How to be a Great Boss

Being a great boss takes practice, and a lot of effort. But you don't have to be perfect to be one.

Great bosses need to manage their time and priorities, working with ethics and integrity.

Bosses need to be able to collaborate with ideas, coach employees, develop systems and raise overall quality. However, these qualities are not what make a great boss, dealing with people the right way is.

We believe treating others the same is a great idea, but when it comes to management the idea doesn't work.

Everyone has a unique personality, and treating everyone the same would harm some and benefit others. So, how do you learn to treat employees differently but still be true to fair play?

Let's start with personalities, the core of a person.

Extroverts, like me, get their energy from connecting with people, and talking with others. They are more likely to enjoy a conversation face-to-face than an exchange of emails. Extroverts like to be around people most of the time, and are often comfortable speaking in public.

Introverts, on the other hand, get their energy from the life of the mind, having plenty ideas to present and share. They prefer to process things fully before presenting to others. Introverts tend to be good listeners.

A boss needs to discern the importance of understanding people's personality.

If an extrovert receives an email saying that they are not invited to go to a work trip because there are more people qualified, they will be hurt. That person would be more understanding if the message was passed face-to-face, and with more emotional care. For an introvert, the email might not be a problem.

On the other hand, an introvert can appear to have an approach with slyness, aloofness or lack of ideas. Good bosses recognize the talent of an introvert even when they are not the first ones to speak.
"It's also important to understand that introverts are quite capable of leading meetings, giving great presentations, and speaking at length about subjects that are important to them. The best proof I can offer: TV news anchors. They're all extroverts, right? Nope. Those introvert anchors can still shine in the spotlight, ad-lib for hours of breaking news, or charm a live audience. They just want a little quiet time when they're finished," said Jill Geisler, at Work Happy.


When it comes to communication, it's important to know that some people will tend to speak more in metaphors, when others want to be more precise and follow the facts.

A teacher holds a bag of cookies in front of her students, and ask them to write three words about the package. Some students will focus precisely on the details, contains 12 cookies, 200 grams, and others might focus on a broad topic, being more vague rather than specific. They might be the ones with the creative mind that wants to make sense of what "cookies" mean.

Great bosses know that people are a combination of personality, generational influence, life experience, backgrounds, and many other facts. They value their employees for their uniqueness, and help them grow professionally.

We understand that nobody is perfect, not employees or bosses. But with awareness, will and effort, we are able to experience harmony in a work place.