Become a great boss by thinking about the kind of boss you would hate to be, advises Avery Augustine, writing for Inc.com, via The Muse.
Being a great boss is a complicated business. It means finding the right balance between constructive criticism and praise, affection and respect, managing and delegating.
In your quest to become the best boss you can be, it will help to consider the types of boss you do not want to emulate – like these examples:
1) The Best Friend Boss. Going “the friend route” is always a bad idea, says Augustine.
Although it is natural to want everyone to like you, this approach will backfire when the going gets tough.
If friendship with your employees prevents you from delivering criticism, bad news or discipline when it is needed, you are failing as a manager.
2) The Bad News Boss. It is your duty as manager to give constructive feedback when it is needed, but it must be tempered with praise and recognition, warns the author.
If you constantly tell your employees what they are doing wrong but never tell them what they are doing right, you will hamper their performance.
In fact, Augustine advises giving six positive comments for every negative one.
3) The Ignorant Boss. If you want your employees to respect you and your decisions then you need to understand what they do.
If you don’t yet know the basic functions of your team, make it your business to find out.
Your employees need to see that you are invested enough in your role to be able to manage them effectively.
4) The Absent Boss. To be a good manager you must be available to your employees when they need advice, help or an ear for their ideas.
If you prioritise meetings and appointments over managing your employees then you are guilty of being an absent boss.
5) The Hands Off Boss. No matter how great your employees are, they still need your attention.
If your team performs well and appears to be self sufficient, it can be tempting to take a hands-off approach to management.
But all employees deserve your involved leadership.
They need your feedback in order to improve their skills and they need your guidance to maximise their potential.
Avoid these five bad managerial styles and you are well on your way to being the kind of boss you really want to be.