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andream
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« on: May 17, 2004, 11:34:28 am » |
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So we hear about good one and bad ones. Bosses that is. My query this week: What makes a good boss in your opinion?
do Tell.
Andrea
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gee4
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« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2004, 11:42:10 am » |
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A good boss is a good communicator. So many times I have found that a boss can have a very professional manner in which he conducts his business but often he can forget to inform his PA of certain important things.
I sit down with my boss on a Mon morning to update him on previous activities and then he adds new items for me to address. It is about the only time we both have - the rest of the week he would cc me on emails so I can just action from my desk.
A good boss is also someone who involves his PA in activities. I took on this role just at the end of 2003 and find that it takes a while to get to know someone especially when I didn't take on this role from my first day. Having said that I am involved where necessary and not involved when not needed as he has a team of direct managers who he deals with regarding finance and service delivery.
So far I cannot complain as I have been able to attend training courses and represent my company at events with our local hotel where we are one of their top clients.
I work in a relaxed atmosphere so having a boss who doesn't get angry or shout is a real bonus. Being yelled at in work is not something I would want and I consider myself very lucky I don't have to face this.
G
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raindance
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« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2004, 12:45:07 pm » |
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I agree with G, a good boss is a good communicator and involves support staff in things. I would also add that a good boss respects all their staff; delegates responsibility, where appropriate; does not "micro-manage" staff; acknowledges achievement; motivates colleagues; manages time effectively and plans accordingly, and has good leadership skills. I've had one boss whom I would rather forget (but her tenure of her post only lasted six months) and other bosses who, like the curate's egg, were "good in parts". Present bossie is great to work with. She works hard, is pro-active, very fair, treats me like the grown-up wot I am, and makes me cups of tea. I trained her well in the past year  . Raindance |
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twhfan
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« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2004, 03:32:32 pm » |
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In her first 2 sentences, Raindance described everything that my current boss is not!!
I've always felt that communication and allowing all staff to contribute was key to a department funcitoning smoothly and effectively. I would also add that trust between a boss and assistant is crucial.
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countrigal
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« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2004, 04:02:27 pm » |
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Communication, trust, leadership skills... yup, all of those. Also need a boss with a backbone who supports her staff. If a timeline or due date is not reasonable, be willing to stand up to folks and say so, and get one that is more realistic. A good boss is willing to go to bat for her staff, and pass along praise to those who did the work (instead of keeping the praise and passing along the complaints).
CountriGal
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spitfire78
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« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2004, 05:25:11 pm » |
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Wow - everyone has contributed just about everything I was already thinking. Not much to add, except... a good boss does not play the "blame game" when an error happens. A good boss quietly points out that a mistake was made, asks that it be fixed, and then lets it go. A good boss does not loudly and repeatedly exclaim over the error and question why and how it happened. Edited by spitfire78 on 17/05/04 05:25 PM. |
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catsmeat
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« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2004, 09:06:34 am » |
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And, to add to that, one who can accept the blame when things are their fault, rather than passing the buck.
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tinkerbell
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Posts: 39
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« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2004, 02:24:15 pm » |
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And quoting the Office Team poll - approachable and encouraging. I have at last found a good boss and because of all his good points, which include many of those listed above, he motivates me to do my job well which helps him and, in turn, the company.
Unfortunately a lot of managers are put in management positions for various reasons other than having any people/management skills! When will they learn?!
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donnap99
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« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2004, 08:26:58 pm » |
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How about subscribing to the mantra that we "work to live" not "live to work". To appreciate that there is a life outside of these walls and sometimes errands and phone calls must take place during business hours, and that I am a responsible person and without counting minutes I will make sure that it all evens out in the end. I have that now -- again. It was so missed! Case in point: My son has an appointment Thursday in the late morning. Rather than coming in, leaving, spending an hour round trip in transit plus the likely 90 minutes for the wait & the appointment, my new, wonderful bossie suggested that (asking first if I have a computer at home) I could take some work home so I didn't have to come in before the meeting. She has previously told me that sick time, she feels, is for when you are sick - not for doctor's appointments. So if I have an appointment, just take the time to get there and back, assuming I have made an effort to make it early or late, but no need to charge myself 1/2 day's sick time just for an appointment. I *love* this! DonnaP99 |
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catsmeat
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« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2004, 09:03:55 pm » |
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Hear hear! One of the first things my boss said to me was that he wouldn't tolerate martyrs and if I felt unwell, I was to go home and do what it took to get me better until I was better. No struggling into work, making a hash of everything I touch and infecting all my colleagues into the bargain.
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bethalize
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My boss is good with flexitime and working from home as well. It makes such a difference to life. No more panicking because you'll be ten minutes late to work! No more taking off whole days because you have an appointment that takes an hour.
Bethalize
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newtofl
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I feel that a good boss is one that is fair and reasonable. One that will listen to your ideas and not take the credit for them. One that talks with you like you work with them and not for them. A boss that knows that people have situations at home that need to be taken care of like a sick child, doctors appointments, errands that need to be run, etc. I enjoy working with bosses that you are able to talk with about anything, either work related or not and they know when to have fun and when to take things seriously. I had a boss that thought that after 5:00 was when the day started and he took advantage of the fact that I could not say no and I stayed late almost every night.
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officewiz
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Posts: 34
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A good boss is one that recognizes your talents and abilities and gives you room to grow. A good boss is not afraid or reluctant to applaud and reward good work. A good boss affirms that you are part of the team through her/his interaction with you by keeping you informed of the larger picture. Though s/he is for the most part focused on the larger picture, s/he never forgets the contribution that you make which allows that freedom.
A good boss knows that your professionalism serves her/him and the better you are, the better off s/he is.
OfficeWiz
(who after many disappointments finally got a great boss!)
~in pursuit of excellence~
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gingertea
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I agree with everyone. I especially value a boss who can make a decision and live up to it --- including backing me up when I go about implementing his unpopular decisions.
An executive is a person who always decides; sometimes he decides correctly, but he always decides.
John H. Patterson (1844 – 1922) founder of National Cash Register
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