Ankur Sethi - VIBES OF LIFE

Rule number 1 .Doesnt have to be a "Good" and the "Boss".

ankur

a good boss ignites the spark within a person.

a bad boss subjects an employee to a blow torch.

sayeed

1. a good one is doing the job for doing a good job - the best possible for his company. He has visions for his department and employes. He is able to inspire you - and to be inspired by you! Quality is his issue!
A bad one is doing the job, because he wanted to be a boss - and now he is ...

2. a good one is able to make desicions - knowing that there is always someone who does not like it THAT way!
A bad one is always looking for guidance and protection from above - or is "delegating" the thing to his employees "That´s easy for you!" It´s not - sometimes, but then you´re the one who is blamed - by him too!

3. a good one listens careful to his employees - and looks into your face while you are talking. He cares for his employees and tries to take you with all your good and bad characteristics. His door is litteraly always open - and closes only for confidential talks.
A bad one has his door always closed, looks into his pc-screen while talking himself all the time. He picks up any phonecall while you´re in his office (message: you´re not important to me!)

4. A good boss protects anytime you, when confronted with blames "Well I do not exactly know WHAT Mr. Koch was thinking, while doing that - but he probably had very good reasons. Let me first talk with him before jugding the issue!"
Even in cases of mistakes: a good boss is takling to you, listening to you and is looking for his fault - not beeing able to prevent you from doing the mistake. And he "sells" this to the party blaming the fault. "We, Mr. Koch and I appologies. Mr. Koch did that mistake because he had too much work with the new project "xyz" which I asked him to take over last week. Now we gave project "a" to Mr. "Z" so that Mr. Koch is able to concentrate on this issue!"
A bad boss does instandly break down: "Well THAT´s a stupid mistake - I never saw anything like that before - what was he DOING! I will instandly talk to him and ask him to clean up the mess!" ..

In my opinion point 3 - listening - is the most important. The one careful listening to his employees will be informed about any problem occuring in his department or in its enviroment. Any! And thats why he can react on any problem.

I followed my good boss into a new company - to get away from my bad boss, who I had to bear the last years, after my good boss left. I know what I am talking about!

Hello Ankur,

Your question is very interesting.
In my experience, successful leaders and managers use the following rules as the foundation of their success:
(I am not referring only to people as managers, but "management" in general, including the possibility of a management team )

1. a clear view of the problems and solutions (goals) as well as the steps necessary to achieve them
2. a clear definition of what success is/should be (preferably metrics)
3. a clear and simple organization plan to achieve company goals
4. a clear view of the decision making process of the whole organization (not just the top management)
5. Assigns authority to team members with specific expectations and viable objectives, while sharing the big picture with them
6. Motivates team members (compensation, team membership) and measures their feedback, participation and contribution in terms of team success (quantifiable metrics)
7. Communicates clearly the values of the organization, and the "rules of engagement" for each key position-member
8. Trusts the team members on their decisions (and communicates it), while not hesitating to release people when that is necessary to sustain a successful team
9. Sets high standards for Everybody (including management), and imposes a uniform evaluation/measurement system
10. Selects and Invests in the people (the team) and the behaviors that will make the company successful and profitable, not the numbers or P/L statements.

The above are not suggested in a theoretical context, but as proven practices in the day-to-day efforts of businesses and projects in which I was involved as a consultant or a team member. .
I hope they provide you with a useful angle of Leadership.

Regards
P.

Good boss or bad boss is question of point of view.

I used to have a boss that I didn't recognize as 'good' and had some collegues that said he was top. Like already said in other answers, they are qualities to be a capable boss. Now to be good, you need this something more... an attitude, a feeling...

And worse of all I used to think that a person was a 'bad' boss. After learning more about the person, I totally changed my mind and found, he was a 'good' boss.

Ankur

In my opinion there are few points that a "Good Boss" keeps in mind in order to be true leader :

1. Define the employee's role.
Make sure your expectations of a worker's role in a team project or with individual responsibilities are clear and understood. Misinterpretations will result in wasted energy and time on both your parts.

2. Sketch out a more nuanced list of your expectations.

3. Communicate these expectations to the employee. Putting things in writing is the easy part. When it comes to one-on-one conversation, communication can break down.

4. Praise in public, criticize in private. Criticism, by its very nature, is demeaning. It always should be done in private. Good news should be shared in public.

5. Show respect for subordinate's ideas and contributions. When was the last time you thanked a subordinate for a contribution? When was the last time you wrote him a personal note of appreciation? Those investments have an enormous rate of return.

6. Show by doing.

7. Check in with employees
When giving instructions, ask the person to restate what she has heard. Remember, when you ask, "Do you understand?" 9 times out of 10 people will nod their heads and say, "Yes," even if they have no idea what you want.

