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Good Boss Vs Bad Boss

What is the difference between a good boss and a bad boss? Anyone who has experience of working for both might describe a good boss as someone who is:

• Supportive
• Flexible
• Empowering
• Empathic
• Inspirational
• Visionary
• Challenging.

Where as they might describe the worst boss that they have ever worked for as someone who:

• Talks but doesn’t listen
• Commands and controls
• Divides and conquers
• Plays at politics
• Treats you as a subordinate and not an equal
• Believes they know everything and you know nothing.

In other words good bosses earn your trust. They do what they say they will; they demonstrate their competence and show you that they care. A poor boss might know some of the latest theories, and say the ‘right words’, but they loose trust because their behaviour is incongruent with what they say.

These types of ‘fake’ managers have been parodied in many comedy programmes from Faulty Towers through to The Office, and most people can spot them a mile off. But why do some managers behave as if they were David Brent? There are many reasons for this: for a few it’s their own ego, for some it’s a lack of appropriate role models and for others it’s a lack of formal Management Training. However, it is often the later that is the main cause - an individual is promoted into a management role but is not given the right support, or Management Training to fulfil their role adequately.

In these circumstances the newly promoted Manager tends to do what he or she knows best, and that is their old job. They therefore remain doers, focussed on the task on not on the people that should be delivering it.

It is essential therefore that newly appointed Managers and Team Leaders are given the appropriate Management Training to give them every possible chance of success. The training should help them to understand the importance of and to develop the ‘right’ behaviours such as:

 Integrity – Demonstrating a conscience and sound ethics.
 Confidence – The appropriate self awareness and display of self belief.
 Influence – The ability to encourage others to follow, to lead by example as well as by persuasion.
 Motivation - Ability to get others to want to do the things that need to be done
 Challenge - Not accepting the status quo. Taking on the difficult things, and encouraging others to do so.
 Authenticity - Acting naturally, being true to oneself and ones beliefs.
 Communication -. Ability to listen and understand others. Ability to be understood by others both, verbally & in writing.
 Collaboration – Working effectively with other people, their team, peers and boss.
 Flexibility - Adjusting and adapting to changing circumstances. Learning from mistakes as well as successes.
 Personal growth - Learning, developing themselves and others.

Given the right type of support and Management Training, newly appointed Managers will be able to develop the skills and behaviours necessary to lead and motivate their staff appropriately.