Most people who have been in the work world for awhile have had good bosses and (probably more often) bad bosses. In your opinion, what makes a good boss, and/or what makes a bad boss?

Good boss/bad boss stories are welcome, too. Go ahead, unload!

Good Boss = One who won't watch over my shoulder! Someone who trusts me to get the job done without hovering over me or constantly asking me if I've done this, done that. You hired me, now let me work!!!

Back in 1976, I worked in the mail room at the Defense Mapping Agency off of McArthur Blvd. They were big into "hire the handicapped" then, and they hired the son of a man who worked in another building there.

This kid looked like Frank Zappa, and he had had a nervous breakdown when he was in college, so they had him on Thorazine. Most days, he would not eat, so he spent most of his time in a corner of the room blowing bubbles with his spit.

This one morning, he came to work and started chasing the men around, trying to grab hold of "the package". Other than my boss, the only other people in our group were another girl who was 7 months pregnant, and myself. Well, after he cornered and groped our boss several times, our boss went and hid in the men's room for the rest of the day. I still haven't figured out why he hid in the men's room - I mean the guy was chasing guys; why go hide in a room that only guys are supposed to be in?

Anyhow, my friend and I had to work hard to do it, but we had managed to keep him in our office and under wraps until about an hour before the end of the day, when the head of Security came into the room to drop off a package. This guy was a black belt in karate. As soon as the kid saw him, he dropped what he had in his hands and took off after the Security guy, and my friend and I just stepped back. Believe it or not, the Security guy thought he was kidding and didn't do anything except to tell our boss' boss who promptly fired the kid. I don't know what time our boss came out of the men's room that day, but he was back in the office the next day, and he kept his job.

Now, every time I hear that song "Feelings" I remember that day!

A good boss will jump in and do whatever possible when the work is backed up and everyone is swamped. Not every boss can do every facet of the jobs which he supervises, but at least help out by answering the phone, filing, or some other mind-numbing task that lightens the load enough that the rest of us can get to the meat of the problem. (I have a great boss, BTW. Hubby, OTOH, has an awesome direct boss, but the one above him is a royal witch who I will have a piece of if she makes us take a transfer and I have to sell my house, move my kid, etc.) Nobody back talks mom, after all!

My new boss is like you describe, Moms, and I'm so thankful. I was juggling trying to finish negotiations on the terms of two subcontracts then had several quick turn-around bids come up. He jumped in and took the subcontracts, and they are almost done. Thank you, Michael!