By 10 Do’s to Become a Boss Your Employees Absolutely Love!
If you are a boss, you must be familiar with all the stigmas that surround your role at work. Stereotypically, you are the subject of your employee’s complaining to their spouses or at parties. One wrong move and this could become real! Your employees could fear you, mock you or worse, begin to disrespect you.
Want to avoid being boss-Zilla? You have only one way out – become a boss your employees absolutely love!
Here are 10 ways to achieve it.
- Know your employees
Get to know your employees’ personality traits. Know what each one of them is like on and off work. Instead of setting unrealistic competency expectations, learn your employees’ strengths and weaknesses. This helps you explore ways to provide your employees with an environment to put each of their strong capabilities to work. This, in turn, makes them happy and confident employees.
But remember, don’t intrude into one’s private matters to learn personal details. - Have co-worker-like empathy, but be the boss
Think like an employee to become a better boss. Understand what employees want. Often, it is no different than what you yourself wanted as an employee. Guidance, care, trust, opportunities and recognition are a good mix that can generally be applied to everyone. Spend time with your employees. Keep in touch with them to understand what else they may need. Do your best to fulfil them to the best of your capacity as a boss. This can help gain your staff’s devotion. - Be inspiring
Anybody can boss around. Aspire to be the kind of leader who inspires. Begin by being inspired yourself. Your zeal for work can be contagious.
Share your vision with your employees. It makes them feel valuable and accountable at the same time. Share your dreams and show them their role in helping you fulfil them. Before long, your employees will fight as hard as you, for you. - Pay attention
Maintain clear, consistent communication with all your employees. Be approachable and keep your door open. Organize periodic sit-down meetings with your entire team. Remove all distractions and look into the eyes of those who want to speak to you. Make your employees feel heard, comfortable and motivated. Acknowledge appreciation and complaints alike. But pay attention to catch a drift of what’s not explicitly said. - Fix things
Employees often fear bosses because blame is always transferred down the command chain. Break this stereotype. Mistakes happen. Sometimes by employees, at times by you. Own up when you need to. Take responsibility. Forgive and fix things when possible. If nothing else, fix communication channels to nip future mishaps at the bud. - Don’t just loosen; let go of the grip
Don’t do a job in your business. Employ able candidates and let them do their job. Remember, micromanagement is detrimental to the organization’s well-being. Trust your employees to make the right decisions and stand with them. Let go of the reins. Let them rise to the occasion and go the distance. After all, their growth is what can take you ahead. - Speak last
Remember, you are now in a position of power and several of your employees would try to appease you for various reasons. If you want honest input and opinions, don’t say what you think first. Instead, give everybody a chance to speak their mind out. Stimulate their thinking to get creative inputs. This will make your employees feel valued and inspired. - Don’t be their friend
Being a boss is a pretty sticky spot. The best you can do is, to be honest. Bosses can only pretend to be their subordinates’ friend. A leader cannot assert authority as a pal. Keep boundaries clear. Avoid hanging out at the water cooler. Never pick favourites. Provide fair opportunities and guidance to all. - See them as humans first, employees next
Acknowledge that you haven’t employed machines, but people with flesh, blood, emotions, families and responsibilities. Treat them with kindness. Oblige when they have a special need, such as a month’s payment in advance or a longer leave post-wedding. Wish them on birthdays and other important events. Listen when somebody wants to share, but do not overlay personal questions that could make someone uncomfortable. - Take a vacation
The best bosses are the first in and the last out. True, but with some exceptions. You lead by example. Take a vacation once in a while to relax and rejuvenate. Take sick leaves when you need to. Encourage your employees to establish the same kind of work-life balance. This ensures they aren’t pressured into unnecessary obligations, just because a boss doesn’t go on a holiday even once a year. Do not entertain work calls during your vacation. Let your employees know you trust them and hold them accountable to run things in your absence.
Use these actionable bits of advice to begin your journey to the top and Grow With Galaxy