How to be a good boss

I started a new job just over two months ago, and boy is it a good fit for me.  I work a regular Monday to Friday schedule, and I am doing things I love doing (working on a computer, with numbers, working on my own).  But I'd be lying if I said one of the best things about my job wasn't my boss, Joe.  He's awesome.  He is exactly as a boss should be.  He's only six years older than me, so we can relate on a few things.  But it's his managerial style which I think a lot of bosses could learn from.  I'm going to say what I think makes a good boss, providing examples from Joe.

- Make yourself approachable to your employees and welcome their questions and feedback
I cannot stress this enough.  At my last job, it was definitely hard to approach my bosses and ask them questions.  But Joe welcomes questions.  Almost on a daily basis Joe says to ask him questions if we're stuck or need help.  I'm not the best at asking for help (I'd prefer to figure things out on my own if possible), but he's made it much easier to ask for help.  Bosses should never scold or get annoyed with their employees if they ask a question.  It's how we learn, get better, and do our job more satisfactorily.  

- Know when to put your foot down
So, you want to be nice and everything, but you have to know when to put your foot down.  You have to still earn and get respect from your employees.  One of my coworkers wasn't doing something right, sort of fibbed to Joe, and Joe put him in his place.  Joe was very clear about what he expects of him.  If you lay down the law in front of your employees just one time, that should be lasting enough for them to respect their boss for a long time.

- Treat your employees for doing a good job
Probably my favorite thing my boss does is he treats us when we do a good job.  He's treated us to lunch a few times, and he's given us things for our desks.  Bosses treating their employees for doing a good job encourages them to continue to do a good job.  He also often offers a word of encouragement when we do a good job as well.  Those little comments go a long way, especially when they're sincere.  

- Make sure your employees are comfortable with their working conditions
My boss is very aware of if we are uncomfortable with any aspect of our working conditions.  He has said to me on numerous occasions that if there's anything I need I should ask or tell him.  I know not every boss has the time for this, but if you provide an avenue, portal, or any way for your employees to reach out to you, that can be hugely beneficial to the workplace.  It could be an email, a bulletin notice, or anything little like that.  But my boss Joe lets us know in person.  It helps we have such a small office.  

- Lead by example
You can't expect your employees to do a good job if you don't do a good job as their boss.  There's also little things you do--how organized you keep your workspace, how you handle customers/clients, and how you treat other employees.  A lot of inexperienced/younger employees look to their boss on how to act and carry themselves.  My boss Joe does a great job of carrying himself and leading by example.  I'll say he doesn't always dress the most professionally (wears flip flops, for example), but we don't ever meet clients in person, so it doesn't matter.  I could probably wear flip flops if I wanted to, but I'd rather set my own example.  

- Enjoy your work so that your employees will too
If you've progressed through a field far enough to have employees underneath you, you probably like the field you're in.  And when a boss enjoys their work, it really becomes contagious.  I can tell Joe really likes his job and is passionate about it, and he makes me want to be passionate about my own job.  I know this ties in a lot to the one above, but I thought it deserved it's own mention.  

Well, that's all I have.  Mainly, my advice to any bosses out there is to treat your employees the way you would want to be treated.  Put yourself in your employees' shoes and act like how you'd want your boss to act.  It will go a long way.  And, happy employees often make for success in business.  It's win-win.