The 10 Worst Traits People Hate In A Boss & The 10 Best Ones They Hope For
Do you complain about work every day to your friend? If it's about your boss, we've got a pretty good idea of what you might be upset about. Here are 10 of the worst traits that everyone hates in a boss, and 10 positive ones that everyone hopes for.
1. Micromanagement
Micromanagement is arguably one thing that every new employee fears their work environment might have. Having a boss who is on you all the time, watching your every little detail, can feel incredibly stressful and overwhelming. It creates a feeling of not being trusted to use your own judgment and can lead to plenty of pent-up frustration.
2. Poor Communication
For a team to be successful, it's important that clear and open communication takes place. People look toward their boss and manager to be leaders of this, so when employees are left in the dark without any instruction or idea of what to do, it ruins team morale and performance.
3. Favoritism
Seeing one of your coworkers receive preferential treatment over anyone else can feel really demoralizing for the rest of the team. Everyone should be treated equally, and it can feel especially bad when your own achievements and hard work are being overlooked.
4. Lack of Empathy
Even though it's a professional workspace, bosses need to understand that life happens, and sometimes employees are facing personal challenges of their own. Having a boss who is unsympathetic, never understands, and doesn't support you is just the worst.
5. Unreasonable Expectations
Feeling overworked or burnt out in the office? If your boss is setting unreasonable goals that just aren't possible, they're not really looking out for you are they? While it's important to set targets that give the team something to strive for, setting impossible, unrealistic ones just makes it hard to stay motivated and optimistic.
6. Inflexibility
Growing as a team and company is all about flexibility - being open to new ideas, methods, and approaches is how you stay relevant in the market! A good boss should always be open to feedback and listening to your ideas. If they always shoot down your thoughts and take a rigid approach to things, it can make work feel dull.
7. Lack of Recognition
Who wants a boss that doesn't recognize and appreciate everyone's hard work? It's important that bosses highlight their worker's achievements because it gives them a sense of place and satisfaction. Without it, doing work can feel meaningless and unmotivating. Why work so hard if you're not going to get anything for it?
8. Poor Conflict Management
Sometimes, conflict can happen in a work environment and these stressful and tense moments need to be resolved by the boss. They need a carefully planned approach to diffuse the tension, helping to return things to a peaceful state. If they refuse to address it or resolve it in any way, all it does is damage the team.
9. Inconsistent Policies
People love consistency, especially in a work environment. It's necessary to have rules in place you know you can follow and rely on. So if your boss is constantly changing expectations and rules without carefully communicating it to you, all it does is leave you in a state of confusion and annoyance.
10. Unprofessional Behavior
Professionalism is key in any respectable workplace. If you have a boss who participates in any inappropriate behaviour, not only is it a bad example for the team, but it makes you lose your respect for them. Your boss is supposed to be someone you can look up to, not someone you look down on.
1. Effective Communication
It's not just about being able to communicate goals and tasks to the team, it's about being able to do it effectively. How clearly is your boss able to express what he/she wants from you? Having this open line of communication is what builds trust and respect within a team, creating a positive work environment that allows everyone to thrive.
2. Kindness
Kindness is a trait you want to see in everyone, even your boss. It's possible to be in a leadership role while still being kind and understanding of your work relationships. People want their boss to be approachable, listen to what they say, and support them during their times of hardship. It's what motivates people to work hard.
3. Appreciation
Does your boss thank you for working hard? Do they acknowledge you when you take the extra step to accomplish something for the team? Sometimes, a simple thank you can be enough. Having a boss who sees the work that you're doing can make you feel confident and willing to put in the work.
4. Fairness
Bosses should treat their entire team (including themselves) completely equally. They should never be selfish and take the rewards just for themselves. It's about being fair to everyone and creating a team where everyone feels important.
5. Open To Other Ideas
Bosses who listen to everyone's thoughts and ideas genuinely instead of prioritizing their own are the best. It shows that they're flexible and encourage team brainstorming. Even though they're the leader, they understand that others might have good ideas too, and that they should always ask the group instead of employing their own plans.
6. Empowerment
Having a boss that trusts you completely is what everyone hopes for. Feeling like your have ownership over your own tasks can make you feel so much more engaged and motivated to do your best. It's the best way for a boss to make everyone feel like they can be the best versions of themselves at work.
7. Integrity
Instead of seeing your boss as someone you have to unwillingly listen to and follow, it means so much more when you can look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps. A boss who is honest, respectful, and shows so much integrity, can make an entire workplace feel safe and secure. The leadership role is so important, and having that integrity is what builds a culture of trust and reliability.
8. Visionary Leadership
Bland and boring is never fun, but exciting and refreshing is! A leader who guides the team with compelling, visionary goals can make work feel new and fresh every single day. As long as everyone agrees on the end goal, having different approaches on getting there can fill everyone with a much needed enthusiasm.
9. Strong Decision-Making
In moments of uncertainty, you'll realize just how important it is to have a boss that's confident and competent. During these times, you want your boss to have a reassuring voice that knows what's best for everyone. A decisive leader can make or break a team during challenging situations after all! It helps keep everyone level-headed.
10. Development Focus
People want to have a boss that doesn't only care about themselves, but cares about their employees too. Investing in their growth by providing plenty of career development opportunities, training, or workshops, shows that these bosses want what's best for everyone.