In Business / October 2006
Good, Bad and Ugly Bosses
Being a good boss doesn’t take an MBA or years of experience; it just takes good common sense, says Dr. Noelle Nelson, author of The Power of Appreciation in Business. Bad bosses, she says, come with emotional baggage that unfortunately affects everyone they manage.
“Bosses set the tone and identity of the company or the department that they are responsible for,” explains Nelson. “Bosses who greet employees by name, look them in the eye and smile show workers that their boss knows they exist. Taking it a step further, immediately acknowledging good work, assigning tasks clearly, listening to and acting on employee comments and giving employees the opportunity to be part of some of the company’s decision making go a long way to build employee trust. If the boss is diligent and enthusiastic about the business, odds are, so will the workers.”
Nelson says managerial styles usually reflect the personality of the manager. “You have to genuinely like and respect people to be a successful manager,” says Nelson. “If you see your secretary or your lines people as somebody less than you, your attitude toward them will reflect this. Believe me, they’ll pick up on your mind-set in a second and have no desire to go the extra mile for you or your company.”
Insecurity, unfortunately, is a common manager trait, she says. “These bosses never acknowledge their responsibility when things go wrong. They are quick to blame others. They tend to micro-manage so workers are never allowed to problem solve, which stifles some of the best ideas. They are afraid to nurture talented people because they are worried that they might take their job.”
Another poor manager type is one who plays favorites. “An employee who works his tail off, only to lose out on a promotion to someone who plays golf with the boss, is an employee who will quickly look for employment elsewhere or just shut down at work. Playing favorites is what we did in grade school. It’s a sign of immaturity. These manager types suck the motivation and the desire to do good work right out of employees.”
Dr. Nelson says technology has made it easier for managers to never leave their office. “Poor communicators make poor managers,” she says. “These types of managers believe workers should just do their job and need not be bothered with events outside their realm of work. That’s wrong. Managers should walk the floor often and genuinely listen to staff. When news and events occur within the company, good or bad, managers need to tell their workers. It’s the only way workers will feel they are part of something bigger than themselves.”
Copyright © 2001-2009 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
Top • Home • Subscribe • Advertise • Submit • Distribution • Contact
Support Our Advertisers • Organization Resources • Women Owned Business
Organization Resource List • Women Owned Businesses • Support Our Advertisers
Maintained by TEABROOKE
Website Design | SEO | Social Media Consulting
Related Sites | XMLSiteMap | Web Portal
Landing Zone SEO - Website | Search | Usability | Results | Goodness
Send an Email About This Article