How Do Your Boss's Leadership Skills Stack Up?

OfficeTeam Survey: Three in Four Workers Think Their Managers Are Good Leaders

News provided by

Oct 07, 2014, 08:17 ET

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Will managers be getting the thumbs-up this Boss's Day (October 16)? Bosses often get a bad rap when portrayed on TV -- think Michael Scott of The Office or Mr. Burns in The Simpsons -- but, in reality, most people are impressed with their managers, according to a new OfficeTeam survey. More than three in four (76 percent) workers interviewed said their boss has strong leadership skills. In addition, two-thirds (67 percent) believe they couldn't do a better job than their manager.

The survey of office workers was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 400 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

Workers were asked, "How would you rate your boss's leadership skills?" Their responses:

Very strong	44%
Somewhat strong	32%
Not very strong	11%
Not strong at all	6%
Doesn't apply/don't know/no answer	8%
	101%*

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

Workers also were asked, "Do you think you could do a better job than your boss?" Their responses:

No	67%
Yes	22%
Doesn't apply/don't know/no answer	11%
	100%

View an infographic highlighting the survey results.

"Although workers may not regularly praise their bosses, many look up to their managers' leadership skills and acknowledge that supervisory roles can be highly demanding," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Employees might not feel they could do a better job than their boss because they aren't interested in leading others or taking on the added responsibility and accountability that comes with executive roles."

OfficeTeam offers five questions to consider when evaluating a move into management:

Are you comfortable making difficult decisions? Managers must regularly make tough, time-sensitive choices, and the outcomes don't always please everyone.
Can you inspire others? The best leaders are passionate about what they do and motivate those around them.
Are you a good listener? Being a strong communicator is one of the most valuable leadership skills, and listening to input from others is part of that equation.
Do you mind taking the blame? When things go wrong, the boss is often the one held accountable.
Are you OK stepping away from day-to-day activities? Taking on a leadership role can mean delegating projects to others and losing some hands-on experience.

About OfficeTeam
OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company, is the nation's leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has more than 300 locations worldwide. More information, including online job search services and the OfficeTeam Take Note blog (blog.officeteam.com), can be found at officeteam.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141006/150473-INFO

SOURCE OfficeTeam