Essay on a bad boss and a good boss

In every workplace, there are senior employees or managers whose responsibility is to oversee junior employees. They are the bosses who ensure that all employees in any organization fulfil their responsibilities. Bosses must possess important qualities that make them standout as responsible leaders. The boss at every workplace has the potential to make the organization successful or make it fail. It is the qualities and character of a boss that makes him a good or bad boss. There are similarities and differences between bad and good bosses.

Good bosses have effective communication skills while bad bosses have poor communication skills. Communication at workplace is very important for coordination purposes. A good boss values the flow of information as much as he values success. A good boss sets a good example by providing clear instructions to employees in a timely manner and ensuring that employees get feedback on their performance at workplace. On the contrary, a bad boss performs shoddy work by giving unclear instruction and guidance. Bad bosses do not follow up feedback on employees’ performance. Consequently, this leads encourage sluggish and poor performance because employees are not kept on their toes.

Good bosses provide inspirational leadership to their juniors. A leader’s responsibility is to help his employees develop into all round individuals. They should help all employees realize their potential by encouraging them on their performance. They should also motivate employees by providing incentives such as financial incentives for employees of the month or year. A good boss is also flexible and allows his employees freedom to make decisions and develop their organizational skills. However, a bad boss is rigid and dictates everything in the organization. They do not provide any kind of inspiration to employees; instead, they criticize and create a tense environment at the work place. Tension between bosses and employees is an impediment to an organization’s success.

Good bosses are keen to hire employees who are fully qualified and competent. They focus more on the performance and potential of employees because it is a determinant to any organization’s success. However, bad bosses have selfish interests that are not in tandem with the organization’s objectives. Bad bosses go to the extent of selecting employees based on their physical appearance or based on their personal relationships. Therefore, good bosses differ from bad bosses based on their hiring skills.

Good and bad bosses differ on their relationship with their employees. Good bosses establish a positive working rapport with their employees that is in line with the organizational objectives. The boss sets the organization’s goals and interacts with employees to know their opinion and help them understand the set goals. This makes employees motivated and free to interact with their boss, give feedback or seek guidance. However, a bad boss is harsh on employees and uses fixative relationships. Bad bosses are critics of their employer, which makes employees less motivated.

Good bosses invest a lot of effort in personal development by molding young individuals into competent and skilled professionals. They motivate and provide guidance to employees by leading by example. They also appraise their employees and advise them on the best way to work and to achieve organizational goals. However, bad bosses have no interest in personal development. Bad bosses are only interested in performance and results.

Bad and good bosses are similar in that they are all in charge of a group of employees. They provide direction on how organizations can achieve their objectives. Good and bad bosses have similar responsibilities and objectives. However, their ability, knowledge and the approach they use to achieve the objectives differ. Leaders differ in values and character. Therefore, bosses must be hired only after checking their past performance records, their character, ability, skill and their experience in the field of management.

Works Cited

Fox, Jeffrey J. How To Become A Great Boss: Winning rules for getting and keeping the best employees. New York: Ebury Publishing, 2010.
Sutton, Robert I. Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best and Learn from the Worst. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2010.