What Australians look for in their bosses

ARE you a Don Draper or David Brent? New research shows the top traits Australian workers look for in a leader, and if working from home is all it’s cracked up to be.

Not ideal: David Brent struggles in the competency stakes in TV show ?The Office? Picture: Supplied.

HE may look great in a suit, but it’s up for debate whether Don Draper would be considered an ideal boss by Australian workers, after a McCrindle Research poll revealed the top traits people look for in a leader.

Competence was the number one value sought after by employees, as the survey of nearly 600 workers showed they expected their boss to be a strong communicator with an excellent sense of emotional intelligence.

Having a great sense of ambition with a results-driven personality was also highly regarded, while being broad-minded and open to new ideas, innovation and change was third on the list.

Being caring was the fourth most popular trait, while co-operation and the ability to work within a team was also crucial.

Not ideal: David Brent struggles in the competency stakes in TV show “The Office” Picture: Supplied.

Max Coaching Founder Jane Lowder said being able to clearly communicate a vision, giving feedback and offering career development opportunities to staff are also critical traits of a great leader.

“Teams tend to like to know where they’re heading and what they’re striving for. A leader is someone who is able to set a vision and communicate it consistently,” she said.

“Leaders that don’t give feedback can leave team members wondering ‘Am I delivering or not?”

The survey also showed how important leadership is, with nearly 40 per cent of workers stating it was the single most important factor in the performance of a company.

Around 34 per cent of workers thought employees had a large impact on how a company performs, while 17 per cent said the products and services were integral to performance.

Just 5 per cent said suppliers and procedures were the most important factor in a company’s success.

Having a great team was also a high priority for Aussie workers, with nearly 60 per cent of people saying they liked their boss to operate as part of the team, as opposed to 45 per cent who preferred the boss to have a higher level of authority.

“The culture of mateship has been strong in Australia from the time the ships sailed out here and convicts settled,” Ms Lowder said.

“Perhaps that sense of mateship and teams being there for one another may well be strong in Australia.”

Being physically present in the office was also highly regarded, with 96 per cent of people saying it was necessary to be together and collaborate in order to achieve maximum results.

In contrast, just 2 per cent of people said they preferred low levels of team participation and 3 per cent said they liked leaders with a hands-off attitude.

Top five traits of an ideal leader

1. Competent

2. Ambitious

3. Broad-minded

4. Caring

5. Cooperative

And the biggest no-no?

Ms Lowder said the worst thing a leader can possibly do is micromanage their staff.

“[Great leaders] trust their team and do their job well and give them autonomy. It’s confidence inspiring.”

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What do you think are the most important traits of a leader? Tell us your workplace experience in the comments below.

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