What makes a good leader/boss?

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:01 am

What are some characteristics of a good leader/boss?

zooner · Post by **zooner** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:12 am

Cabledude wrote:What are some characteristics of a good leader/boss?

currently going for my MOL (masters of organizational leadership)

that's a mighty complex question!

I'll let you know what makes a good leader after i finish.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:23 am

A boss drives people - a leader coaches them.

A boss depends on authority - a leader depends on good will.

A boss inspires fear - a leader inspires enthusiasm.

A boss says "I" - a leader says "we".

A boss fixes blame - a leader fixes the breakdown.

A boss knows how it's done - a leader shows how it's done.

A boss says "go" - a leader says "Shall we proceed".

knightmare · Post by **knightmare** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:30 am

Anyone can be a Boss, few can become a Leader...

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:45 am

Lefty wrote:A boss drives people - a leader coaches them.

A boss depends on authority - a leader depends on good will.

A boss inspires fear - a leader inspires enthusiasm.

A boss says "I" - a leader says "we".

A boss fixes blame - a leader fixes the breakdown.

A boss knows how it's done - a leader shows how it's done.

A boss says "go" - a leader says "Shall we proceed".

Is that on a laminated placard right next to your "Hang in There, Kitty!" poster?

MissTynker2 · Post by **MissTynker2** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:48 am

Lefty wrote:A boss drives people - a leader coaches them.

A boss depends on authority - a leader depends on good will.

A boss inspires fear - a leader inspires enthusiasm.

A boss says "I" - a leader says "we".

A boss fixes blame - a leader fixes the breakdown.

A boss knows how it's done - a leader shows how it's done.

A boss says "go" - a leader says "Shall we proceed".

Ding! Ding! We have a winner amongst us!

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:48 am

Burke wrote:Is that on a laminated placard right next to your "Hang in There, Kitty!" poster?

No, it came from a company leadership vision statement. No posters in my cube. Is that what you have in your cube?

minir · Post by **minir** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:05 am

Hi Cabledude

The ability to listen and to take decisive action once the problem is understood.

To be able to build confidence by your actions in those you are responsible for.

Firmness, fairness & consistency are also key imho.

Taking an interest in those around you and knowing names when greeting co-workers also goes a long way imho.

Recognizing good work and expressing that to those involved when the occasion arises.

Never criticize or dress down an Employee in front of others. Do so if needed in the confines of your office.

Let each individual know their priorities and job function. Set a clear mandate so there are no misunderstandings about responsibilities.

There are many more important parts, but these will stand you well imho.

--

regards

minir

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:28 am

Disputes....You have to always remember that there are always two sides of a coin. It's good to listen to your co-workers before passing judgement.

Never use the word, "but" when giving out praise, and don't forget to give it out. People thrive on praise and tend to be less productive without it.

brembo · Post by **brembo** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:36 am

Burke wrote:Is that on a laminated placard right next to your "Hang in There, Kitty!" poster?

That's what I love about you Burke, unbridled cynicism.

I try to be a good boss/leader type, end up doing too much work myself and keeping the heat off my guys. Eh, it's worked for ten years, I suppose it'll work for another 10.

MadDoctor · Post by **MadDoctor** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:48 am

brembo wrote:That's what I love about you Burke, unbridled cynicism.

Zilog B · Post by **Zilog B** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:49 am

Character
Consistency
Leads by Example
Motivates Employees to Better Themselves & Their Work

Just off the top of my head

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:58 am

Good stuff here so far folks.

Prey521 · Post by **Prey521** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:49 am

Burke wrote:Is that on a laminated placard right next to your "Hang in There, Kitty!" poster?

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:00 pm

one of the people that i respect most in this world, that has been a mentor to me in a lot of ways these pays few years told me that he read a book about a general, and the general said that the 3 things to look for in your leader is:
Does this leader care about me?
does this leader value exellence?
and can i trust this leader?

If you can say yes to all 3 then you are in good shape, if you cant say yes to all three, its usually pretty bad.

Bouncer · Post by **Bouncer** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:02 am

Cabledude wrote:What are some characteristics of a good leader/boss?

