How to be a Good Boss or Manager - Qualities

Being a Boss is not an easy job. Being a good Boss is even more difficult. Being a Boss or Manager gives the privilege and the responsibility of managing others. But if you do not want your employees to constantly talk behind your back or complain about you then you should cultivate the qualities of a good boss. No one is perfect. I have had Bosses who literally scared me and I myself had been a Manager with several people to manage. There have been Bosses I loved to work with and there had been bosses who scared me to death. I remember a particular Senior Manager in a Bank I worked whom I and my colleagues secretly used to refer as ‘damager saab’. There was yet another boss of mine who took all my credit for himself and never had any words of encouragement. The list of such negative qualities is endless. Here are some characteristics of a Boss or Manager whom I feel employees will respect and be loyal to. 

1. Leadership Qualities: A good boss would be a good leader. He gives clear instructions and is firm on his decisions. He is good at delegating work and getting it done. He manages employees in such a way that their talents and skills are utilized to bring in maximum productivity in work. As a leader a good boss leads by example by coming to work on time, doing the job well and not letting his personal problems affect his performance at work. 
2. Positive Attitude: A good Boss has a positive frame of mind. He develops positive qualities and confidence in his subordinates and motivates them to put in their best efforts at work. He ensures that his employees get rewards, recognition, favorable workers compensation and incentives for their good work. He judges his subordinates based on their performance and ability to work in a team. He always gives credit where it is due. As a good boss he knows that praises should be done in public while criticisms should always be kept private.
3. Values Time: A good Boss understands that ‘time is money’. He values his time as well as his subordinate’s time and do not waste time on useless meetings or private talks. Though he delegates authority or tasks to a subordinate and ensures that it is done properly he does not call a subordinate to his cabin for a review and then keep him waiting indefinitely while he is busy attending phone calls. He takes his responsibilities seriously and works wholeheartedly. He helps and assists his employees when deadlines arise.
4. Tolerance: A good boss displays a fair degree of humane qualities. He is task oriented but not heartless. He understands and give some considerations to the needs of his subordinates in terms of family, illness etc. He realizes that when emergencies come up in personal lives sometimes it is more important than the job. He would not force his employees to work on holidays or Sundays because he understands the need of rest and rejuvenation. He also ensures a safe working environment for his employees enabling them to work without disturbance or fear. He also makes sure that their employees have the resources on hand to get their jobs done. He also lets employees know that they are appreciated and not just at the times of their yearly reviews. He is genuinely concerned with the welfare of his employees and provides them with recognition, raise in salary or other rewards to motivate them when a job is done well.
5. Knowledge on the Subject Matter: A good boss must have some proven skills, expertise or knowledge on the subject without which he would not be able to help a subordinate who approaches with a problem. When the subordinate needs help in some area beyond his reach the boss should be able to offer help. When the subordinate lacks knowledge the boss also assists him by educating him. A good Boss provides employees with continuous education to upgrade and improve their skills relevant to work. A good Manager is knowledgeable in his area of responsibility and displays professionalism, honesty and commitment in his job.
6. Communication with  Employees: A good Boss is good at communication. He not only lets the employees know about his expectations and instructions for work but also listens to the employee’s ideas or what they have to say on the subject. An ideal boss defines the work to be done, specifies the boundaries of freedom to act, indicates the areas where the subordinates should consult him, explain the goals and targets to be met and offers his help and support in attaining the goals. He is also a mentor of his employees and helps them grow and develop to be the best that they can be. A good boss knows what is going around and would not be caught unawares of issues and even accomplishments in their department. He also takes criticisms constructively and uses it to improve his weaknesses. 
7. Taking Responsibility: A good boss take full responsibility of his employees. A good boss when confronted with a problem in his department will not point fingers at others. He takes the blame himself and the whole department. Problems could also show issues within the department which the manager should be taking responsibility for. Since employees are his responsibility he also ensures the standards of the employees to work for his company. In addition to the standard process of resume analysis and interviews, qualification and work experience checks, he also ensures that a criminal background check is done on the prospective employee.

 Have I left anything about the qualities or characteristics of a good boss or Manager? Feel free to add them through comments.