Sadly, we have an epidemic of “bad bosses” in our country. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 84% of U.S. workers blame bad managers for creating unnecessary stress. And according to a GoodHire survey, 82% of employees would consider leaving a job to get away from their manager.
Image created by ChatGPT
Bad bosses harm morale, performance, and retention — and are detrimental to our health. Harvard and Stanford researchers found that the environment created by bad bosses has negative health effects equivalent to being exposed to significant amounts of secondhand smoke. And multiple studies show that working for a bad boss can increase the chance of having a heart attack by as much as 50%. Wow!
In contrast, multiple studies and surveys have shown that good bosses improve employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and productivity. And teams led by good bosses have higher levels of collaboration and more positive cultures.
How to Become a Good Boss
Fortunately, we can become good bosses. Here are 10 proven ways to make sure we are good bosses.
1. Pursue Results and Relationships
A large survey by James Zenger focused on finding what leadership characteristics made leaders “great” in the eyes of their employees. Two of these characteristics were “results focus” and “people focus.”
Zenger found that leaders who were primarily focused on people were considered great just 12% of the time, and leaders primarily focused on results were seen as great only 14% of the time. But leaders who balanced their approach and focused equally on results and people were seen as great a whopping 72% of the time (sadly, a study by David Rock showed that only 1% of leaders do that balance well).
2. Lead by Example
A good boss models the behaviors and values they expect from their team. This includes treating people with respect, being accountable, staying calm under pressure, acting ethically and with integrity, and showing a positive and optimistic attitude. As leadership expert John Maxwell likes to say, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
3. Develop a Sense of Purpose
A good boss develops a team mission (what we do), a vision (where we are headed), and explains “the why” behind what the team does and its importance to stakeholders (i.e., investors, customers, employees). The businesswoman and writer Frances Hesselbein wisely said, “People want to feel what they do makes a difference.”
We also should celebrate the “wins” the team achieves along the way as we meet service standards, complete projects, and reach goals. By doing so, we practice the principle of “success breeds success” and create positive momentum. Note: It’s important to involve our teams in developing our future direction so there is a buy-in. This leads to higher quality products due to the collective wisdom of multiple people, not just that of the boss.
4. Create a Positive Work Environment
We can create a culture of respect, inclusiveness, collaboration, and compassion. As inspirational speaker Simon Sinek said, “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” In a positive work culture, bosses avoid micromanaging their teams (relevant coaching, yes; micromanaging, no). As bosses, we also need to promote a sense of fairness (not favoritism) and have a psychologically safe environment where people can express their ideas and admit mistakes without reprisals.
5. Demonstrate Empathy
Emotional intelligence expert Dr. Travis Bradberry explains that bosses can be empathetic by getting into their employees’ skins and understanding their perspective on things. This includes recognizing that our team members are human and treating them as such. The reality is that “life happens” and we all have tough days where we need an extra dose of support and grace. Especially when a team member is going through a tough time, showing empathy can help us gain their trust and support, and they will want to make it up to us when they are able.
6. Show Appreciation and Recognition
Everybody likes to be on the receiving end of recognition and appreciation, including the members of our teams. Taking the time to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of our team members makes people feel valued.
We have a variety of ways to express appreciation, both formally (e.g., emails, texts, handwritten notes, gift cards, bonuses, etc.) and informally, such as simply saying “thank you.” I have always loved this quote from author and poet Maya Angelou: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
7. Communicate Effectively
Communication is foundational to a healthy workplace. Businessman Richard Branson suggests that “Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.” As a boss, it’s important for us to communicate clearly, consistently, and with empathy. We should listen to our team members, consider their feedback and suggestions, and address their concerns.
8. Support and Develop Your Team Members
A good boss is someone who invests in their team members’ growth and development. Businessman Harvey Firestone spoke to the importance when he said, “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” Millennial and Generation Z employees especially appreciate and respond well when we intentionally provide opportunities to help them learn and grow. Entrepreneur Jon Taffer speaks to this when he wrote, “The greatest gift of leadership is a boss who wants you to be successful.” One of my favorite quotes is by Richard Branson: “Train people well so they can leave; treat them well so they don’t want to.”
9. Encourage Work-Life Balance
A good boss understands the importance of supporting a healthy work-life balance. We need to set realistic expectations, be as flexible as reasonable with work schedules, support time off when needed, and respect our team members’ personal time. This means that we should avoid off-hour texts and emails unless it’s truly an emergency.
10. Be Humble, Approachable, and Transparent
All managers (bosses) are busy, but to be a good boss, we need to be approachable and make time for the most important resource we have — people. I agree with the saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
We also need to be humble enough to really listen and consider the ideas and feedback we receive from our team members. Sometimes, this may include constructive feedback. While feedback may be hard for employees to hear, it can help bosses avoid saying and doing things that fall under the bad boss category.
We also need to be transparent. Entrepreneur David Niu explains, “To be a good boss, you must be transparent. There’s a correlation between worker happiness and workplace transparency. Leaders and managers who offer transparency will earn the respect and devotion of their team.”
Concluding thoughts: A popular management theory is that “People don’t leave bad jobs. They leave bad bosses.” Instead of being bad bosses that employees want to avoid, we can intentionally become good bosses who boost employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and productivity.
Here is a closing quote from Charles Erwin Wilson: “A good boss makes his [people] realize they have more ability than they think they have, so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could.”
That is the type of boss I want to be. How about you?
Are You a Bad Boss?
Sadly, we have an epidemic of “bad bosses” in our country. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 84% of U.S. workers blame bad managers for creating unnecessary stress. And according to a GoodHire survey, 82% of employees would consider leaving a job to get away from their manager.
