Good Boss/Bad Boss
I know you want to do your best every day. I know you work hard to accomplish your mission and engage people.
I also know that your team members probably go home at night and talk about the confusion, ambivalence, inequality and inefficiency that plagues them every day...with your name attached. They expect you to step up. Do you? They wonder why you don't acknowledge that they are having a bad year (dog of a product) and are pushing as hard as they can. They wonder why last year (hell, last quarter) doesn't count and you are sending mixed signals about their worth. They wonder why you don't know the names of their children...and why they don't know yours. They wonder why (in the spirit of leadership team collusion) you don't call out your peer that is blocking progress to protect turf...and then hammering your team member for lack of project progress.
You are not judged by your intentions...only by your actions. Just what are your intentions? And what do your actions communicate? Good Boss or Bad Boss?
I write this as someone who has been named both a best boss and a worst boss in their career.
In my experience as a consultant and coach, I have found virtually no difference between the intentions of leaders who create engagement and pride versus those who create anger and apathy (at best). It's not our intentions that differentiate the good from the bad. We all seek to create motivation, urgency, focus and effective action. What differentiates is self-awareness and behavior. Here are 12 questions that might help you figure out if you are a "good boss" or a "bad boss":
1. What motivates people more, fear or pride?
2. How many times per month do you mention to every member of your team something they did well? Something they can improve?
3. What are the names of every team member's children, pets and spouse?
4. What do you do outside of work that you are proud of and your team knows?
5. How certain are you that your best people know how good you think they are?
6. What impact did your behavior have on the last three voluntary terminations from your team? Really, think again. Did you ask?
7. Objective, fair or caring? Pick one.
8. Have you had a re-engagement discussion with every member of your team within the last two years? I thought not.
9. Do you ask for their opinion and use it?
10. Is your company doing work people are proud to tell others about? This can make up for your behavior. So, how do you help people feel proud? You probably can do better.
11. How well does your team act together to plan, work and achieve? What do you proactively do to create this? Think team glue.
12. Last, how have you helped every team member reach their goals? Do you know their goals? No, I mean their real goals...the ones they dream about.
I'm guessing that by now you may have an idea if you are a "Bad Boss" or a "Good Boss". More importantly, what would you like to do about it?
What would you prefer those dinner table conversations include when your name comes up?
Originally published HERE.
