10 Key Characteristics, Virtues, Capabilities and Qualities of a Good Boss

We explain what a good boss is like and what are virtues he should have. In addition, its general characteristics and various capabilities.

What is a good boss like?

The boss is responsible for the performance of work groups or even entire companies . While good employees can do their tasks adequately, good results will not matter if there is not a good boss who can coordinate the different tasks and evaluate the performance of each employee in order to take advantage of the full potential of the work group.

The employees must respond not only to the head but he must also respond to them, because the decisions that directly affect them . That is why the boss must have a series of competencies that allow him to fulfill that role . Although there is a hierarchy difference between the boss and other employees, it should not be transformed into authoritarianism but into leadership.

Therefore, the boss must seek a balance between maintaining authority and fostering dialogue and trust.

Characteristics of a good boss :

Leadership

Achieving leadership at the head of a team is a complex task that true leaders make seem easy. For this it is necessary:

• Communication . A leader must keep his team informed of each other's goals, expectations, and roles.
• Objectives .  Its function is to indicate the goals to be achieved.
• Give the example.  Any characteristic that is required of employees (effort, dedication, responsibility , etc.) must be exhibited by the boss so that he does not lose his leadership.
• Team. Although the boss does not perform the same tasks as the rest of the work team, in order to be considered a leader, he must remain linked to the work of his employees, supervising or helping them when necessary.
• Motivation .  The goal is not just for employees to work, but to do so with enthusiasm. This can be accomplished in a number of ways (challenging tasks, fair pay, fostering a sense of belonging, etc.) but it is a task that a boss cannot neglect.

Responsibility

The boss is not only accountable to employees but also to other companies and regulatory bodies. An irresponsible boss motivates irresponsibility or reluctance in employees, while a responsible boss inspires respect and legitimizes the demands of responsibility towards the work team.

The responsibilities of the boss include knowing their task and that of the employees, taking the necessary initiatives to ensure continuity of work , monitoring the work of the work team , among others.

Ability to delegate

Delegating requires that the boss clearly understand which are his essential tasks and which are not. Prioritizing what only he can do will allow him to delegate other tasks that may be secondary or that an employee may be more adept at doing than he can.

In order to make this decision, it is essential that you be able to recognize the skills of employees , and thus delegate correctly. This also contributes to the motivation of the work team.

Honesty

Honesty can be seen in many aspects of interpersonal relationships. A boss must be able to recognize their mistakes , and should never take credit for someone else's work.

Honesty also implies the ability to evaluate yourself and your employees , discovering strengths and weaknesses.

Coherence

Work teams must rest on clear objectives and principles. That is why a boss is a relatively predictable reference for employees, does not make unexpected decisions without giving explanations or suddenly change the way he treats them (for example, going from a friendly to a distant one).

Consistency also applies to your relationship with all employees , offering them all equally opportunities for growth commensurate with their abilities.

Creativity

The previous point does not mean that the boss's attitude should be monotonous. The creativity is needed to find ways to motivate your team to solve problems and to seek new challenges.

Empathy

One of your main objectives should be to achieve a good work environment . To do this, you must be attentive to the needs and difficulties of your work team . In this way, you avoid having unfair attitudes such as favoritism, demanding more than what each employee can give or being intolerant of mistakes.

In addition, it allows you to observe when employees are ready for new challenges , when they are unmotivated and what conflicts between them may be hurting the work.

Dialogue capacity

A good boss can listen to workers and also state his own reasons for taking certain actions. A conciliatory boss does not seek to impose his opinions but rather convinces others of them.

Dialogue within your own work team not only favors a good work environment but can also help you to carry out one of your most difficult tasks : decision-making .

While these are ultimately up to the boss, dialogue with other people involved in the task can help you make the right decision. On the other hand, the capacity for dialogue also comes into play when negotiating with other sectors of the company or with other companies.

Learning capacity

The challenges are not only for his subordinates, but the boss must also enrich himself from the people and situations that he encounters in his path . A good boss does not avoid including a brilliant professional on his team who may overshadow him, but rather tries to surround himself with people who can teach him new skills.

Resolution capacity

Although all the members of a work team constantly make decisions, the most important ones are made by the boss. To make a decision it is necessary to take into account many factors (benefits, dangers, alternatives, etc.) but mainly when is the ideal time to take it.

The entire work team depends on the resolution of the boss , so the way they make their decisions will have a direct impact on their leadership skills.

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