A management guru and his son recently shared their views that good bosses, like the rest of us, come in different shapes and sizes. Jim Finkelstein, CEO of FutureSense, Inc.; and his son, Matt, offer five examples of good bosses:

The Listener: This kind of boss encourages subordinates to share their ideas and thoughts, knowing they were hired for the knowledge and skills they bring to the workplace. We’d suggest that soliciting input, especially ideas about how to do things better, actually increases employees’ innovation and creativity. Being listened to also boosts engagement.

The Empowerer: This type of manager gives his or employees lots of autonomy to run projects as they see best. This style conveys trust and respect from boss to subordinate. It’s also a good way, the Finkelsteins point out, of building leadership capability in employees, which is a great way to help them develop for bigger responsibilities. Further, this style encourages collaboration with others. We say the one potential for trouble here is that the boss drifts too far from subordinates to be in touch with what they’re doing.

The Mentor: This is the kind of boss who teaches, coaches, and guides. He or she need not be older than subordinates—only a tad wiser, simply willing to share, or able to convey how the company operates because of long tenure. This boss offers both criticism and praise in order to help employees develop. The offer of mentoring may be either explicit or implemented more subtly over time.

The Cool Dude—or Dudette: These managers have fun at work and encourage their employees to do so. Without ceding needed authority, this boss creates a lively and pleasant atmosphere. There’s time for small diversions that give everyone a breather, without endangering the quality or quantity of work. We think lots of laughter is a huge component of this kind of team.

The Creator: This boss inspires invention and creativity. He or she probes and pushes for innovation rather than just listening for it. This boss needs to be an imaginative and creative person him- or herself. It’s also important to avoid being overly demanding (not everything can be all new all the time). And, this boss knows that some team members will be naturally more creative than others and refrains from asking too much of those who are less so.

Tip: Harvard Business School’s Robert Kaplan suggests managers adopt a “no surprises” rule with subordinates, keeping them current with constructive criticism or the need for improvement rather than saving it all up for the annual review.