8. Help subordinates prioritize. When something is vital, let the employee know.


As far as Bad Boss is concerned let him be left alone.


Cheers!!

A bad boss thinks it's all about what s/he says.

A good boss knows it's more about what s/he hears.

best,

Tom

Hi Ankur,

That's a very interesting Q, and unfortunately, one that we don't often delve deeply into.

Broadly speaking, a good boss is one who knows his/her job, and does it well. He has the ability and competence to train others, and at the same time, is professional and approachable. He resolves interpersonal, work-related conflicts with ease and faces challenges with expertise. He is someone you not only look up to and idealize, but also someone you can connect with and be yourself without fear of ridicule and rejection. The good boss appreciates good work, and motivates you to do your best; he encourages new methods and is tolerant to your mistakes. A lot of things, but all coupled with modesty and simplicity.

A bad boss, is exactly the opposite.

Of course, a few qualities here and there do not make a boss "good" or "bad"... It's the entire package of how the boss presents himself, and how others perceive him. As Claude rightly says, it's a point of view. At my current workplace, I was terrified of my immediate supervisor thanks to a few awe-inspiring interactions. Now I realise what a great professional and wonderful colleague she is...

A “Good Boss” recognizes the individuals, removes their mental blockages, reinforces the confidence and rewards the individual progress. He or She improves the potential of the workforce and gets the desired results for the organization.

Good bosses "get" their employees, utilize their best assets and forge the road ahead for their team.
A great boss inspires me to put in the extra time that would take a project from a B to an A.

A bad boss inspires me to "just get it done" and not put in the extra effort to make it extraordinary.

Hi Ankur,

To answer your question, one needs to understand that there are three kinds of Boss.

1. The creator - Brhama
2. The destroyer - Mahesha
3. The balancer - Vishnu

In the above context Brahma is so involved in his own creation, is one with his own creation that he cannot think out of the box. According to a Brhama Boss, work and company is all that is there, nothing can be beyond it.
Mahesha Boss is too good for himself/organization. May be he/she is a misfit for the role. Such boss's knowledge will be destructive for the team/organization.
And then there is the balancer, Vishnu. A true leader, who on one hand is one with the work/team/organization but at the same time can gauge the trends and changes in the work/team/organization and work to prevent any kind of dissatisfaction.

In one of the workplaces that i Know of the Head of Business Ops is person who believes only in delegation of work. That is not a mark of a true leader. Delegation works where the process is in place but there are situations when the team-members will need support and help.

A bad boss does a lot of things wrong and the worse can be by not listening.

Regards,
Tanul Anand

A good boss is honest with his staff. He works for the team, not the team works for him. He gives them full support even when it's difficult - he puts his neck on the line for them.

Leaders make the difficult decisions in order to drive the people and business forward. A good leader may not make for a good boss.

In my opinion, a true leader has a high EQ - emotional intelligence, as brilliantly described by Daniel Goleman. Creating an environment of trust and confidence as opposed to control and risk-aversion encourages people to deal with the daily challenges that occur and find a soloution, rather than passing on the bucket. For instance, it is incredibly frustrating as a customer to experience when service staff are sympathetic, but not able to help you because they have multiple restrictions, processes and approval levels that they need to follow. So - be careful what you measure - you may end up getting it....

hi Ankur,
In my opinion, a good boss is one who understands clearly what his Key Result Areas' are and ensures that the people who report to him understand what their key result areas are. Nothing is more frustrating than having a boss who doesn't know where he is heading too.

Additionally someone who is a good time manager and respects the time and opinions of the people who report to him can surely make a difference.

I wouldn't obviously state the obvious others though.

Ankur,

Richard Marcinko from SEAL Team Six and CEO or SOS Temps put it succinctly with this: "A true leader is the servant of his subordinates." That advice helped me out a lot as a first-tier supervisor in the military.

I firmly believe that in order to be a good leader, one must be a good follower. When you follow direction, it shows that you are paying attention, that you are listening. Being a follower means that your way might always be the best way. This should transcend into developing into a good leader. Leaders should be open to suggestion....while keeping the followers focussed. Good leaders lead the charge, they do not simply bark orders and then follow the team down the hill. A bad leader, in my opinion, is the exact opposite.

First of all , leaders are Born.. But bosses are made.

One who is a leader will always be a boss whetehr he gets that position or not. You will love with a person who is a leader and he will understand the qualities of a person.

One who is just a Boss will always have its owb low confidence, you can never trust this person. he will only work with people around him and will never be able to leave an impression on you.

So you should never work for a boss.. work for a leader .. you will understand the difference.

Hi Ankur,

Here we go....

Good Boss -
He/she will never make his subordinates feel he/she is a BOSS. On the contrary the Team feels at ease when they are around.

