Doreen Mcgunagle

Good Boss Bad Boss: Lessons from Effective and Not-so Effective Managers Doreen Mcgunagle

As a part of our commitment to develop the best possible training tools for leaders and those involved in effective organization development, we conducted a survey in which we asked participants two simple yet revealing questions. What are the characteristics of a good boss? What are the characteristics of a bad boss? The responses were candid and have served as the framework for this Book. Many of the responses appear throughout the following chapters and all the survey responses can be found in the appendix and are listed unedited and in no particular order. A current popular CBS reality show is called Undercover Boss. Each week the CEO of a major company goes undercover and assumes the position of his employees. Sometimes the boss finds problems with his workers but often times the boss discovers firsthand how difficult the task is that his company has placed on its workers. Good bosses try to lessen the burden on their workers rather than adding to them but sometimes this doesn?t happen. One survey respondent put it this way: ?The worst bosses I?ve worked for made every day feel like a life-and-death battle to keep my job.? This book is divided into three main categories that revolve around the answers given in our survey. Along the way you will find links to some interesting reference material and solid ideas on how to further develop leadership skills as you work to be that good boss others are willing to give their very best for.