I have spent hours asking clients what they think are the characteristics of a good boss. Also, when I was working on my doctorate in education, classes often covered the characteristics of effective leadership. The positive leadership characteristics appreciated by both my clients and my classmates were fairness, individualized support from employees, and positive example. These preferences, as well as some other valuable characteristics that will help leaders earn the respect of their employees, are also supported by the literature on the subject of leadership.
Regardless of your responsibilities as a boss, you probably want to leave a positive legacy and would like to make work life enjoyable for your dependents. Many say the world is basically unfair, but that doesn’t mean the workplace has to mimic injustices that occur outside the workplace. Rather, leaders should model fair behavior and decision-making at work, as it not only helps the company develop an outstanding reputation, but also serves to encourage employees to do their best work. Being unfair just sets up a corrupt environment that spreads like poison ivy. In most cases, employees repay the kindness of a good leader by making a fair day’s work simply because they know they have an employer who treats everyone humanely and honorably. Justice is positively contagious when exhibited by true leaders.
A fair boss takes an employee’s feelings and needs into account when trying to understand the employee’s way of thinking. Not everyone comes from the same place, so it’s important to try to understand the obstacles others face. This means that a leader sometimes gives second chances and/or provides necessary professional development to those who show that they want to make efforts to improve.
One way to support employees is to answer their questions honestly. A leader must also have special knowledge related specifically to the work that she may perform with dependents. If leaders do not have the means to improve employee knowledge and organize work efficiently, they are not needed. Unfortunately, some leaders prefer to keep specialized knowledge to themselves so as not to empower employees who might run for higher positions once they gain higher-level knowledge.
A leader told her dependents that they should not ask her any questions because the dependent employees should already know everything. When leaders reply that a question is dumb, this sometimes means the leader lacks knowledge, but it usually means the boss doesn’t want to share valuable knowledge. If a leader belittles an employee for asking a question, in most cases it is because she is accumulating information that will allow her to stay at the top of the pyramid. Such leaders who refuse to empower their dependents are not well remembered. Their dependents are always happy to be free of them, and such leaders are often disliked and feared by those clients they also come in contact with.
Leading with fairness, supportive behavior, and positive role models is enhanced by having a passion and love for what the company produces. If a leader shows that he loves what he does, his joy and desire to improve the product will serve as a model for those below him.
My clients have reported that they would rather help a leader who has a dedicated mission if that same leader is always supportive and fair. Many stated that all leaders at all levels are expected to model good behavior.
Sometimes people with all of the required characteristics mentioned in this article don’t excel as leaders. This usually occurs when the leader lacks self-confidence, when the leader tends to be too changeable, or when the leader is emotionally unstable. Being emotionally unstable is the worst trait a leader can have because they don’t have the ability to help employees develop their skills. On the other hand, changing leaders do not understand the mission of the company or cannot decide how they want to achieve the goals. Leaders who lack self-confidence are eventually undermined by employees and customers alike. In some cases, leaders without self-belief are those who know they don’t own the product they are proposing to the buyer, but in some cases, they lack self-belief because of underlying issues from childhood.
Before one is ready to take over a department or company, one needs to empty out any baggage that is interfering with achieving one’s goals. Only then can you lead by example with a positive attitude and a desire to mentor dependents. Leadership may not be for everyone, so leaders need to reassess the actions they take to support those who work for them to ensure they are setting positive examples, providing guidance, and keeping their own ears open when approached by employees. . A little encouragement to employees will go a long way as you earn true affection and respect from your employees. When they know you’re being fair and trying to improve their future, your employees will gladly return the favor while feeling genuine commitment to the company.
The best way to support your employees is to allow them to voice their opinions and ask any questions that come to mind. This should be allowed both in person and by means of an anonymous letter that can be printed on paper and deposited in a box. Although face-to-face meetings are encouraged, sometimes it is necessary to let employees express themselves in a safe and anonymous context.
Be the facilitator you would like to have if you were in their shoes. How would you like an employer to treat your son or his mother? Support employees in their difficulties to further their education and better themselves through advancement at work. Do everything you can to make them better tomorrow. You will surely be rewarded in many ways for empowering the workforce. Everyone will know that you live by setting the example that produces a stable work environment.
