How inspiring are today’s bosses

Good bosses should be able to motivate the employees to be creative and perform their best.

We still remember, respect and idolize some teachers from our school days. On the save hand, there would be also be a few teachers, who still remind us of harsh memories. Same goes with bosses.

Like teachers, there are also good and toxic bosses. The picture that we paint in our mind when we hear the word depends on how our personal experience has been.

Some bosses are great leaders. They inspire people and act as role models. Even though people quit an organization, the relationship with the boss continues.

Now these kinds of bosses are quite important for the business. They are the pillars of an organisation, essential for its stability and growth. If they stop inspiring and lending support to the team, the employee productivity drops and adversely impacts the organisation.

Unfortunately, the numbers of good bosses are very few. According to a study by Randstad only 35 per cent of the professionals are inspired by their bosses.

The reasons for people not linking their bosses are many. These include lack of appreciation, credit snatching and also the listening skills of the bosses.

Most employees have this feeling that their bosses do not value their opinions and suggestions. While practically it is not possible to act upon every opinion, it is important to compliment and encourage suggestions and opinions. Around 47 per cent of respondents of the Randstad survey feel that their bosses do not value their suggestions and opinions. This behaviour on the part of managers and superiors demotivates employees.

Another factor that makes a bad boss and demotivates people is when bosses take away their credit. Around 17 per cent of the respondents of the survey agree to have faced situations where their bosses have done the same.

The popularity of the boss also depends on his/her listening skills. People are often respect bosses who give a patient hearing to their team members and even take criticism sportingly. The fact is that the boss may not be always right.

The baby boomers have more courage to question their bosses – quite obvious it’s for the experience they have gathered over years. Around 41 per cent employees, in the 50-64 year age group, are comfortable challenging their bosses’ ideas. On the contrary, the millennials and Gen Y are more reluctant. Only 35 per cent of the employees in the 25-34 year age group are comfortable doing so. Also only 35 per cent of women are comfortable challenging their superior’s ideas.

However, there are also employees who think they know more than their bosses and their numbers are quite significant. Around 25 per cent of the employees feel they can do a better job than their bosses.

Leaders should encourage employees to challenge ideas, speak their minds and express their opinions fearlessly. This will bring out creative ideas and also build good relationships in which employees feel comfortable.

Organisations need to ensure that they have leaders who are emotionally intelligent and assimilate well with the employees at the bottom. Bad bosses can create a toxic environment, which can affect the employee retention and productivity.