It isn’t that hard to be a good boss.  Good bosses get the job done, but great bosses are leaders.  They inspire and elevate their people.  Great bosses go the extra mile to reach people’s hearts.

Great bosses lead people to great victories!  They win championships.  They turn failing companies around.  They rejuvenate the faith of the people in their country.  We need GREAT bosses!

The essentials of being a GREAT boss

I aspire to be a great boss.  I don’t think I’m there yet, but I’m trying to learn what I can do to get there.  Fortunately, I’ve had the privilege of working for some great bosses so I’ve been able to observe what they do.

Here are six essentials of being a great boss in no particular order.  I’m sure there are a lot more that could be added to this list, but I’m convinced that these six things must exist in order for a person to become a great boss.

1.  You must respect everyone

A great boss has learned to listen to and respect everyone even those that have a vastly different opinion and agenda from their own.  Regardless of differences, they never make another feel small or foolish.  They listen and drink in the information filtering it through their wisdom.  They make everyone feel valued and appreciated even when they disagree with what is being said.

2.  You must take care of your people

A great boss stands up for her people.  She gets them what they need to do their job, however necessary.  A great boss will stick her neck out and risk her own safe status on behalf of one of her people.  Her loyalty is uncompromising.

Great bosses are also keenly aware of the personal needs of their people.  They are sensitive to the balance between work and home.  They are more than just a boss to their people, they are a friend.

3.  You must cast a compelling vision

A great boss knows where he is going and is able to paint a vivid picture of that vision for his people.  Without a clear and compelling vision, people flounder.  There is no way for them to come together as a team because they lack a common purpose.

All great bosses cast a compelling vision.  They rally the troops to achieve one clear cut objective.  If your team is not doing too well, then ask yourself if you have adequately conveyed the vision to them.  Does your team know what they are there to accomplish?

4.  You must be able to make a decision

Personally, I would rather work for a boss that makes a bad decision once in awhile than one that can never make up his mind.  People want to follow a confident boss.  They want someone that can make a decision and then lead the charge in that direction.

A great boss knows that you can never have perfect knowledge of a future outcome.  They gather input, weigh the probabilities and make a decision.  If additional information comes available later that warrants a change of course, then they adapt or make the best of the choice made.

5.  You must accept responsibility and pass along praise

A great boss always accepts responsibility when things go wrong.  They never pass the buck or make excuses.  They analyze what went wrong, take corrective action and move forward.  They are open and honest about their mistakes.  An exposed cover-up always does more damage than the original error.

In addition, a great boss always passes along the praise to her team.  She also shares all rewards she receives as a result of the joint effort.  Publicly acknowledging the contributions and sacrifices of your team will go a long way toward winning their loyalty.

6.  You must be fair

A great boss must be a fair and impartial judge.  Playing favorites or allowing personal biases to get in the way of your decision-making is a recipe for disaster.  Judge each person on their individual merits.  Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.  A great boss is able to sort through this to get to the crux of issues.

A part of being fair is acting decisively when others aren’t pulling their weight.  A great boss is capable of quickly handling these circumstances before they blossom out of proportion.

Are you a good boss or a GREAT boss?

These are the things I am striving to do consistently to become a great boss.  I try to measure myself against this list of essentials regularly.  It takes time and experience to become a great boss.  Most of us will make some mistakes along the way.  Don’t let that get you down.  Begin every day with a clean slate and do your best.  The effort will pay off!

What other qualities does a great boss possess?

Photo by Kumar Appaiah

7 habits of all great followers.

In an effort to improve our country, businesses, and families, I have comprised what I think makes someone a great follower.  No one usually disagrees that we need more great followers, however, we all want the other person to assume this role.  I challenge you today to evaluate yourself against this list to see how you can be a better follower.

1.  Make the leader’s job easier.

This is the basic marching order that every follower should focus on.  Do whatever tasks need to be done to move the agenda of the leader you choose to follow forward as quickly as possible.  There is nothing more valuable than a person with initiative to work.  This is what accomplishes all fabulous feats.  It usually takes several dedicated, hard-working souls to get the job done.  Leaders need ideas.  This means they usually have some great followers doing research, summarizing information into digestible chunks, and making sound recommendations.  These all help to make the leader’s job easier.

2.  Keep the leader informed.

All great followers have their ear to the ground listening for where the leader should focus their attention next.  They keep the boss informed of where the next challenge, attack, or opportunity may arise.  A great follower never lets the leader be blind-sided with a question or issue that they were completely unaware of.  Followers usually have better informal information networks than leaders.  This is crucial information that the leader desperately needs to guide their movement forward.  Think of yourself as the scout on the battlefield.  You need to always be looking forward to advise the general where to move the troops next.

3.  Be loyal.

A great follower is loyal almost to a fault.  No one is going to agree with every decision a leader makes, but we must publicly support every decision.  In private, it is the follower’s job to question the leader to help them develop policy.  However, once the leader makes a decision and goes public with with it, the follower must support that decision no matter how painful it becomes.  If you cannot support your leader’s decision, then it is time to step aside and move on.

4.  Respect the chain of command.

Great followers know the chain of command and respect it.  They would never consider going over their bosses head.  Great followers know their leaders.  They know how to persuade and convince their leader on important issues.  With this ability, there really is no reason to step over the bounds of one’s position.  The truly great followers are cunning and adept at the art of getting things done within proper channels.  Every leader values a follower that knows how to use the chain of command properly.

5.  Be a great listener and sounding board.

Great listeners are hard to find, but every leader needs them.  Leaders need someone to bounce their ideas off of.  They also need a confidant that will allow them to blow off steam without passing judgement.  Being a great follower requires excellent listening skills.  You also need the ability to pick up on the subtle messages that your boss is sending.  Learn to read your leader’s body language.  Help them manage their stress and health.  These are ways a follower can make themselves indispensable!

6.  Protect the leaders’s time.

As we all know, there is only so much time in a day.  Every leader struggles with this.  A great follower protects their leader’s time.  They screen what gets through to the leader.  They eliminate those things that are simply distractions and they condense whatever possible to just what the leader needs to know.  In addition, great followers are prepared when they meet with the leader to minimize the time necessary for maximum effect.  Be thorough, but make it brief!

7.  Complete all assignments early.

The follower that completes tasks well before the due date adds years to their leaders life!  No one needs the stress and anxiety caused by those that finish everything at the last minute or a day late.  We might not always understand why something needs to be done by a certain time, but it is our job to handle it.  Great followers always manage their time well.  They are able to pull off the miraculous when necessary.  Furthermore, by getting the regular stuff done well ahead of time, this makes you available to be the hero when emergencies arise.  Leaders love those that get things done early!

Develop these 7 habits to be a great follower.

If only the world were full of natural followers, it would truly be a great place to live!  Followers really are the ones that get things done.  They make the world turn.  You won’t go wrong if you develop these seven habits as a follower.  In fact, if you do these well, you’ll probably find yourself becoming a leader before you know it!

What other habits does it take to be a great follower?  I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Photos by ul_Marga and BrianScott