Picture the worst boss you ever had.

Some or all of the following terms will probably come to mind: self-centered, liar, autocratic, has favorites, bullies, doesn't listen, dismisses your ideas, etc.

Then think of the best boss you ever had.

You will probably think of qualities such as the following: honest, keeps you in the loop, treats everyone the same, treats you with respect, wants your ideas on how to improve things, cares about you and your co-workers, good communicator, etc.

What these lists show is that what makes someone a bad or good boss is not their technical skill or job-related knowledge, though both are important.

What makes them a good or bad boss are the behaviors we call a person's character.

The better our character, the better manager we will be.

We can improve our character, and thereby improve our organization's effectiveness and productivity as well as our job satisfaction.

Now is the time to start!

Robert Beezat has managed a broad range of organizations. He helped start and became the eventual owner of a management consulting firm serving a national clientele. He served as the CAO in several municipalities and the CEO of a nonprofit organization. He continues to consult with local governments as part of GovHRUSA.

As a management consultant, he worked with over 350 public, private, and not-for-profit organizations around the country. Part of his consulting work included conducting supervisory and management training workshops. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at several universities teaching business, human resource, and supervisory management courses. He holds a master of public administration from Roosevelt University in Chicago and a bachelor of science in English literature from Loyola University in Chicago. He is also the author of Knowing and Loving: The Keys to Real Happiness.