What Makes a Good Boss?
Throughout your working life, you can probably look back on one boss in particular who has been inspiring to you. Consider the professional and personal qualities that this person had. These are traits that you could also look to apply to your own workplace performance in order to be the boss that one day you may want to be.
Good bosses have consistently high levels of morale. They are able to come into the workplace, come rain or shine, and maintain a positive outlook and demeanour. This positive attitude rubs off on employees, who are often motivated by the sense of optimism demonstrated by the boss.
Moreover, a good boss also has the wherewithal to understand when to show empathy to an employee, being an attentive listener and an understanding shoulder to cry on when needed. A good boss will however not try to interfere where their input isn’t required: they don’t try to micromanage employees and instead give them the due liberty to complete tasks and projects themselves, thereby instilling a sense of confidence in employees.
In this sense, a good boss plays the role of a mentor. Rather than an overbearing family member who interferes in unwanted moments, a mentor encourages their mentee to progress independently, and provides some golden advice on how the employee should prioritize their vocational objectives.
Perhaps more importantly than anything else, a good boss gives clear, concrete objectives. They articulate what they want in few words, and in a way that gives the employees no doubt as to what they must do in order to perform well in the workplace.
Vocabulary:
inspiring – making you feel excited and want to do something great, “The coach gave an inspiring speech that made the team win.”
professional and personal qualities – a person’s work skills combined with their character traits, “She has the professional and personal qualities to be an excellent manager.”
consistently high levels of morale – always staying cheerful, confident, and enthusiastic about your work, “The team kept consistently high levels of morale even during a busy week.”
come rain or shine – no matter what happens or how bad the situation is, “He walks to work every day, come rain or shine.”
demeanour – the way a person looks, speaks, and behaves toward others, “The doctor had a calm and friendly demeanour.”
rubs off on – when one person’s attitude or behavior starts to affect and spread to others, “Her happy mood always rubs off on her co-workers.”
wherewithal – having the ability, power, or skills needed to do something, “He did not have the wherewithal to start his own business yet.”
empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, “A good teacher shows empathy when a student is upset.”
attentive listener – someone who pays very close attention to what another person is saying, “She is an attentive listener who never interrupts you.”
micromanage – to control every tiny detail of someone else’s work instead of trusting them, “Employees hate when bosses micromanage their daily tasks.”
due liberty – the right amount of freedom to do something your own way, “The artist was given due liberty to paint the wall however she liked.”
instilling – gradually putting an idea, feeling, or habit into someone’s mind, “Parents try to focus on instilling kindness in their children.”
mentor – an experienced person who helps and guides a less experienced person, “The senior manager acted as a mentor to the new intern.”
overbearing – trying to control other people in an unpleasant and annoying way, “Nobody likes an overbearing coworker who bosses everyone around.”
vocational objectives – goals related to your career or job, “Learning a new skill helped her reach her vocational objectives.”
concrete objectives – very clear, specific, and real goals that you can easily understand, “The boss gave us concrete objectives instead of confusing ideas.”
articulate – to express thoughts or ideas clearly in words, “It is important to articulate your plans clearly during a business meeting.”