The 5 Characteristics That “Great” Bosses Share

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Truly great bosses lead employees and organizations to meet big goals and major successes. For that reason, top bosses tend to be unforgettable. Find out how the best bosses unite education, personality, and approach to accomplish their goals.

They Have the Educational Support

Some executives have an innate ability to lead, but they can’t cultivate business skills without adequate education. An MBA degree gives business professionals the educational background to progress from a junior position to a leadership role. From finance to analytics and marketing, a top-rated MBA program, like that offered by the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, teaches business professionals necessary skills, instills them with a sense of ethics, and positions them to become great bosses.

They Maintain a Positive Outlook

One of the most enviable qualities in great bosses is their ability to support a positive outlook, no matter the circumstances. Even when plans don’t turn out, effective leaders can continue to believe in the cause.

As Travis Bradberry explains in Forbes, the best bosses remain calm, and they don’t convey a sense of uncertainty to their team members. Instead, they seek solutions and stay the course.

They Ask for Feedback

 

Managers who lead without looking back to check on their teams don’t tend to get very far. As Jeanne Sahadi explains in CNN Money, bosses who show appreciation for their teams, ask employees for feedback, and build an employee-focused support system often receive the most success.

In fact, as Sahadi elaborates, bosses who develop strong, respectful working relationships with their teams might find that their employees are willing to follow them to new departments or even new companies. Employees know that bosses who are both innovative and supportive will continue to cultivate a positive work environment no matter where they are.

They See Opportunity Everywhere

Inexperienced leaders sometimes back down in the face of challenges, but great managers embrace adversity. As Jeff Haden elaborates in Entrepreneur, the best bosses view problems as opportunities.

After all, the best times to change course in business or make major changes to a plan come about when the plans don’t go as expected. The most effective bosses look at mistakes with a critical eye and find opportunities for improvement.

They Work Toward the Future

Seeing opportunity everywhere goes together with working toward the future. Great bosses make sure that the present goes according to plan, but as Haden observes, these bosses focus more on what’s to come. In fact, the best bosses go beyond accomplishing concrete business goals.

Instead, they also support an understanding of contributing factors like employee success and organizational reputation. Great bosses are mindful of success, but they also help their employees excel, learn new skills, and receive promotions. The best bosses know they need to lay the groundwork for future success.

No matter their field or area of expertise, effective leaders share a distinct set of qualities. Great bosses use these characteristics to accomplish unbelievable goals with their employees supporting them.

SOURCES CONSULTED FOR THE ARTICLE:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-business/wp/2015/10/22/career-coach-what-makes-a-great-boss-let-me-count-the-ways/
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/10-traits-of-exceptional-bosses.html

SOURCES LINKED TO IN THE ARTICLE:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/10/15/7-things-that-make-great-bosses-unforgettable/
http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/24/pf/great-bosses/
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240873