Are you a good boss?

Most bosses, unfortunately, aren't. The biggest crime bosses commit is that most are blind of their abilities and shortcomings. It's the whole: "I am right. You are wrong. So, do as I say"-mentality. It sucks. And, it kills your company. If your workers aren't doing their jobs, maybe (probably) it's not their fault. Did you place them in a position where they could excel? Did you communicate properly? Did you provide enough resources? What about training? The list goes on. When bosses confront their own self-realities, they'll see a dramatic improvement to their company morale. What's the first step? Admitting your mistakes, of course. Here's a great article to identify your shortcomings (if you have any, anyway). Some examples of bad boss characteristics:

Mr. Insensitive

"I have had a weight problem all my life. I had a boss who told me, twice, that 'we have to teach you how to walk like a lady instead of charging around here like an elephant.' About my sister, who was dying of cancer, 'God, it's taking your sister so long to die!" When I had muscle spasm in my back, he got down on the floor and simulated sexual intercourse, stating that that was how I had hurt my back. I told him upfront that I have fibromyalgia syndrome, and he wrote me up, stating that I was a hypochondriac. He just never stopped."

The User

"My last boss was the type who used others to deflect his own rather aggressive personality. He would give a manager a message that would go something like this: 'Now I want to go out there and get with Smith and tell him this is unacceptable, and you stay on him until this gets done!' That's the politically correct vernacular. Then, come evaluation time, he'd tear that person apart because 'your co-workers find you overly aggressive, uncooperative and downright tough to deal with.' He had played this card with a particularly loyal and straightforward supervisor, then threatened to fire him should he hear of another complaint. Nice guy, huh? And guess what, he's now being promoted to a vice president's position."

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