When it comes to your career, a good boss can be an invaluable asset. A great boss can be the difference between dreading going to work and being excited to get up in the morning and get to your job.
In fact, according to a 2015 study, 50 percent of Americans have left a job to get away from a bad boss—having a great boss is vital for feeling validated at work and enjoying the job.
However, what are traits that you should look for in a boss; what makes a boss a good boss.
Mentor
A great boss isn’t just someone who oversees your work and gives you tasks to complete, a great boss is someone who helps you grow in your career, teaches you how to develop the skills you need to succeed at your job, and helps guide you on your career path.
A great boss is someone who will help you build the necessary skills to get ahead in your career and help you reach the goals you set for yourself.
Conversely, a bad boss is someone who will refuse to teach you the skills you need to get ahead in order to ensure you will continue working for them indefinitely.
Knowledgeable
A great boss knows their stuff. While some people can fall into leadership roles seemingly without any of the necessary knowledge, skills, or general knowhow that is required to do the job, a great boss has the necessary skills and knows what they’d do.
To ensure a smooth work environment, a great boss must know what they’re doing and be able to impart that knowledge to the people working below them.
If they don’t know what they’re doing, how will any of their employees? Furthermore, if they don’t know what they’re doing, it will create a much more stressful environment for their employees.
Understanding
Sometimes you need to take time off, whether it’s because you’re sick, feeling burnt out, need time to refresh, or need to take care of/grieve a loved one. Whatever the reason, a great boss is someone that is understanding of your needs.
Many employees often dread having to call in sick for fear of how their boss will react. Additionally, certain people will even try and ‘suck it up’ and go into work when they are extremely sick out of fear of reprisal from their boss.
A great boss is someone who won’t pressure you to put your physical and mental health on the line in order to do your job.
Pushes You to Succeed
Everyone needs a little extra motivation from time to time, even the most self-reliant people on the planet can benefit from a little external motivation.
A great boss is someone who knows your abilities and limitations, understands your potential, and pushes you to truly reach it and achieve all the things you are capable of.
Conversely, a bad boss will often try and go out of their way to impede your progress out of the fear that you might eventually take their job.