Great Boss, Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
5 Signs That You Have A Great Boss
In many ways, as an employee, it will often be quite instinctive as to whether you have a good boss or not—it is something that you will feel by gut instinct. If you know in your heart that you have a bad boss, no amount of rationalization will be able to overcome that.
But of course, even if you have a decent boss, there are different levels of positive leadership—and therefore it is worthwhile digging a little deeper into what makes a great boss.
When those in leadership positions in a company satisfy these 5 main criteria, it is exactly what we look for here at JobPloy Solutions.
(1.) You are Given initial training & Chances for CPD:
Great Boss, Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
We know that bad bosses micromanage; and therefore fail to trust their teams. One of the best antidotes to that is to ensure that sufficient initial training is provided—so that the management can be confident about then bequeathing a significant level of autonomy to their staff members.
The same is true when it comes to Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Workplace practices and systems change, evolve, and adapt to new circumstances—or at least they should (because of both endogenous and exogenous variables).
For that reason, a successful company will not simply expect their workforce to be mind-readers, but rather put the time and effort into CPD.
(2.) You have Autonomy in Your Work:
Again, micromanagement represents “demotivation by a million interventions”. Once you enter the workplace doors, it should not be the case that free will and individual judgement are suspended. Of course, there will be rules and regulations to follow—and certain company and legal systems to implement—but, as far as possible, a great boss is one who wishes to draw on the individual talents and insights of the team.
Amazing and positive results can come from innovation and creative thinking—as long as it is not stifled by an over-possessive and controlling boss. At the end of the day, the aim should be to hire great people; and then let them get on with their job.
Talent is hired so that a range of professionals can bring their individual skills and experiences to bear. If you are not being encouraged to be an ideator and creator, then your boss is probably not a great one.
(3.) You are able to Raise Concerns and Offer Feedback:
Great bosses also create a two-way process of communication. Conversely, terrible bosses are those who believe in a “lay down the law” mentality within their team. Again, a certain level of discipline and loyalty are needed within any thriving organization—but employees must also be allowed to raise their sources of angst; and provide feedback to the leadership on how their working life and output could be allowed to improve.
It is also in this kind of positive workplace culture where negative and poor behaviour is likely to be reported and called out. If someone in the team is being bullying, aggressive, harassing, or inappropriate—then others should feel as though they have recourse to report to management in that situation.
However, a culture of fear and intimidation is likely to prevent such “early warning signs” being reported—with all of the detriment that that can cause when it comes to mental health and overall well-being.
(4.) You Are Given Real Credit and Praise for Work Well Done:
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
Too often, bosses simply “bank” the positive contributions of their staff members, choosing instead to only mention the times when there is slippage and a mistake has been made. If you are in that type of workplace culture, you will know all too well how debilitating and demotivating it can be.
To only have the 1% negative results pointed out, rather than being acknowledged for the 99% of other outstanding results, creates a feeling of being “nitpicked”.
A great boss, however, does not take the positive outcomes for granted—but rather seeks to build them into the formal system of remuneration increases and bonus structures. Further still, they recognize that a just salary and compensation do not negate the need to hear a positive word of praise and encouragement. A fatter pay-check is excellent, but we are also human: we need to be flattered from time-to-time with the right and inspirational words from our boss.
(5.) You Are Treated Like a Human (Rather Than a Robot):
Finally, when it comes to leadership, and having a great boss, underpinning all of the aforementioned factors is the need for the human touch. We all have doubts, fears, anxieties, and even moments of despair. That is indeed what it means to be human (rather than a robot). Management should understand this—and have the right mechanism in place for preventing mental health problems—but also for being able to support those who are suffering early on during their pain.
It is also the small touches that go a long way. That time when you have to leave work 30 mins early—because the childminder is unwell; and you have to pick up your kids. The occasion when you get a call to say that your elderly parent has had a fall. Or when you desperately need to go to that GP appointment for a health problem. A great boss is flexible in these moments—understanding that, as a dedicated employee, you don’t take these moments lightly—and therefore being willing to accommodate these special circumstances.
In that sense, when it comes to “more human”, it is very much about the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”!
— — — — —
To sum up, chances are that—if you have a bad or terrible boss—it is probably clear to you already. They are not exactly hard to spot.
But, when it comes to having a decent or good boss, there are certain factors that will tip them into the status of “great” boss—or even “outstanding” when it comes to their standing relative to other leaders in the field.
This is the type of excellence that we are looking to reward here at JobPloy Solutions.
If you fit the bill, or would like to nominate your boss/company, then why not apply now?
https://www.jobploysolutionsregister.com/business-listings/
Author: Mathew Warboys
Co-Founder at Dream Job Hub
CMO at JobPloy Solutions
CEO at The CEO Hub
Voted Top 40 CEO in the World
Top 10 LinkedIn Coach (Yahoo! Finance)
Shortlisted for the “Junior Nobel Prize” (2014, 2015, 2019)
Mathew Warboys
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