What Makes a Good Boss
Good leaders are essential to the success of any organization, whether it is profit or non-profit. It is justified by the amount of functions they need to fulfill: they attract new staff members, they work on the market expansion, they control expenses, and they guarantee delightful future to their staff. Bosses need to know how to manage people, tasks, and develop themselves in the meantime. That is why good bosses need to have many talents and skills combined with professionalism and expertise (Goodall, 2012). Knowledge is a primary merit of a good boss making him authoritative enough to control other people. Good bosses usually have experience both in the sphere of operation and in managing people. Knowledge of a good leader is not limited to academic erudition but extends to practical skills, expertise and ability to think outside the box. The merit of profound knowledge is acquired through constant self-perfection and self-development that is conducted through effective communication, good achievements in negotiating and making decisions, spending enough time studying, and writing reports (Goodall, 2012).
Due to the multiple uncontrolled factors influencing the activity of an organization it is essential for a good boss to be innovative, ready for change and flexible. A good boss should make sure that the company is flexible too in order not to get left behind by the competitors. This is especially relevant for today’s racing speed of technology development and the need to constantly conduct re-equipment. Flexibility may also be reflected in the boss’s attitude to his subordinates as at times life circumstances may put staff members at objectively uncomfortable situations, and a good leader should be tolerant and loyal enough to understand their temporary problems (Wilson, 2011). On the other hand, subordinates frequently want more space, freedom and opportunities to demonstrate their creative thinking. That is why a good boss should not be excessively strict about the hierarchical order of the organization. The merit of flexibility is reflected in adjusting to change quickly, searching for further improvement, focusing on the needs of the customers/clients, coping with crisis, completing strategic and tactic plans, managing risk and stress. Meanwhile, the leader needs to be disciplined and well-organized just the way he wants his organization to be (Wilson, 2011).
A good boss has to be fair to his staff members and constantly work on building trust, commitment and understanding with each one of his subordinates. The level of trust and loyalty between the boss and his employee sufficiently influences the success of any operation inside the organization because tensions will lead to lack of information on both sides, and the boss or his subordinate won’t be able to apply his efforts for the best advantage of the company. Moreover, the manpower resources of an organization are recognized as one of the most precious instruments that an organization can possess. That is why it is important for a good boss to introduce effective staff loyalty programs, provide them with social benefits such as medical insurance, brighten up the routine with corporate activities and enlarge the compensation size for the most devoted workers (Brooks, 2012). However, the financial rewards should not be based merely on the company’s performance but rather on individual performance as sole workers cannot control some of the factors influencing the month or annual profitability of a company. A good boss is always open to counsel and guide staff members, and the concern for staff wellbeing should be primary (Brooks, 2012). An effective leader should be aware of the psychological contract, actively like to support, motivate and empower the subordinates, take the lead, delegate authority as much as possible, get involved in employee selection interviews and value the contribution of each team player.