They will ensure their subordinates hog the limelight even if they are responsible for it.

They would want others to seek growth on their behest.

Equality prevails in their teams.

Transparent.

Discipline matters and there can be no 2 ways.

Bad Boss -
Everything

I have a different perspective in this case, its not Good Boss v/s Bad Boss, its Good Boss v/s Good Boss who does not understand how untilize the mis that he has.
Its very easy to type cast somebody as a bad boss, but has efforts being put in to understand why they are getting type casted as "Bad Bosses". Its pretty evident from a study (dont remeber the name), that personally a bad boss is good, but when he works within the domain constraints of an organization, he is bound to act, react in a particluar fashion, which may type cast somebody as a bad boss. (No body realizes this) (Organizations have started realizing them off late and have started taking curbing mechanism to solve strategic organizational problems like Attrition / Work force Management)

Having said this, i dont say that there are not bad bosses, but then they are people who are elementrily wrong (i hope we are not discussing them here :-)

Good Leadership can come through constantly building perspectives in people who follow you, this way make them realise their individual importance,
preach this ( no person is good or bad, its just time and situation the other person is in, an effective leader has the strength to realize this and make other person realize this as well) (Remember Gandhigiri)

Knowledge is the light to ignorance (Remember Bhagwad Gita) (Bhagwad gita is the latest entrant into the western philisophy of strategic leadership)

Thanks
Kiran Kumar

Hey Ankur

Good Boss.....

1) lead by example. A boss is only respected , if his/her team feels he has earned his way to be a boss.
2) keep commitments
3) Open and honest cominication
4) identify and mentor potential leaders in ubiased way
and last but not the least , a bit of sense of humor always helps :)

Cheers
Puneet

A good boss recognizes his employees' skills and potential, nurtures those traits and empowers the employee to grow as an important part of the team for the good of the company. He/she recognizes their contributions and achievements, rewards them and gives credit where credit is due.

A bad boss is self-centered, operates in a 'my way or the highway' mentality, takes credit for his employees' work and innovations, makes everyone's life miserable and contributes to attrition rates as he drives good employees to competitors' doors.

Good Boss: If your team member do not treat you as boss, I think you are the best.

If the objective is to differentiate between 'Good Leaders' and 'Good Managers' then let me say that there are no good leaders. You are either a leader or not at all. If you are a bad leader, no one will follow you, hence you are just taking a walk. You are not a leader. Also, you do not have to be a manager to be a leader, but to be a good manager, you need to have leadership skills.
Managers on the other hand can be good or bad. There are managers who are technically excellent, but bad at people skills. So they make good managers, but they are not leaders.

A good boss works with his team and identifies the strengths and weakness of his team members and assigns work. He will look at his team as a valuable resource find out opportunities for the team and push himself in his career ladders and also pull his team with him.

A bad manager is very picky and thinks his job is only to pick on the team members. This single attitude in him will drive all the members out of the team. He will have an "Do what I say" and "The boss is always right" attitudes. You can not discuss your ideas or any degree of lateral thinking will not work with him.

Person who has the following characteristics can become a Good Boss and hence a true Leader:

1. Empowerment to the team members
2. Providing personal recognition
3. Believe in Listening instead of Speaking, Speaking and Speaking
4. Should be good communicator
5. Clarity in all type of instructions/assignments
6. Involve team members whenever there is a need to take critical decision
7. Treat team members as friends NOT as subordinates

A true Leader Motivates you beyond your emotional and physical boundaries. Thats the hallmark of it. You see a ever excited and enthusiastic team of people go and congratulate the Manager.

This leads to the question why people quit. The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called "First Break All The Rules". It came up with this surprising finding:

If you're losing good people, look to their manager .... manager is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he 's the reason why people leave. When people leave they take knowledge,experience and contacts with them, straight to the competition.

"People leave managers not companies ," write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.

Mostly manager drives people away?

HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave,but a thought has been planted. The second time, that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he looks for another job.

When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and no more. By omitting to give the boss crucial information. Dev says: "If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don 't have your heart and soul in the job."

Different managers can stress out employees in different ways - by being too controlling, too suspicious,too pushy, too critical, but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit - often over a trivial issue.

Talented men leave. Dead wood doesn't.

Thanks for the interesting question, Ankur, but... maybe she should stop pretending to be a chap?

More seriously, a 'good boss' surely has characteristics which bring out the best in people - a blend of the 'feminine' and the 'masculine' (I use these terms as a way to describe approaches to leadership, not as describing how men or women 'should' be.)

I've attached a couple of thoughts on this sort of issue, which I hope add something to the very useful question and discussion above. I believe these sorts of issue will become very visible as organisations adapt to the 21st century, so the more debate the better.

Best
Hilary