Top Qualities of a Great Boss

“Leadership is an action, not a position” – Donal McGannon

Today’s leaders face challenges such as employee retention, hiring the right talent, team conflict management, low employee productivity, etc. But they cannot resolve any of these challenges without transformation from a “boss” to a “great boss.” When employees are asked to describe the best and the worst bosses they have ever worked for, they focus on qualities fully under their control, like insight, honesty, and passion. Besides, great bosses are progressive, accountable, and inspiring. They are concerned not only about their company’s growth but also their employees.

Remember, being a great boss has a tangible value other than being liked, but how do you know if you are the one? If you are not, how do you get better? This blog digs into the unique qualities of great bosses and how implementing an OKR framework helps.

What Makes you a Great Boss?

1. Result-Orientation – Focus, Priorities

Great bosses focus on the results rather than practicing any bias. They are concerned with the employee’s output and contributions towards desired goals. For improved results, you must set your priorities right. As you set OKRs using an OKR tool, prioritizing goals according to your organization’s current needs gives you a laser focus. Great bosses also help to maximize efficiency by eliminating challenges, if any. As you track goal progress on an OKR tool, you can easily figure out the roadblocks or goals where you are lagging progress.

2. Information Sharing – Transparency, Clarity, Alignment

Do you wish to be an information hoarder? If you feel every piece of information you share with your employees lessens your power and authority, you are wrong. Sharing information empowers your employees, with them gaining a sense of belongingness. Educate your teams and communicate your organization’s mission, vision, and goals. To boost information sharing, an OKR framework comes to your rescue. The software enables everyone in an organization to see each other’s objectives and key results. Due to this transparency in the organization, leaders can ensure employees are well-aligned and working towards shared goals.

3. Aiming Higher – Ambitious goal setting

Great leaders are not afraid of experimenting. They understand no one can improve or grow by staying in their comfort zone. They set ambitious goals for themselves and motivate their employees to do the same. By encouraging their employees to set aspirational OKRs every cycle, they help them unlock their true potential. Teams steadily progress towards a seemingly impossible target. As a leader, you can resolve interim issues within your organization, thus guaranteeing its growth and success.

4. Promoting Accountability- Trust, Motivation, Tracking progress

A great leader trusts his employees. Besides, good bosses give their employees – space to nurture their creativity. With an OKR framework, each employee can set ambitious OKRs for themselves. Tracking the progress with weekly check-ins and team meetings maintains smoother functioning throughout and accountability for employees. They become clear on the goals they must achieve to accomplish the over-arching organizational goals.

5. Boosting Engagement – Reviews, Feedback, Appreciation

Like a good boss, you must also engage your employees, as only then can they be highly productive. Inspire your teams by communicating with them consistently on how their efforts contribute to the strategic goals and initiatives of the organization. As employees understand the value of their contributions, they grow more productive. Besides, great bosses offer coaching and feedback to their employees while rewarding people for their achievements. Unlock:OKR tool comes with a Conversations, Feedback and Recognition (CFR) feature to further employee engagement.

6. Building Skills – Personality Development, Professional Growth

Managing people and results is a real job, especially when your workers are remote. One of the best ways to do that is by helping your employees boost their career paths. Introduce skill-building and personal development courses in your organization, taking the help of human resources or your talent development team. Doing so will also aid you in resolving the challenges of employee retention. They will sustain longer in the organization and enjoy their quality of jobs, which is a necessity in this age of the digital revolution.

Key Learnings

We all know the quote, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” So, as a boss, remember:

• Focus on results. Understand and eliminate all the roadblocks faced by your team(s).
• Communicate your plans with your team and maintain transparency.
• Never be afraid to experiment. Motivate your team to step out of their comfort zones and set ambitious goals.
• Trust your employees and promote accountability by tracking their progress on goals.
• Listen to your employees, share feedback, and celebrate their achievements.