Being A Better Boss
We’ve all had a bad boss. That person that doesn’t get stuck in, never helps out and doesn’t offer any support. Someone that just sits on the sidelines and barks orders and commands. In this article we look at how you can be the best boss you can and keep your employees happy
We’ve all had a bad boss. That person that doesn’t get stuck in, never helps out and doesn’t offer any support. Someone that just sits on the sidelines and barks orders and commands. Someone who seemingly has no sympathy or understanding of anyone else’s lives. That person that we hate working for, and makes our working life hell.
When we’ve worked in these situations most of us tell ourselves that we’d never be the same. We know that we’d never treat people this way. That we’d be an understanding and considerate boss, that offered our staff flexibility and a great place to work.
You Might Also Like: Manage Your Manager – How To Cope With Ineffectual Leadership
But it doesn’t always work out quite this way. If you own your own business and manage a small team, you might find that being a great boss isn’t always as easy as you thought it would be.
When you are busy and stressed out and need things done, it can be hard to stay patient with people. You might struggle to find the time to give them your attention, and when your business is busy, it’s hard to offer everyone flexibility. You might even see yourself snapping and upsetting your team.
Deep down, you know that this will never get the best results and that to get the most out of your team, you need to be a better boss. Here are some of the ways that you can do just that.
Reduce Your Own Stress
We snap when we’re stressed out. When we’re busy, and under pressure, unfortunately, we often take it out on others, at work, this is usually our subordinates. If you want to be a great boss, you need to manage your own stress levels.
Try to simplify your systems, by automating and scheduling what you can and installing Cato Networks to make managing more than one site easier and more efficient. Then, learn how to delegate. Give your staff more responsibility, outsource when you need an expert and stop thinking that you need to do everything for yourself.
Listen to Them
To be a great boss, you need to listen more than you speak. Listen to your staff when they talk to you. Ask what they need, and what you could do to make their lives easier. Ask them for feedback, take it on board and action what you can. When they come to you with worries or complaints, listen to them. It’s the best way to respect them.
Set Reasonable Targets
One of the main reasons that employees fail to live up to expectations is that they don’t know what they are, or they have been set too high. Sit down with your staff members and set them targets. Make your expectations clear, make sure they are understood, and that they are reasonable. Then, check in regularly to make sure everything is on track.
Emphasise the Positives
From school, right through our working lives and even at home, people notice the negatives. They notice that we’ve made a mistake or done something wrong. They comment on our failures and punish errors. Rarely do people see the positives. Congratulate your staff on their successes and thank them for their hard works. Give the positives more attention, and they’ll love working for you.