What Makes a Good Boss

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Speaker 1: Some people still think that leaders are born, not made. They say, no matter how hard you study, and how many diplomas you collect. At the end of the day, if you’ve got natural skills, such as a strong character, that’s all you’ll need. I think that’s nonsense. Leadership is all about commanding respect. If a boss says to me, for example, look, your computer skills need upgrading. I’ll think, right, this person has a degree in computing. I don’t, so he must be right. But if it’s the other way around, then you feel well. Maybe I should be boss.

Speaker 2: Well, the sort of leaders that I actually admire are not the top dogs in suits with a degree in management and a belief that nobody can do things as well as they can. One thing I’ve learned from all my experience in different jobs is that to be a really good boss you have to be good at encouraging the people under you to decide on important issues, creating a situation in which other people can shine. Of course, this does not mean the boss’s job is any easier, it’s still a challenge, but so much more rewarding for everyone.

Speaker 3: Since I left school, I’ve done a number of short-term office jobs and I must say I’m beginning to realise how important it is to have the right sort of person directing your work. To develop all my potential I need to be told when I’m doing something well and also the areas where I could improve. I think the earlier you get formal and informal feedback the better, otherwise you develop bad habits. Some of my workmates don’t agree with me when I say it’s good to meet regularly with your boss. They think I’m trying to be better than them.

Speaker 4: Of course, we all want bosses who are knowledgeable and who bring energy to the job, and I must say, in my opinion, most people who reach top job positions do possess these qualities. However, what really matters is the ability to bring people together. Leaders often mistakenly encourage people to work on their own, kind of in isolation, because they’re afraid of the strengths of groups. They think maybe they’ll criticize or even join forces against the leader. Such leaders need to go on management courses to look at good examples of leadership.

Speaker 5: Well, in the organization where I work, each department has a leader, a boss, and because I’ve worked in six of these departments, I’ve had six different bosses. I must say there’s been very little to complain about, except that we are being asked to do an enormous amount of extra work, and some of the bosses don’t seem to be doing long hours like the rest of us. It is true that after work they may have to attend special management courses or meet individual members of staff to discuss performance, but this only happens occasionally.