Image created by ChatGPT
Bad bosses harm morale, performance, and retention — and are detrimental to our health. Harvard and Stanford researchers found that the environment created by bad bosses has negative health effects equivalent to being exposed to significant amounts of secondhand smoke. And multiple studies show that working for a bad boss can increase the chance of having a heart attack by as much as 50%. Wow!
In contrast, multiple studies and surveys have shown that good bosses improve employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and productivity. And teams led by good bosses have higher levels of collaboration and more positive cultures.
How to Become a Good Boss
Fortunately, we can become good bosses. Here are 10 proven ways to make sure we are good bosses.
1. Pursue Results and Relationships
A large survey by James Zenger focused on finding what leadership characteristics made leaders “great” in the eyes of their employees. Two of these characteristics were “results focus” and “people focus.”
Zenger found that leaders who were primarily focused on people were considered great just 12% of the time, and leaders primarily focused on results were seen as great only 14% of the time. But leaders who balanced their approach and focused equally on results and people were seen as great a whopping 72% of the time (sadly, a study by David Rock showed that only 1% of leaders do that balance well).
2. Lead by Example
A good boss models the behaviors and values they expect from their team. This includes treating people with respect, being accountable, staying calm under pressure, acting ethically and with integrity, and showing a positive and optimistic attitude. As leadership expert John Maxwell likes to say, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
3. Develop a Sense of Purpose
A good boss develops a team mission (what we do), a vision (where we are headed), and explains “the why” behind what the team does and its importance to stakeholders (i.e., investors, customers, employees). The businesswoman and writer Frances Hesselbein wisely said, “People want to feel what they do makes a difference.”
We also should celebrate the “wins” the team achieves along the way as we meet service standards, complete projects, and reach goals. By doing so, we practice the principle of “success breeds success” and create positive momentum. Note: It’s important to involve our teams in developing our future direction so there is a buy-in. This leads to higher quality products due to the collective wisdom of multiple people, not just that of the boss.
4. Create a Positive Work Environment
We can create a culture of respect, inclusiveness, collaboration, and compassion. As inspirational speaker Simon Sinek said, “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” In a positive work culture, bosses avoid micromanaging their teams (relevant coaching, yes; micromanaging, no). As bosses, we also need to promote a sense of fairness (not favoritism) and have a psychologically safe environment where people can express their ideas and admit mistakes without reprisals.
5. Demonstrate Empathy
Emotional intelligence expert Dr. Travis Bradberry explains that bosses can be empathetic by getting into their employees’ skins and understanding their perspective on things. This includes recognizing that our team members are human and treating them as such. The reality is that “life happens” and we all have tough days where we need an extra dose of support and grace. Especially when a team member is going through a tough time, showing empathy can help us gain their trust and support, and they will want to make it up to us when they are able.
6. Show Appreciation and Recognition
Everybody likes to be on the receiving end of recognition and appreciation, including the members of our teams. Taking the time to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of our team members makes people feel valued.
We have a variety of ways to express appreciation, both formally (e.g., emails, texts, handwritten notes, gift cards, bonuses, etc.) and informally, such as simply saying “thank you.” I have always loved this quote from author and poet Maya Angelou: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
7. Communicate Effectively
Communication is foundational to a healthy workplace. Businessman Richard Branson suggests that “Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.” As a boss, it’s important for us to communicate clearly, consistently, and with empathy. We should listen to our team members, consider their feedback and suggestions, and address their concerns.
8. Support and Develop Your Team Members
A good boss is someone who invests in their team members’ growth and development. Businessman Harvey Firestone spoke to the importance when he said, “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” Millennial and Generation Z employees especially appreciate and respond well when we intentionally provide opportunities to help them learn and grow. Entrepreneur Jon Taffer speaks to this when he wrote, “The greatest gift of leadership is a boss who wants you to be successful.” One of my favorite quotes is by Richard Branson: “Train people well so they can leave; treat them well so they don’t want to.”
9. Encourage Work-Life Balance
A good boss understands the importance of supporting a healthy work-life balance. We need to set realistic expectations, be as flexible as reasonable with work schedules, support time off when needed, and respect our team members’ personal time. This means that we should avoid off-hour texts and emails unless it’s truly an emergency.
10. Be Humble, Approachable, and Transparent
All managers (bosses) are busy, but to be a good boss, we need to be approachable and make time for the most important resource we have — people. I agree with the saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
We also need to be humble enough to really listen and consider the ideas and feedback we receive from our team members. Sometimes, this may include constructive feedback. While feedback may be hard for employees to hear, it can help bosses avoid saying and doing things that fall under the bad boss category.
We also need to be transparent. Entrepreneur David Niu explains, “To be a good boss, you must be transparent. There’s a correlation between worker happiness and workplace transparency. Leaders and managers who offer transparency will earn the respect and devotion of their team.”
Concluding thoughts: A popular management theory is that “People don’t leave bad jobs. They leave bad bosses.” Instead of being bad bosses that employees want to avoid, we can intentionally become good bosses who boost employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and productivity.
Here is a closing quote from Charles Erwin Wilson: “A good boss makes his [people] realize they have more ability than they think they have, so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could.”
That is the type of boss I want to be. How about you?
Related story: Put People First
Wes Friesen is a proven leader and developer of high performing teams and has extensive experience in both the corporate and non-profit worlds. A former in-plant manager, he is also an award-winning university instructor and speaker, and is the president of Solomon Training and Development, which provides leadership, management and team building training. His book, Your Team Can Soar! contains 42 valuable lessons that will inspire you, and give you practical pointers to help you—and your team—soar to new heights of performance. Your Team Can Soar! can be ordered from Xulonpress.com/bookstore or wesfriesen.com. Wes can be contacted at wesmfriesen@gmail.com.