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Stressing out, tight schedules, and terrible outcomes are just some of the things that employees face in the workplace. Although the imminent threat of termination is always a real thing, there is another presence that looms in the office. There is this one creature that mystifies workers throughout their whole office life. A creature so puzzling, even employees are confused about its real identity.
This creature is so elusive that it goes by two names. Some people call them “The Boss.” Others call them “Leaders.” A lot of questions are being asked to know what they are. Questions like “How do I spot one?” or “Are they the same?” are the most common queries that one hears. To further know more about these entities, let us delve deeper into the lore of their description.
The Boss
By definition, The Boss is an Individual that is the immediate supervisor of some employees. Bosses have unique capabilities and responsibilities that amount to important decisions. In video games, a Boss is a big, evil, and powerful being at the end of a quest or level.
By hearing this definition alone, employees quiver in their places. When employees do see a Boss, they focus too much on their task at hand. Too much, that sometimes, instead of producing quality results, employees make simple mistakes. In some cases, the fear paralyzes them. Functioning becomes quite difficult when a Boss is around.
Here are some Bad traits that Bosses typically show:
Self Centered
Everything about themselves is the reason for their living. Not the end goals, but their bonus. Not about how the group performs, but their performance. Chances are, even if that performance fails to meet expectations, they show it as exemplary to others. It’s all about how they look more than anything else.
Credit Grabber
Employees should be careful when putting that extra effort. A boss may be on the prowl for anything great that comes out of that work. Instead of praising a worker for a job well done, a “Boss” will immediately take credit for it. No Acknowledgments, No praises or anything. Managers of this type simply don’t care.
Bullying
A boss is easily identifiable by watching ways they want their employees to do work. The telltale signs are “intimidation and coercion”. When a task is at hand, “Bosses” do not ask. They push and force you to do their bidding.
Leech
Another common term for a bad boss is a Leech. With video games, we sometimes hear of semi-difficult monsters which are called mini-bosses. Real life managers can have bosses too. These leeches are the ones who often suck up to the higher ups. “Bosses” of this type spend so much time doing it that the only thing they are best at is just sucking up.
Omnipotent
A “Boss” can never be wrong. They will always be right. They feel that they are omnipotent in nature and deny the fact that they are incapable of error. They have too much self-esteem that they think the admission of mistakes is a sign of weakness.
Arguing with “The Boss” can only make things worse. Instead of rectifying the situation, talking back can make a difference between life and death. For employees who have a ferocity in defending their stance, save it for later or risk termination.
Poor Communication Skills
People with poor communication skills are often bound to fail. In the workplace, when someone of authority withholds information, they will use it to manipulate others. These puts them in advantage over the employee who will do work casually. The employee will inevitably fail because of the withheld information.
“Bosses” will then see this as an opportunity to bully that worker. This scenario can also be a way to manipulate and abuse the subordinate workers.
Micromanager
Although not necessarily a bad trait, some managers take it to extreme levels. Bosses of this type, dictate every last detail. Room for creativity or any deviation to a plan, whether harmless or good willed may be in disregard. Arguing will not make it better, it will only be a catalyst for negative things to come.
Delusional, Unrealistic
The clock says 7:30 pm, 30 minutes left to go home. The Boss then arrives and drops the hammer. “I need this done before you go. I know this is a lot of work on such short notice, but blah blah blah.” People like this are unrealistic and delusional.
They do not care about time management, let alone the well-being of others. This situation is an example wherein a boss sets unattainable goals which are next to impossible to accomplish. Even when goals meet the deadline, they lack in quality and become another opportunity for bosses to scold the hapless worker.
Lacks Integrity
A rule breaker to their rules, “Bosses” like these have no integrity whatsoever. They may say one thing but completely do otherwise. They break the rules blatantly, for them to meet their wants and own purpose.
Do “Bosses” deserve this negative reputation? For an answer, one has to consider the circumstances surrounding that status. Another question to look at is, “Can a Boss be a Leader?” Yes, but not all bosses are leaders. So what are Leaders?
The Leader
By definition, A Leader is the one who leads, inspires others for the better, and exemplifies qualities that define success. In video games, a leader is a protagonist. A shining beacon of hope for others and a savior to all.
When employees hear this, they feel a warm and assuring feeling inside. When they see a leader, work quality is improved ten folds. They feel inspired because they know a leader is with them until the end. Whether a goal becomes a reality or not, leaders will still be there for their people.
Here are some of the Good traits that a Leader will show:
Total Awareness
There is a subtle difference between management and employees. Great leaders are aware of this nature. Leaders act in a way that separates them from the rest, but not to the point of showing how good they are from the others. This quality enables leaders to focus on the objective without having to worry about their image to the employee.
Decisiveness
Leaders must be tough enough to make groundbreaking decisions. They know of the difficulty, time constraints, and other facts that come with deciding. Along with this, a leader must be firm in the consequences brought upon that decision. Great leaders also have the uncanny ability of when to not act unilaterally. Instead, they are much more welcome to collaborative decision making.
Empathy
Just like video game heroes and heroines, Great leaders display great lengths of compassion towards others. They know when to praise the deserving, and they know when to guide the lost. These leaders will guide everyone through difficult times, even if they are in a difficult situation themselves.
Some people may give up on others, but exemplary leaders do not leave anyone behind.
Leaders of this type, aim for the long term cause of the group. Even if a goal fails to meet realization, leaders will focus on constructive solutions and move on.
Direct Accountability
Whether a goal fails or not, leaders will take responsibility for it. They follow up on issues that warrant attention and check their worker’s conditions. If problems become identifiable, they immediately look for solutions. Instead of blaming others for the failure, leaders often use this negative to turn a situation into a positive.
Contagious Confidence
As mentioned above, when employees see their leader, confidence enables them to work efficiently and proudly. A sense of belongingness envelopes them and makes them want to do more.
Great Leaders become contagious with confidence when they exhibit the trait. Employees, in turn, become drawn to them, seek their advice, and become more confident in giving out ideas. Great leaders are not boastful of what they can do individually, rather, they become one with the entire team in high spirits.
Honesty
Great Leaders are never two-faced, no matter what situation arises. Leaders that are deemed honest have high ethical standards in which they believe effort and reliability are the pillars of success.
Leaders like these embody honesty that not a single employee will doubt their integrity or credibility. People with this quality openly share ideas, information, and will not attempt to manipulate any situation that puts a team member in jeopardy.
Optimism
The best leaders are sources of positivity. Communication becomes easy because no doubts or negativity can interfere with it. If paired together with confidence, positive energy can achieve great things in the workplace.
Leaders also know when to show optimism. Even in uncontrollable situations, such as not receiving a fair share of the worker’s compensation, Great leaders will still stride in doing their jobs efficiently. They often use this as motivation to do much better next time.
Inspiration
The sum of all the qualities above is the inspiration. Extraordinary leaders radiate all the other qualities to their workers. Realistic and smart, they set high but attainable goals to challenge their team to do the best.
Takeaway
Although a lot of people interject the usage of “Boss” and “Leader” every day, there are significant differences in their meanings. Bosses are not made of pure evil and do not solely rest on the dark side of the workplace, but they exuberate an intimidating force that sometimes messes with employees.
A team of nurses, a team of police officers, or a team of attorneys or any other kind of group is a perfect example of what a leader is. Even if a “Leader” is used to describe a single entity, teams like these are the prime examples of how a leader should be. Perfect in synchronization, without over and or under delegation, teams like these perform like clockwork.
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