I’ve spent hours asking clients what they think make a good boss. Also, when I was working on my Ph.D. in education, classes often addressed the characteristics of effective leadership. Positive leadership characteristics appreciated by both my clients and classmates were fairness, individualized employee support, and positive example. These preferences, as well as some other valuable characteristics that will help leaders earn the respect of their employees, are also supported by the leadership literature.
Regardless of your responsibilities as a manager, you probably want to leave a positive legacy and would like to make life at work enjoyable for your dependents. Many say that the world is fundamentally not fair, but that doesn’t mean that the workplace has to mimic the injustices that occur outside of the workplace. Rather, leaders should model fair behavior and decision-making at work, as it not only helps the company develop an outstanding reputation, but also serves to encourage employees to do their best work. Being unfair only sets up a corrupt environment that spreads like poison ivy. In most cases, employees return the kindness of a good leader by doing a fair day’s work simply because they know they have an employer who treats everyone humanely and honorably. Justice is positively contagious when exhibited by true leaders.
A fair boss takes an employee’s feelings and needs into account when trying to understand the employee’s way of thinking. Not everyone comes from the same place, so it’s important to try to understand the obstacles that others face. This means that a leader sometimes gives second chances and/or provides necessary professional development to those who show that they want to make efforts to improve.
One way to support employees is to answer their questions honestly. A leader must also have special knowledge related specifically to the work that she may do with dependents. If leaders do not have the means to improve employee knowledge and organize work efficiently, they are not needed. Unfortunately, some leaders prefer to withhold specialized knowledge so as not to empower employees who might apply for higher positions once they gain higher-level knowledge.
One leader told her dependents that they shouldn’t ask her any questions because the dependent employees should already know everything. When leaders respond that a question is silly, this sometimes means the leader lacks knowledge, but it usually means the boss doesn’t want to share valuable knowledge. If a leader belittles an employee for asking a question, in most cases it is because she is accumulating information that will allow her to stay at the top of the pyramid. Such leaders who refuse to empower their dependents are not well remembered. Their dependents are always happy to be free of them, and such leaders are often disliked and feared by those customers they come into contact with as well.
Leading with fairness, supportive behavior, and positive examples is enhanced by having a passion and love for what the company produces. If a leader shows that he loves what he does, his joy and desire to improve the product will serve as a model for those below him.
My clients have reported that they would rather help a leader who has a dedicated mission if that same leader is always supportive and fair. Many stated that all leaders at all levels were expected to model good behavior.
Sometimes people with all the required characteristics mentioned in this article do not stand out as leaders. This often occurs when the leader lacks self-confidence, when the leader tends to be too moody, or when the leader is emotionally unstable. Being emotionally unstable is the worst characteristic a leader can have because they don’t have the ability to help employees develop their skills. On the other hand, changeable leaders don’t understand the company’s mission or can’t decide how they want to achieve goals. Leaders who lack self-confidence are eventually undermined by employees and customers alike. In some cases, leaders without self-belief are those who know that they do not own the product they are proposing to the buyer, but in some cases, they lack self-belief because of underlying issues from childhood.
Before one is ready to take charge of a department or company, one needs to empty out any baggage that interferes with achieving goals. Only then will you be able to lead by example with a positive attitude and the desire to mentor dependents. Perhaps leadership isn’t for everyone, so leaders need to reevaluate the actions they take to support those who work for them to ensure they’re setting positive examples, providing guidance, and keeping their own ears open when approached by employees. A little encouragement to employees will go a long way while earning the true affection and respect of your employees. When they know you are being fair and trying to improve their future, your employees will gladly return the favor while feeling truly committed to the company.
The best way to support your employees is to allow them to voice their opinions and ask any questions that come to mind. This must be allowed both in person and through an anonymous letter that can be printed on paper and deposited in a box. Although face-to-face meetings are encouraged, it is sometimes necessary to allow employees to express themselves in a safe and anonymous context.
Be the facilitator you would like to have if you were in their shoes. How would you like an employer to treat your son or his mother? Support employees in their difficulties to further their education and improve themselves through advancement at work. Do everything you can to make them better tomorrow. You will surely be rewarded in many ways for empowering the workforce. Everyone will know that you live by setting the example that produces a stable work environment.