1) Gives clear directives to personnel.
2) Let's them get on with it.
3) Organizes a 60 min meeting once a week to discuss overall progress among leads.
4) Never criticizes or corrects individuals in public or in front of others.
5) Stands between his teams and those higher up the chain.
6) Takes responsibility for the groups failures/delays.
7) Makes sure to single out worthy individuals or teams for praise and forwards that up chain.
8) Not afraid to take group out for beers or have a picnic upon successful completion of important project milestones.
9) Office door always open.

You get a boss like that, after a while you will kill for them.

Regards,
-Bouncer-

MadDoctor · Post by **MadDoctor** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:11 am

Bouncer wrote:1) Gives clear directives to personnel.
2) Let's them get on with it.
3) Organizes a 60 min meeting once a week to discuss overall progress among leads.
4) Never criticizes or corrects individuals in public or in front of others.
5) Stands between his teams and those higher up the chain.
6) Takes responsibility for the groups failures/delays.
7) Makes sure to single out worthy individuals or teams for praise and forwards that up chain.
8) Not afraid to take group out for beers or have a picnic upon successful completion of important project milestones.
9) Office door always open.

You get a boss like that, after a while you will kill for them.

Regards,
-Bouncer-

You just described me. Here's your new gun.

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:38 am

MadDoctor wrote:You just described me. Here's your new gun.

You can have my colleagues gun(s) when they are finished with them.

My motto about leadership: A good leader leads by example

When a work order comes through my office they better be all over it or else I'm out the door doing it myself. They don't like the boss doing work.

thepieman · Post by **thepieman** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:38 am

Lefty wrote:No, it came from a company leadership vision statement. No posters in my cube. Is that what you have in your cube?

Oh crap LOL

Pie

Rivas · Post by **Rivas** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:11 am

Jack Bauer

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:52 pm

More good stuff

Spammy · Post by **Spammy** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:19 pm

Big Breast's

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:57 pm

Spammy wrote:Big Breast's

As per your request

Spammy · Post by **Spammy** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:58 pm

cyberskye wrote:As per your request

MadDoctor · Post by **MadDoctor** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:00 pm

cyberskye wrote:As per your request

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:46 pm

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:02 pm

A good leader is a teacher and a good teacher is a leader... A good teacher is one that can teach with-out the "pupil" even realizing that he is being taught...

Respect, ...for themself as well as others...

Objective thinking. The ability to entertain an idea with-out necessarily accepting it...

You want to know who the true leaders are? They are the ones that people automatically turn to when the chit hits the fan...

A leader never has to say, "I am the leader"... Those type of people are wanna-bes...

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:08 pm

Internally (from the teams perspective) finds ways to leverage skills/strengths and minimize impacts of weaknesses - the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts.

Externally (toward senior management) ensures the tools are available and the roadblocks are removed. Gives the team the cover to get the job done - communicates the achievements and challenges.

A boss directs (which is necessary in some environments) to a specific result, a leader shows the way and inspires.

And both, apparently, have big breasts /* cheers spammster */

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:36 pm

cyberskye wrote:Internally (from the teams perspective) finds ways to leverage skills/strengths and minimize impacts of weaknesses - the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts.

Externally (toward senior management) ensures the tools are available and the roadblocks are removed. Gives the team the cover to get the job done - communicates the achievements and challenges.

A boss directs (which is necessary in some environments) to a specific result, a leader shows the way and inspires.

I like what you said here.

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:54 pm

Cabledude wrote:I like what you said here.

Where I work we have a combination of heirarchical and matrix organizations.

We have Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Developement, QA, Documentation, Project Mgmt Office, etc.

I run the Release Management Team which has Directors or Sr Mgrs from each of those functional areas. I give them tasks to do related to strategic planning for a given release, but they report to their own VPs. They have day to day operational tasks that have nothing to do with Release. I have to be a leader here, not a boss. Can you say responsibility with no authority?

I also have two Sr Mgrs that report directly to me. To them I am a boss. I write their performance reviews.

Sometimes confusing (for me) but never boring

Skye

Far-N-Wide · Post by **Far-N-Wide** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:22 pm

My boss (middle management) is leaving for another position, in another country. So all bets and gloves are off. This guys been a liar, played favorites, back stabed, you pretty much name it. He's about 20 years younger then 1/2 the shop, and has not been much to look up to for anything but a hard time.

As I said all gloves are off, and loads of folks (co-workers) are unloading on him. He leaves at the end of the month.

