October 16 is Boss's Day: Eight Signs of a Fantastic Boss

With Boss's Day October 16, now is a good time to celebrate all the positive things about your boss.

With so many bad bosses out there, when you have a fantastic boss, you don't want to take your boss for granted. Most people know when they are fortunate enough to have a truly special boss. October 16 is a good day to show appreciation.

Here are eight signs of an exceptional boss.

A good boss is positive, upbeat and enthusiastic about the company, its product or service, and everyone who works there.

A good boss makes sure you have the resources you need to get the job done.

A good boss doesn’t micromanage; he or she gives you guidance and trusts you to do your work well.

When there’s a problem, a good boss is into solving it, not into spreading blame.

When you do a good job, a good boss lets you know in front of others whenever possible. When you’ve messed up, a good boss doesn't berate you in public, he or she analyzes what went wrong with you in private, and helps you set goals for improvement.

A good boss reviews your career goals with you periodically and offers training or other resources that could support your chosen path.

A good boss listens, takes your comments or ideas seriously and implements them when possible and always letting you know why when it’s not possible.

A good boss doesn’t play favorites. They are fair and impartial. A good boss is not your buddy and may not join the gang for "happy hour," but you always know where you stand.

Of course, the exact opposite of everything that makes a good boss good are found in the makeup of a bad boss. If you have a bad boss, don’t fake it on Boss's Day and pretend everything is okay. It will just stroke your bad boss’s ego and make things worse. But, if you have a good boss, someone that has most (not necessarily all) of the above traits, thank your boss. Be specific about why you feel the way you do. It will make your boss realize that he or she is on the right track and will reinforce continued positive behavior.

For workers who have to face a less-than-ideal boss, tips on succeeding despite a bad boss can be found at http://www.noellenelson.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GotABadBoss or at https://twitter.com/GotABadBoss.

Boss’s Day: October 16—What’s to Celebrate if You Have a Bad Boss?

National Boss Day is October 16. It may be a great opportunity to show your appreciation to a good boss, but what if you have a bad boss? Use the day as a starting point to turn the tables on a bad boss to get what you want at work.

Most bad bosses are so worried about their own job security that they’re not spending a lot of time fretting about you or your career goals. Bad bosses only care about themselves.

There are numerous down sides to working for a bad boss. It can affect your health, family life and, of course, your career. While you are working for a bad boss, no one is helping you develop your skills and talents. No one is supporting your growth and development. If you don’t take the initiative, you’ll continue to be miserable at work and be stuck in a dead-end job.

The best way to change the worker-boss dynamic may seem counter intuitive. Find out what drives your bad boss, his secret fears and desires. Once you know what motivates his actions, you’ll understand how to respond effectively to your boss’s innermost desires. You engage in his success for your success. By doing so, you become valuable to your horrible boss, an ally--and now you have power.

Whether you have a boss that is egomaniacal, someone who is always blaming others or a boss who plays favorites, whatever type of bad boss, they all have underlying fears that make them act the way they do. When you figure out a way to work with your boss’s fears, rather than run away from or confront them, you become golden. You can ask for--and receive--the perks, promotions and bonuses that have eluded you thus far.