People Case

"People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads; the boss drives," Teddy Roosevelt. When the weekend ends and your alarm rings on Monday morning, are you inclined to press the snooze button, or are you ready to take on the day? Most people fall into one category or the other. In my experience, when you have a good boss, you are more likely to like your job and to be proactive. Bosses do not only affect our careers – they affect our lives more than we realize. A boss can help develop our work ethics, job performance and temperament. Most importantly, a good boss can see your potential, allowing you to do your job confidently, while a bad boss can just as easily take your confidence away. Good bosses and bad bosses share some of the same characteristics; however, the difference between the two will determine their leadership success.

With the many flavors of management styles, the majority of bosses either practice micro or macro management styles. Most people hope to have a boss who is a combination of both. Micromanaging supervisors feel as though they need to make all final decisions. Bosses who practice this type of management style usually dictate all major decisions. They dictate to their employees when to end their work day, regardless of one's work hours or overtime wages. Employees often agree on their unassigned overtime tasks fearing being reprimanded by the manager. These bosses also take the lead on all major projects, hover over their employees, and are unable or unwilling to delegate important tasks. Instead, they dictate every step of the way and are reluctant to encourage employee growth. This is the recipe for higher turnover rates and stressed or unmotivated workers.

On the other hand, a moderate style of macro managing universally is more of a hands-off managing style. These bosses provide minimal direction and leave the decision making to the team. In doing so, they give their employees the sense that they are trusted. In fact, good bosses will be more likely to trust and believe that their employees are capable of making good decisions and producing quality work with minimal supervision. A boss who macro manages allows the employees to take responsibility for the work they generate. It builds confidence, enabling not just career growth but personal growth as well. A good boss will tend to macro manage rather than micro manage.

Communication skills in a workplace have a lasting effect on the success of the company. How well a boss communicates with his or her employees will determine how effective his or her subordinates will follow directions. A good boss will communicate clearly with employees. Employees prefer a boss who will actively listen to their concerns and provide reassuring feedback, including critiquing employee performance and offering direction or guidance. With these managerial characteristics, employees are able to improve efficiency.

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