Does the perfect boss actually exist? Certainly, there are more sites dedicated to people complaining about their managers than there are praising them. And, if there is a perfect boss, what does he or she do that makes them perfect?
Well, a posting on The Business Research Lab has a short entry in which one writer claims to have found perfection.
The sad thing is that the list does not seem particularly difficult for bosses around the globe to follow – if only they would. In fact much of it seems like plain old common sense. For example:
- The boss asks for her employee's opinion about things that go beyond just the employee's job. Far too many employees complain that their bosses think they know everything and never have to seek the opinion of the people who report to them. Too many managers seem to think since they are managers, they know best at all times.
- "She leaves me on my own when it comes to how I do my job." There is nothing worse, according to most workers, than a micromanager who hovers over everyone's shoulder.
- When asked for advice, this manager gives it without fuss. While some managers feel like they know everything, there are others who seem to expect their direct-reports to be able to read their minds and do their job without bothering them.
- Gives fair reviews and files them on time. This is a huge complaint amongst most employees and that is that their bosses don't give timely and regular feedback and don't seem to know what their employee have actually done throughout the year.
- Assists in career growth. Too many managers don't bother to take any time to encourage their employees to grow within their career, as if they feel doing that is a threat to them.
Those five things are enough for this employee to declare her boss as "perfect." And let's face it, none of those things listed seem too difficult to accomplish. Maybe by incorporating them into your way of managing, you too can enter the realm of the perfect boss.