Are you boss material?

Sujit Bhattacharyya  

Trust always

To be a good boss you need to trust your team 100 per cent — never let them feel unsure of what you think of their intent or motive. When in doubt, give the benefit to your team. A suspicious boss can never be a respected leader.

See past their biggest flaw

It is important for everyone to be seen in a positive light, especially so in workplace. For a boss it is very important to look past the one big flaw that a team member may have. If you can do it to them, they will do the same all of others and this leads to a better sense of camaraderie and a high trust environment in the organisation.

Frown when things are perfect, Smile when they go wrong

It is essential for a boss to be supportive when things are not going as per the plan — that is not the right time to make negative comments or allow people to feel guilty. When things are okay, then as a boss you must play the role of a critic and try to take the team to the next level of perfection

Never ask the team to do something which you wouldn’t do yourself

Easier said than done, but the easiest way to lose respect of your team is by asking them to do things which you are not sure of yourself.

When you are wrong   apologise quickly and sincerely

There is a saying — if you have to bow, bow real low. It is very true when one makes a mistake. Own it 100 per cent and make the juniors really understand how sorry you are.

— The writer is IIM Bangalore alumni & Chief Digital Officer (CDO), Career Launcher