What Does it Mean to Be a Good Boss, Leadership is the Core of Employee Engagement

We discuss the value of great leaders a lot. In fact, managers, immediate supervisors, and organization leaders are the single biggest variable when it comes to setting the tone for the employee experience.

So, do employees quit their bosses?

Well, yes. (This is backed by statistics and studies.)

So, conversely, will employees stay at work because of great leadership? Research shows that the top drivers of engagement are personal expression, empowerment and autonomy, and accountability.

Research also shows that great leaders are capable of creating a work environment that helps employees thrive, valuing people with different ideas, giving employees the freedom and authority they need to make necessary decisions, and holding people accountable for achieving goals and meeting expectations.

But what does good leadership look like? How do exceptional leaders act? In a nutshell, what does it mean to be a good boss?

10 Attributes of Great Bosses- Leadership Values and Great Quotes to Back Them

Vision:

Great leaders have a clear vision for the future and can communicate it effectively to inspire others. Add another fundamental level. Great leaders have the skills and know-how to execute the vision.

"Ideas are cheap and abundant; what is of value is the effective placement of those ideas into situations that develop into action." – Peter Drucker

Emotional Intelligence:

They demonstrate empathy, self-awareness, and social skills, helping them manage relationships and lead teams with emotional balance.

"As more and more artificial intelligence is entering into the world, more and more emotional intelligence must enter into leadership." – Amit Ray

Integrity:

Leaders must build trust by being honest, ethical, and doing the right thing, even when it's difficult.

“Integrity is making sure that the things you say and the things you do are in alignment.” -Katrina Mayer

Resilience:

They can navigate challenges and setbacks, maintaining focus on long-term goals. We like to call this grit.

"Grit, in a word, is stamina. But it's not just stamina in your effort. It's also stamina in your direction, stamina in your interests. If you are working on different things but all of them very hard, you're not really going to get anywhere. You'll never become an expert."- Angela Duckworth

Communication Skills:

We cannot overemphasize the importance of communication. Great leaders not only articulate ideas clearly, but they do so in a way that inspires others. Leadership communication isn’t only about the messages sent, but those received. Great leaders implement the 2-to-1 ratio (two ears, one mouth), and actively listen to their teams.

"The words that we use I think are symbolic of the values that we hold."-Angela Duckworth

Decision-Making:

Decision-making is key for successful leadership. It is responsive, improving productivity. It is necessary for taking action in an emergency, establishing trust with employee, and reducing conflict. Strong leaders can make informed and timely decisions, weighing data and intuition appropriately.

“The percentage of mistakes in quick decisions is no greater than in long-drawn-out vacillations, and the effect of decisiveness itself makes things go and creates confidence.” - Anne O’Hare McCormick, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist

Adaptability:

There is only one rule in business: change is constant. Thierry Delaporte writes in HBR, “.. an adaptive leader bakes agility into the company at all levels to help it navigate change.” Adaptive leaders remain flexible in dynamic environments, open to change and learning new things. Being adaptable requires a level of humility.

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” -Nolan Ryan

Delegation:

Effective leaders empower others by assigning tasks effectively, then they get out of the way. They trust their teams to perform.

“Focus on what you are good at; delegate all else.” - Leander Kahney.

Inspirational:

By motivating and encouraging their teams, great leaders drive enthusiasm and commitment.

“Be the leader you wish you had.” – Simon Sinek

Accountability:

They take responsibility for both successes and failures, modeling ownership for their teams. They also have high performance and behavior expectations of their teams.

"It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable." - Moliere

"Being held accountable is an act of generosity and compassion. It is a gift that someone gives us to correct our wrongs, unlearn, and do better for the sake of our own growth. It might be uncomfortable, but it is worth the discomfort." - Minaa B.

Leadership matters. Develop your leaders. Give them the opportunities to grow, improve their skills, and positively impact their teams and the organization. Consider administering 360-degree feedback surveys to provide your leaders with a blueprint for improving their skills. Leadership development can be a core value of your organization. Leadership is the core of employee engagement.

“Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.” Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi

What Does it Mean to Be a Good Boss?

Good Leadership is the Core of Employee Engagement

10 Attributes of Great Bosses- Leadership Values and Great Quotes to Back Them

Vision:

Emotional Intelligence:

Integrity:

Resilience:

Communication Skills:

Decision-Making:

Adaptability:

Delegation:

Inspirational:

Accountability:

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