A Good and Bad Boss
A good boss vs. a bad boss
Comparing things is something we do every day in our lives and especially when we have to make a decision. For example, we might think of similarities or differences when we are buying something or even the way we are treated in a new job vs. an old one. We may need to evaluate two sides of an issue or projects at our workplace. A good boss communicates effectively, shows great team work and solve problems. A bad boss simply does care how he / she talks to their employees, shows a lack of interest in your potential and a poor judge of character on the job. Charles E. Wilson, Businessman and Politian writes, “A good boss makes his men realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could.”
Communication involves more than just being able to speak one-on-one to another individual in a clear manner so that your message is understood but rather being able to speak clearly to your employees especially in a difficult situation. For example, John, an intern comes to you for advice on a personal matter that involves a sexual relationship that has been going on between him and his supervisor. If you have great communication abilities, you will be able to explain your expectations more clearly and develop a healthy work environment for your employees especially in john’s situation, you will need to give a clear and solid response that is in the best interest of your team. A Good Problem solver is another great quality of being a good boss. When problems are solved at the highest level they are less likely to reoccur in an organization. For example, John the trouble maker decides to spread a nasty rumor about his ex-girlfriend; Jazmin, who works on the second floor and hates John for cheating on her.
A nasty rumor can cause many problems such as hatred among peers and corruption within an organization. As a good boss, you will need to solve this problem in the most respectful way for the benefit of everyone and take disciplinary actions to prevent this type of behavior from reoccurring. It’s imperative that you learn how to identify and solve problems, and then keep your employees in the loop as to the status or outcome and in most cases, being able to find a solution to the problem quickly.
Promoting great team work plays a very vital role in being a good boss. Working as a team is vital to the success of your company and rewarding to your employees. If you were brought into an already existing team, you will need to learn about each member’s talents and abilities in order to create an equal balance. That is the only way to ensure that each person is being properly utilized to their fullest ability and your team is being more effective in their core task. For example, Jessica, the lead engineer at a small architectural firm, will need to find out the talents of her team mates such as: mathematical skills, drawing, critical thinking and creativity before she can make a proposal and winning the bid of redesigning a new front for Toyota Inc. A bad boss simply does care how he / she talks to their employees, shows a lack of interest in your potential and a poor judge of character on the job. William Feather, American Author, said “He isn’t a real boss until he has trained subordinates to shoulder most of his responsibilities.” The moment we realize that our boss compares or relate to Cruella Deville, our stomach sinks and you realize it is time to look for a new position.
Bosses with poor communication skills will eventually short-live their position and lose respect from their employees. Poor communication skills can cause misunderstand of a procedure or unclear instructions. This can lead to mishaps or severe injuries with the workplace. For example, if your boss has poor communication skills, you may fail to follow proper procedures and instructions. This can lead to costly repairs and maybe severely injured in places such as power plants and organizations that uses high quality machinery. It is very critical for us to communicate clearly and properly especially when we are working in a dangerous environment for the benefit of our employees and coworkers. A Boss who shows a lack of interest in your potential will not gain any respect from his employees. It doesn’t matter how intelligent, persuasive, or clumsy a person is, it is important that you help that person to meet their full potential and promote their efforts and hard work.
For example, a simple pat on the back, or Good job! Can boost someone’s moral and encourage them to not be afraid to make a mistake. Helping your employees to learn from their mistakes will not only be beneficial but rewarding. More work can be done in a timely manner and less errors can be prevented from happening. A boss who possess poor judgment of character make fail to give his employees an equal chance or opportunity to shine at their job. A poor judgement of character may lead to a boss being unfair to his employees. Misjudgement of character can lead to disrespect and hatred or false accusations. A poor judgement in character can hurt your business significantly and promote a bad reputation on your name and breaks the trust of your customers. For example, Susan, a receptionist, bought lunch for his friend David. Jessy, a coworker, assumes that Susan is cheating on her husband and report this unprofessional relationship to her boss.
Susan’s boss, without asking any questions, assuming that she is cheating and accuses her. This type of behavior by Jessy and Susan’s boss shows a poor judgement of character and causes chaos within your workplace. A good Boss should to be an excellent communicator, place an emphasis on serving those they lead, and implement the highest qualities of value at all times. If these traits are not possessed by your current Boss, you will encounter many difficulties throughout your career and job. A bad Boss can sometimes destroy your career and lead you to make the same mistakes they did. As a result of having a bad boss, you will eventually develop a broken team that can lead you into chaos and frustration due to the lack of interest by your employees and disconnection between peers.
Reference
1. Fielder, F.E. (1967). A theory of leadership effectiveness. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. 2. Schmich, M. (October 15, 2010). Here’s what make a good boss. Chicago Tribune.
