is equally important for the welfare of the organization and its employees. Sample this, you need to convey something to your boss. But are refraining from doing so, as he or she is supposedly in a bad mood. This is reason enough to classify the leader as a bad boss. For one of the characteristics of an effective lead is that they must not have extreme mood swings, but should rather be approachable at all times, irrespective of their personal temperament. While everyone has good days and bad days, he or she must be sensible enough to ensure it does not affect the well-being of the co-workers.
One of the key reasons for a task having gone wrong is because it was ineffectively communicated. For an employee, the work, the nature of it, the deadline, the target, all of these depends on what his boss tells. And if this is not appropriately conveyed, then he or she is sure to make a mess of the task. Hence, a ‘good’ boss should be one who effectively communicates with his team.
Moving on, apart from professional dealings, it is important for a boss to maintain good terms with his or her employees on a personal level too. Just a normal query regarding the sub-ordinate’s family or life outside office, can go a long way in establishing a connect between the leader and workers. This is necessary for the overall welfare of the team, as when employees know that their boss has genuine care and concern for them, they make sure they give their best. All this leads to increased productivity, which is the ultimate target for any firm. Frequent get-togethers and team outings too can help in this regard.
