There are all types of bosses – hands off, hands-on, micro-manager. The lists of labels are endless. In order to be a successful manager, it’s important to walk the fine line between being a bossy boss or a meek manager.

Are you a bossy boss?

If fire and brimstone precede you in the workplace, you may be too bossy. Are employees afraid to talk to you directly? A prime example is Sandra Bullock’s character in the comedy movie, The Proposal. Employees hiding against the office pillars, sending out warning e-mails when the boss arrives in the building are funny in the movie, but not so much in real life.

What not to do:

- Do not terrorize your staff. There are laws against it.

- Treat your staff with the same respect that you expect as a manager. Respect is not given, it’s earned.

- If you find yourself getting unreasonably upset over an error, walk away. Granted there may be times when the fix needs to be immediate, but if you find yourself unable to put together a coherent sentence without shouting – walk away. Come back to the situation when you have your emotions under control.

Are you a meek manager?

Delegating tasks make you want to run for cover? Do you feel guilty when you ask your staff to perform a task? If these questions apply to you, you need to bump it up a notch. You don’t want to be a bossy boss, but you do need to firm up your backbone.

What not to do:

- Do not apologize for giving your employee work. It’s not rude or disrespectful; it’s part of the job. You can certainly ask them to do almost any task that is work related. If you are questioning handing them work, they will question you as a manager.

- Do not do all the work yourself – delegate. Delegation shows that you have trust and faith in your staff. This is particularly important if your staff does not have enough work to do. Keep them challenged. Show them that the meek manager, does indeed, run the house.

With many different personality types and ethical situations in the workplace, it’s difficult to be a manager. Finding the right mix between bossy and meek is important.

Here are tips on what you should do as a manager:

- Ask your staff to perform task plainly and directly.

- Provide constructive feedback on performance. Don’t be afraid to let them know how they are doing.

- There will be times when you will need to be a manager. There may be times you will need to appeal to your human side.

Always keep this thought in mind – How would YOU like to be treated?