Blame your boss…

TC North //November 1, 2012//

Blame your boss…

TC North //November 1, 2012//

If you’re feeling unappreciated, uninspired and unhappy and you’re working for somebody else, who’s to blame? Findings of the Bad Boss Study suggest it’s your boss’s fault.

The Bad Boss Study found that, in general, bosses leave their employees feeling unappreciated, uninspired, lonely and downright miserable. Before we evaluate who’s at fault, let’s review some of the study’s data. The below information was released by psychologist Michelle McQuaid, a leader in the field of positive psychology, and based on interviews with a cross section of a thousand U.S. workers:

• 64 percent of workers are unhappy in their job.
• 31 percent of employees feel uninspired and unappreciated by their boss.
• 15 percent are bored, lonely and miserable.
• 42 percent say their boss doesn’t work very hard.
• 20 percent indicate their boss has little or no integrity.
• 47 percent suggest their boss loses his or her cool under stress.
• 73 percent of those in their 20s and 30s say their health is at stake because of their relationship with their boss, and 40 percent of those 50 and older feel the same.
• 38 percent say their boss is great.

As you can see, the study indicates there are a plethora of bad bosses. (Are you nodding your head as you read this?) According to McQuaid, “This current situation … is costing $360 billion a year in lost productivity.”

Now, let’s get back to who’s at fault. I don’t think many people want or try to be bad bosses. As an executive coach, I haven’t met any. I think most leaders, managers and supervisors want to be either good or great, and the entrepreneurs, managers and leaders who seek executive coaching generally become good or great. So why aren’t more bosses in this study great? Why do only 38 percent make that grade?

Few folks who supervise, manage or lead received enough training in how to be good or great. If you haven’t been trained, then to a great degree, it’s not your fault. But if you know my work, and many of you do, you probably know what I’m about to say: If you recognize that you need training and your organization doesn’t supply it, you must find it outside of your organization (be the master of your destiny).

Yes, it’s money out of your pocket, but the financial, emotional and relational ROI over your career will likely be phenomenal. It will also greatly enhance your job satisfaction because you become good or great at managing or leading, and people love working for you. And being more satisfied, happy and confident in your job as a result of additional training might also have a positive impact on your personal life (you are leaving work happy).

To be a better boss, here are six critical competencies to consciously develop as a leader:

1. Coaching others to be successful
2. Building rapport
3. Preventing and resolving conflict
4. Running effective meetings
5. Planning
6. Being resilient

These are all skills you can learn and in time master.

And one more thing: If you want to be a great leader, you must have passion for what you do because passion is the fuel of greatness. People love to follow those who are passionate!