HRGuru

What do you think makes a manager a bad boss? I would have to say a manager who provides little or no direction.

Bad bosses were a perennially popular thing at my last company. I would have to say that the worst kind of manager belittles and puts down staff. Also, a manager who micromanages and nit-picks your work in a pain!

My worst manager hated me because I got the job that she had wanted to give to a friend.  So, she was always nit-picking, and one day she told me off for something silly in front of a co-worker.  To everyone's shock, I calmly told her that such behaviour was unacceptable, and that I would expect us to be having more professional meetings to discuss such matters from then on.  She was shocked, but also embarrassed in front of her other junior, because the way I said it left her no way to argue.  She never did it again.

HRGeneralist_Boise says ...

I am reminded of two great quotes:

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he/she wants done, and the self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.

Theodore Roosevelt

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.

Dwight Eisenhower

I believe the difference comes down whether the person is a leader or a manager. All of my good managers communicated, delegated, and listened. However, the great managers in my career where able to get me to want to work my tail off for them by how they treated me, trusted me, and respected me. Others in the organization respected them for there knowledge and skill and I can only believe that was possible by that individuals ability to truly build relationships, and that didn't necessarily mean to make friends.  Always remember the Silver Rule.

absolutely top!  Well said!