Nobody sets out to become a bad boss. But that doesn't mean it can't or won't happen.
Perhaps the position you were promoted from just didn't teach enough of the managerial skills you need for your current job, or perhaps what worked in a different workplace just isn't translating to a new set of employees.
There might be a stressful project which is putting extra pressure on your team, creating friction where there used to be harmony, or perhaps someone simply isn't pulling their weight.
"Not everyone is a natural! Too often, people are promoted and then trained instead of the training and promotion going hand in hand," says Mandy Cresswell, an expert in leadership development and coaching. "Managers also need to be aware that often they may face several challenges daily that require different styles and approaches as well as more challenging situations that can arise when dealing with people (constructive criticism chats and so on) so it is important they can deal with these effectively, quickly and confidently."
Leaving the problems unaddressed can lead to an unhappy work environment for both you and those you manage. According to research it takes employees 22 months to deal with the stress and anxiety caused by a bad boss. Bad managers are also more likely to have employees who pull sickies, take longer breaks or who make mistakes on purpose.
On the other hand, a good boss can help an employee to be more productive - there's research which puts that productivity boost at about 10%. It's a significant effect, especially when you take into account the fact that it's indirect. The boss isn't sitting there helping that person with their actual tasks, it's to do with enabling that person to be more productive.
With that in mind, here are our top tips for becoming a better boss...