Are You A Good Boss? [Infographic]

Gisele Navarro http://www.neomam.com 4m 969 #goodboss

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Traits Of A Good Boss

The first rule of being a good boss is self-awareness. If you work long hours, skip vacations and are first in/last out of the office each day, it will soon become a routine, regardless of the energy you’re putting into it. This is why it pays to regularly check yourself: to stand back, look at the bigger picture, and assess your impact on the working culture and business results of your company. You may have made it to the top, but business doesn’t stand still, and if you don’t keep up with developments and work on your own leadership skills, it can soon get away from you.

Primarily, this is about creating an environment in which you and your team are getting the best out of each other. Your authority is useless if it is based on an outdated idea of rigidity. Rather, you need to ensure your employees know that they can come to you if they have a problem or a new idea. They need to trust, not fear you. And this relationship of trust works both ways: when you have the respect of your team, you can approach them for feedback on your own performance and the broader strategies of the business. Of course, it’s still your call on how you use that information, but you may be startled by new perspectives on your business that it is impossible to see from your own particular position.

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If you’re not sure how to start working towards this kind of management culture, try checking out this new infographic. The flowchart at the top will not only help you assess your current management performance, but offer some inspiring ideas on how to tweak your attitude and technique towards a more productive system. Being a great leader does not mean bossing people about, but creating a dynamic structure within which your team can flourish.

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ARE YOU A GOOD BOSS?

Being a boss sounds great, but in reality it can be a big challenge.

Your team’s performance can dip, team members may be embroiled in conflict, and ultimately, you’re responsible for helping them get the job done. But if you can get it right, being a boss can be a really rewarding position.

With the right tools, you can help build a team that achieves great things.

DO YOU HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT’S IMPORTANT AND WHERE YOUR TEAM NEEDS TO BE?

Yes
- DO YOU LISTEN MORE THAN YOU TALK?
  - I try hard to
    - MANAGEMENT IS…
      - The responsibility for the performance of a team
        DO YOU CONSTANTLY TRY TO IMPROVE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS?
        Yes
        DO YOU GIVE YOUR TEAM RECOGNITION AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK?
        Often
        DO YOU WORK HARD TO MAKE YOUR TEAM TRUST YOU?
        Always
        YOU’RE A GREAT BOSS
        I could do better
        YOU’RE A GOOD BOSS BUT THERE’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
        Hardly ever
        YOU’RE A GOOD BOSS BUT THERE’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
        I already have them
        DO YOU TAKE REGULAR SELF ASSESSMENTS?
        I try to book time for it
        YOU’RE A GOOD BOSS BUT THERE’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
        I don’t have time
        DO YOU DELEGATE JOBS TO THE RIGHT PERSON AND COMMUNICATE THESE WELL?
        I try to
        YOU’RE A GOOD BOSS BUT THERE’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
        No
        YOU NEED TO WORK ON YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS
      - Being in charge
        DO YOU ASK YOUR TEAM FOR FEEDBACK ON HOW YOU ARE DOING?
        Regularly
        YOU’RE A GREAT BOSS
  - Probably not
    - WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT?
      - Supporting my team to work well
      - Getting lots of work done
Not really
- CHALLENGE MAKES ME FEEL…
  - Excited, bring them on
  - Fed up, I prefer to have an easy day
    - WORK RELATIONSHIPS MEAN…
      - Building Trust
        YOU’RE A GREAT BOSS
      - Making friends at work
        DO YOU THINK YOU NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING ON YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS?
        Yes
        YOU’RE A GREAT BOSS
        No
        DO YOU ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS?
        I try to
        YOU’RE A GOOD BOSS BUT THERE’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
        No, I don’t need to
        DO YOU DELEGATE THE JOBS TO THE RIGHT PERSON AND COMMUNICATE THESE WELL?
        I try to
        YOU’RE A GOOD BOSS BUT THERE’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
        No
        YOU NEED TO WORK ON YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS

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BEING A BOSS IS NOT EASY, and even the best managers and leaders out there will make mistakes and learn new ways of doing things every day. Here are 5 tips to get you started.

Gain clarity on your team’s objective.
- Get to the heart of what you are trying to achieve and share it with your team regularly. Show them how they fit the picture and they will find even better ways to achieve success.
Get feedback from your team.
- Understand how clear you are in giving feedback and sharing the big picture by asking your direct reports for feedback.
Review the actions you take.
- Spend time looking at how you are getting on with your role. Ask yourself: Which actions worked well? What would you do differently? How would your ideal boss handle a particular situation?
Get out of their way.
- If you’ve given them the tools and shared the big picture, give them the space to find the best way to do the role.
Recognize their successes.
- Continue to provide recognition on an individual level as well as praising the team as a whole.

To sum it up in one sentence, you never stop learning how to be a great boss.

Challenge yourself every day and observe the progress you make. You’ll soon have your team rallying behind you and achieving things they never believed they could.

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” — Henry Kissinger

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