How To Find a Good Boss [ZT]

How To Find a Good Boss

By Marilyn Haight

Digg Whether you get hired for a new job, promoted, or reassigned to a new position, you will most likely have a new boss. Each time that happens, you must develop a new professional relationship with the person you rely on for direction, development, and future advancement. You need to quickly determine if this new boss is a good match for you and your career goals. But how can you tell? Try these five questions.

1. Does your boss showcase your work? If you're not sure, you could ask him, "What leadership opportunities will I have in my job?" If he says something like, "There's only one leader here -- me," you may have what I call a "Suppressor Boss." A boss who replies, "We're all leaders here; you'll be in charge of projects that need your expertise," will have no problem appreciating your role and contribution.

2. Does your boss solve problems? Try asking, "How should I escalate problems to you when I think you need to get involved?" If she insists you must solve your issue alone, then she could be a "Confounder Boss" who ignores problems, which makes them worse. A good boss might say, "Give me detailed examples; I'll determine the cause and work with managers at my level to correct the issues."

3. Does your boss let you complete your work? When in doubt, try asking him or her when you can start handling tasks from start to finish. If the answer is, "I'm a hands-on manager; we do everything as a team," you've got trouble. This is a "Player Boss" who does parts of your job he likes and leaves problems for you. If you hear, "Tell me when you think you're ready; I'll give you guidelines and be available only when you need me," you'll know your boss trusts your skills.

4. Does your boss listen to your suggestions? If not, tell her that when she cuts you off you wonder if she values your opinion. A reply like, "I have the final word," could mean she's a "Manipulator Boss." A good boss will say something like, "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was doing that. Please bring it to my attention next time it happens." A good boss always listens attentively.

5. Does your boss treat you and your co-workers equally? If you notice preferential treatment among your co-workers, try asking your boss, "What measurements will you use to evaluate my job performance?" If he says, "Every case is different; I use my judgment," he could be a "Dumbfounder Boss" who uses the wrong measures to evaluate job performance. A better answer, like, "Your work will be evaluated according to the documented standards we've already agreed upon," will signal your boss's fairness.

Listening skills, problem-solving, a sense of fairness, and an ability to trust are just some of the hallmarks of a good boss. A good employee will learn to spot and appreciate those attributes, and then move toward building a mutually successful relationship.

所有跟帖： 

• I guess it could answer my interview question "what kind of mana -我边走边问- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 10:18:47

• "what kind of manager do you like？ -我边走边问- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 10:19:34

• I would find a boss who is confident, comfortable with himself -世界无童话- ♀ (237 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 10:32:58

• 你说得很对， 这样的right person 真的是很理想的同事和老板，能呆在一起多好啊 -我边走边问- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 10:39:30

• 我以前的老板和同事就是这样 -世界无童话- ♀ (83 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 10:46:29

• 所以把你得EQ都提升， 激发出来了，好事 -我边走边问- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 10:51:19

• 碰上恶劣的老板也有好的一面，磨练成长。你都不知道你多有潜力 -世界无童话- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 11:03:12

• 对， 不要被雷倒和自己先倒下，step out and speak out -我边走边问- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 11:09:31

• 嗯，找工作也是一样，好多人自己吓自己 -世界无童话- ♀ (21 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 11:14:31

• 谢谢提醒，interview is two way channel -我边走边问- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 11:44:06

• 只要老板别给俺太多的工作，而且改涨工资的时候涨工资 -撅着挺好- ♂ (46 bytes) () 12/21/2009 postreply 17:48:31

• How to turn your boss into a "good boss"? -Kaolin007- ♂ (29 bytes) () 12/22/2009 postreply 14:30:11

• Good article but don't use this to answer the interview question -天天快乐吗- ♀ (171 bytes) () 12/27/2009 postreply 13:44:41

• 回复：How To Find a Good Boss [ZT] -laocaige- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/28/2009 postreply 08:01:13