Being a great boss is not just about leading a company in attaining its goals. The point of being a good boss is also about having good managerial and leadership skills, as well as building up both personal and professional rapport with your subordinates. It’s not about power-tripping, but rather being a guide for your subordinates in achieving success in their own responsibilities.
Take responsibility, but share praise. First of all, being the boss, you are at an upper level in the chain of command, and the buck, so to speak, stops with you. If something goes wrong with your company or department, and you know someone under you is responsible, then it’s all right to reprimand that person. But when you are talking to clients, customers or even your own boss, you should take the responsibility for the problem, and not pass on the blame to subordinates.
On the other hand, if your department does a good job, then you should be able to share the praise with your subordinates and colleagues for a team effort well done.
Praise publicly, reprimand in private. Another characteristic of a good boss is that he does not humiliate his employees and subordinates in public. If someone does a bad job, talk about it in private, and let the person justify himself, or at least apologize. Reprimand him in private, and not in view of his colleagues, and keep these discussions behind closed doors. But when you praise an employee for exceptional work, do it in public, so that he might serve as an inspiration to his co-workers.
Establish personal relationships, but maintain professional distance. Office politics and gossip are usually big problems in the workplace, and being the boss, you should not involve yourself in these matters. It’s a good idea to establish personal rapport with your employees and staff, though. Talk to them, and get to know them each personally. Ask about their families and how they feel about their jobs. Join them in company outings, lunches, dinners, and even coffee breaks. But do maintain some level of distance. You are the boss, after all, and you should be able to earn their respect by showing them that you do not grumble, bicker, or gossip (at least not in public).
Delegate, but get involved. One management practice usually frowned upon is micromanagement, or the act of bickering over very small details of a project or a task, until too much time is wasted, and the job is not done on time. A good boss should delegate tasks to people who can do the job right, and probably better than he can. But a good boss should also be involved to a certain extent so that he is not encroaching on the responsibilities and tasks of other people. Help out your employees if they need guidance. Share best experiences with them, to guide them in doing better in their jobs.
Being a good leader is not all about showing people how powerful you are, and forcing your will on everyone. Rather, being a good leader is being able to inspire people to give their best, for the benefit of the common good. Being a good boss is like this, too. Show people that you are serious about getting the job done, but that at the same time, you care for their welfare. That way, you can be the best boss that anyone can have.
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