Tkays

As professionals we all look for progression in our career in line with our short-term and long-term goals. There will be a stage in the life of a professional when he is elevated to the managerial role and thus end up being the boss. Being the boss is not an easy task as it brings with it not just power and responsibilities, but also problems and new challenges. It is the manner in which one carry out these responsibilities and tackles the challenges which decides his success as a Boss. There will be several occasions when as a manager you are forced to take unpopular decisions which are required to accomplish the company’s mission and to achieve its vision. A good boss is the one who handles such situations in a tactful manner without affecting the morale of his team.

Given below are some of the important attributes which can help you be a good and successful boss:

• Give Respect & Take Respect: As a boss you expect your subordinates to respect you. It should be understood that in a professional environment this respect comes naturally if you lead them by example in terms of professional knowledge and managerial skills. Each member of the team must be treated with due respect for their professional competence and experience.
• Share the success: It is said that a leader is as good as his team. It should be realized that your team too have contributed to your achievements and therefore the credit for the success of the team should be shared with the team. By acknowledging the contributions of the team in open forums they are not only honored but also motivated to produce better results.
• Know your team: You should have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each team member so that you can plan and adjust their motives with your goals. The strengths of each member should be efficiently utilized and opportunity should be provided to them to overcome their weaknesses.
• Trust your team:  Trust your team to do their job in the best manner. A good boss will trust and delegate the jobs to his team where as a bad boss just trust in himself and think that the job can be done only by him. A bad boss interferes  in the job of his subordinate to such an extent that he ends up doing micro management and oozes out the confidence of his team.
• Reward & Recognition: A good boss will never hesitate to reward and recognize his team member for an outstanding job done. He will ensure the career growth of his team in the same manner that he expects his boss to do for him. A bad boss is one who progress his career without any concern for the career progression of his team.
• Empathetic Listening: Empathic listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding and trust. You should try to appreciate views of your team and be sensitive to their feelings. You should be patient listener to let your subordinate take his time to put forward his views and concern. If you are too busy, it would be good to grant him a patient listening at a convenient time.
• Transparency, Integrity & Ethics:  As the boss your team is likely to follow you in all the good and bad things that you do. If you are one of those managers who manages the work based on false promises and heap of lies, you are setting a wrong example to your team. You need to be transparent and ethical to win the trust and respect of your clients as well as your subordinates.
• Support & Training:  A good boss will always support his team when they commit some mistakes unintentionally. He will not only take the responsibility of the failure and motivate the team to strive for better results but also invest in their training to make them more proficient for the job.

As a boss we should be sensitive to the needs of the team and be always there to help and guide them when it is required.  It is also necessary to be a continuous learner in order to stay current and updated. By being a good boss you can create an environment which will encourage your subordinates to deliver their best and contribute towards the success of the team and the organisation. As a thumb rule you may treat your subordinates the way in which you expect your boss to treat you. Remember, being a good boss  is not an easy task but neither is it impossible.