What qualities do you like in a BOSS?

SUPPORTIVE and EMPATHY. A great leader is not the one who TELLS you what to do, it's the one who SHOWS you how to do it and LETS you do it yourself. They know that you will make mistake, and let you do it so you can GROW. A good leader is like a good mentor - they want the job to get done better, so they will for sure invest in individual development - helping you to grow and develop your professional career, challenge you, ask you hard questions. When I first started at a new job (also new career), my manager is the one I trust the most because I know she cares about my growth and want me to be at a better place than I was before. She cares, and strives for my growth. She wouldn't make me do anything that she would not do herself. She helps me set boundaries, lead me to understand where I need to grow. That's how a great leader is!

Empathy is a must. A Boss needs to be a "Leader". Leading from the front and not behind. I wont my ask team to do anything I wouldn't do. A boss would say "YOU Do it"....a Leader says "LET's do it!"

Hi Tiffanie!

I would echo Carlos' sentiments and add that as a boss they should also be able to teach and guide those working for them with patience and understanding. I also appreciate a boss who is able to be open and honest, and share their experiences with me. 

Something to keep in mind as you progress one day would be to be the kind of boss to others and display the qualities you would have valued in your boss.

I feel that having a good Boss is one of the most important things to look for moving into a new job. Some of these qualities that I look for are:

• Empathy - Wanting and being able to understand the situation is definitely one of my most sought after quality in a boss. Having a boss that tries to see things from your perspective will alleviate a lot of the heartburn you may face when dealing with "gray areas".
• Candor - Being able to be deliver honest and direct feedback. In the beginning, I didn't want this but overtime I've learned that honest, direct feedback helps you improve your weakest points a lot faster.
• Resourcefulness - Being able to come up with different ways to achieve something. Companies may not always have the budget to send you to conferences or trainings for certainly skills, but having a boss that can put you in a situation where you can learn these skills by connecting you with someone with that expertise is a step in the right direction.
• Trustworthiness - Can we, boss and I, trust each other to deliver on what we've committed to? Boss looking after my personal and professional career interests, and me being able to following through on my commitments to my boss?

The one thing I notice the most is whether of not the boss will pitch in and help when we are short-staffed. I have worked with a lot of military people, and they were all taught that it was their job to take care of their troops, yet somehow my current boss did not learn that while in the military. We never have time for 15 minute breaks, yet he manages to take more than 2 a day. When I was a supervisor, I was taught to take care of my people, and to ALWAYS make sure their paychecks were right. Other things that I look for is that they leave me alone to do my job, don't act all put-out if I go to them for help with something, they know the strengths and weaknesses of their team members. Another important thing is that they do not create conflict where none is needed. I have a boss who tells each of us different things: for example, tells one employee to not go to lunch until all customers have been seen, tells another to always go to lunch regardless of the customers waiting, and then when it all falls apart he acts like he does not know what happened.

One other trait, very important, is self-confidence. I am a highly intelligent person. Yet, I have no desire to move up. Some bosses are intimidated by me. They think I want their jobs. I am happy to make them, and the company, look good. I don't want the responsibility of being the boss. Yet they are so afraid, they do not know how to work with me, and they do not teach me the things I need to know. I have noticed this more with women than with men, although both sexes are capable of acting this way.

Hope this helps!