Article for sharing - Are you a good boss? [Part 1]

Here's an article written by Noella Menon "Are you a good boss?" which I would like to share with everyone out there......... Hope you all enjoy it too!

Are you a good boss?

Learn these good work habits and you'll become a well-respected leader whom people will follow, not merely obey.

It's that old chestnut - good leaders are made, not born. But how exactly does one become a good boss in today's fast-paced workplace? The one key skill that managers often ignore is the ability to handle difficult situations - or what's known in management-speak as the discomfort zone.

To be a great boss in the discomfort zone, you need to look at how you can face these problems head on, take action and improve the result. "All you have to do is inculcate positive habits, "says Patrick Forsyth, a seasoned corporate consultant and bestselling British author of Managing in the Discomfort Zone.

Here are some of his tips to help make you a better manager.

Good bosses are.....
Tolerant

If you want to be a good boss, you need to develop a high tolerance for the realities of life. A good boss knows that if something has to go wrong, it will. So it's fruitless to resent reality, such as when a client is late on his payments or when your subordinate messes up her sales presentation.

"Watch out for perfectionist tendencies," says Patrick. "These can be irreplaceable when attending to detail, but can add on to your frustration when, realistically, nothing will ever be quite the way you want it."

Good bosses deal with difficult situations with a clear, calm mind and a constructive plan. Think through your goals carefully and set a measurable level of quality. For instance, aim to approve five financial reports instead of telling your secretary you'll sign off on everything once they're done.

"To lead people, walk beside them....
As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence.
The next best, the people honor and praise.
The next, the people fear;
and the next, the people hate....
When the best leader's work is done the people say,
"We did it ourselves!"

~ Lao-tsu ~