Your career success depends on how good your direct supervisor is at leading you. How do you know if you are working for a great boss? Some people evaluate their boss by how nice they are. However, nice bosses won’t help you advance your career. Others value their boss by how likable they are. Likability is good, but it doesn’t guarantee career success. More so, some people value a boss that leaves them alone and lets them do their job. Which certainly won’t help you advance your career.
The power that your immediate boss has in your career progression is vast, and it is crucial to be aware of this power so you can find the best boss to help with your development. So what are some signs that indicate you’re working for a great boss?
1. Great bosses give actionable, and sometimes hard to hear, feedback to improve your performance.
Who better to give you feedback on your performance than your boss? Receiving feedback is essential because you can only improve when you know what needs to be improved. Having a boss who provides actionable feedback, especially when it is difficult to hear, is the best kind of boss to have. When your boss gives you feedback, it shows she cares about your success and growth, and that means you’re working for a great boss.
2. A great boss demonstrates value for the perspective you bring, especially when it is different from theirs.
The best kind of boss to have is one who solicits your perspective on things. When your boss asks for your view on situations or problems, it demonstrates he trusts you which is a sign he values your ideas and your guidance. You’re working for a great boss when they want you to speak up when they are doing something foolish.
3. Regularly shares valuable information from other leaders in the organization.
Keeping everyone on the same page reduces gossip, so having a boss who communicates relevant information from the top down means you are working for a great boss. A good boss shares what she can when she can because her team will feel informed and because she knows that knowledge helps her team feel more secure in their job.
4. You’re working for a great boss if he shows value for you as a person.
Great bosses show they value you as a person by respecting you, showing appreciation, taking an interest in how you spend your downtime, and letting you be forthcoming with criticism. When your boss treats you like a valued partner rather than an employee number, you are working for a great boss.
5. Keeps the team focused on productivity that drives results.
You know you have a great boss when they keep the team focused on delivering outcomes. Great bosses find ways to balance the needs of the employees, clients, and organization while keeping everyone productive. Keeping the focus on productivity delivers results which creates advancement opportunities.
6. A great boss regularly shares your contributions with senior leaders in the organization.
Great bosses know how important it is to share the good stuff their team does with other senior leaders. She knows that in doing so, she is lending her influence that will help you build a good reputation. Spreading a positive message about you around the organization helps your career advancement and puts your name out there.
7. A great boss asks for feedback on how he is doing or what they could do better.
You are working for a great boss if they regularly ask you for feedback because they know they have areas to improve in as well. Having a boss that wants you to assess how well they are managing you will help him further coach and develop you because they can improve in areas you feel they are lacking.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, if you are working for a boss who demonstrates these traits, then you shouldn’t quit that boss. Good bosses know these seven traits will help their team feel valued, dedicated and happy to come to work.