I told him this morning, that he's starting with a clean slate. Consider leading off with the truth for a change. That way you don't have to remmber what lies you told. Wow, his lip started quivering... he made a coupla fists closed his eyes, started breathing hard.

I should not have done the next part... but at that point I could not resist, I said. You want to take your light saber and strike me down... I can feel your anger...

He did the right thing (for once), he walked away, said nothing. Oh, did I feel like a load was lifted from my shoulders. It felt fantastic to say something like and know he can have nothing done to you for it.

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:24 pm

Far-N-Wide wrote:My boss (middle management) is leaving for another position, in another country. So all bets and gloves are off. This guys been a liar, played favorites, back stabed, you pretty much name it. He's about 20 years younger then 1/2 the shop, and has not been much to look up to for anything but a hard time.

As I said all gloves are off, and loads of folks (co-workers) are unloading on him. He leaves at the end of the month.

I told him this morning, that he's starting with a clean slate. Consider leading off with the truth for a change. That way you don't have to remmber what lies you told. Wow, his lip started quivering... he made a coupla fists closed his eyes, started breathing hard.

I should not have done the next part... but at that point I could not resist, I said. You want to take your light saber and strike me down... I can feel your anger...

He did the right thing (for once), he walked away, said nothing. Oh, did I feel like a load was lifted from my shoulders. It felt fantastic to say something like and know he can have nothing done to you for it.

Sounds like he is too focused on 'managing up' vs. his own team. Or he feels threatened that team members would have taken his job from him. Sad.

Mad_Haggis · Post by **Mad_Haggis** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:05 am

Cabledude wrote:What are some characteristics of a good leader/boss?

Happy is a good start, its a chinese thing.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:46 pm

cyberskye wrote:Where I work we have a combination of heirarchical and matrix organizations.

We have Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Developement, QA, Documentation, Project Mgmt Office, etc.

I run the Release Management Team which has Directors or Sr Mgrs from each of those functional areas. I give them tasks to do related to strategic planning for a given release, but they report to their own VPs. They have day to day operational tasks that have nothing to do with Release. I have to be a leader here, not a boss. Can you say responsibility with no authority?

I also have two Sr Mgrs that report directly to me. To them I am a boss. I write their performance reviews.

Sometimes confusing (for me) but never boring

Skye

Interesting.

knightmare · Post by **knightmare** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:51 pm

cyberskye wrote:Where I work we have a combination of heirarchical and matrix organizations.

We have Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Developement, QA, Documentation, Project Mgmt Office, etc.

I run the Release Management Team which has Directors or Sr Mgrs from each of those functional areas. I give them tasks to do related to strategic planning for a given release, but they report to their own VPs. They have day to day operational tasks that have nothing to do with Release. I have to be a leader here, not a boss. Can you say responsibility with no authority?

I also have two Sr Mgrs that report directly to me. To them I am a boss. I write their performance reviews.

Sometimes confusing (for me) but never boring

Skye

What do you do Skye, work in software?

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:56 pm

Why is it I get the feeling this all leading up to slamming your current higher ups for your perceived notions of their incompetence?

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:07 pm

knightmare wrote:What do you do Skye, work in software?

Yes.

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:14 pm

Cabledude wrote:Interesting.

The difference between leader and boss for me has a lot to do with parenting.

You can be their friend - viewed as a knowledgable peer (as older teenagers would appreciate) or you can be a dsiciplinarian (what younger kids need).

Point is, it's important to be flexible and deal with individuals in the way they need at that point in time. Those that are rigid will almost always be seen as unfair or worse - ineffective.

On the point of fairness - I came across a pretty good quote:
There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals

My take - fairness is not treating people the same. Fairness is treating people the way they deserve/need to be treated. Collective punishment kills morale/teamwork. Reward and reprimand consistently.

David · Post by **David** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:34 pm

I find showing competence in the jobs you ask of those in your direct employ, and the willingness to step in when necessary makes for a good leadership. My assistants cannot balk if they see me take out a bag of trash or providing extra hands for a colleague when needed.

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:39 pm

Hell_Yes wrote:I find showing competence in the jobs you ask of those in your direct employ, and the willingness to step in when necessary makes for a good leadership. My assistants cannot balk if they see me take out a bag of trash or providing extra hands for a colleague when needed.

I agree in principle. Personally, I can't do that for my x-functional team. I couldn't do their jobs without significant training.