I have been fighting an internal battle lately; How to be a fun boss but yet a good boss that does the right thing for the company? I have been seesawing between being super strict (which is a side of me i hate) to being lenient and understanding.
The understanding boss face has been taken advantage of, while the strict side makes me hate myself as this was never the work place i wanted to create for my employees or for myself.
So here are 10 ways to be a good boss:
1. Motivate
Managers have seen different presentations and heard many speeches about how to motivate their staff. Unfortunately, in most cases it seems that they either did not pay attention to the ways of improving employee morale and job satisfaction or did not agree with the concept. Some take it literary and slightly raise the pay of their employees, but very few realize that motivation is not only about money. A comfortable workplace will certainly improve moral and motivation of employees. There is so much more Don’t believe me? Look into how to promote discretionary effort.
2. Learn
The bare fact that one is occupying managerial position does not mean that he/she knows it all and should not continue developing. Bosses have to be smarter than their employees, because otherwise employees will have advantage in terms of knowledge and no respect.
3. Be true leader
This one is the hardest. I still cannot tell whether being a leader is something, which is possible to learn or its something you are born with?
Leaders are those whom people are willing and wishing to follow. Unfortunately being a manager not always means being a leader.
4. Delegate and trust
Some managers prefer having control over absolutely everything and that makes them get involved in all processes and decide upon every small detail. That makes them extremely busy, it consumes their time and as result the work itself suffers. Besides that by acting so managers overpay their employees, because all they do in this situation is implement no analysis, no decision-making and as a result no need for their expertise.
5. Take responsibility
There are bosses who throw the responsibility on their employees shoulders when things get hot.
What many managers dont realize is that they are paid the big figures because of the high responsibility they bear.
6. Create a team
Hiring bunch of intelligent people, who fit the position is not enough. Putting them in the same room and calling to the same meetings, is not enough either. Traditional team buildings once a year dont always work. Building a team is a long process, which should be addressed on daily basis.
7. Become team player
Once the team is created managers have to become part of that team. Managers are not there only to watch over the working team. They are there to work together with the team.
8. Credit efforts
Although managers are responsible for the team, they are not supposed to get the whole credit for teams or team members work. People need to be acknowledged and the CEO needs to know that besides the manager there are other people who work hard, make sacrifices and make things happen.
9. Be fair
People cannot be totally objective and there are always some we like more than the others. It is not easy to judge employees fairly, because it may be difficult to be harsh with someone you like or to encourage someone you dont. But its all about judging based on the work done, completed project and quality of performance rather than who is behind those.
10. Think about the future
Bosses are not bosses forever. Same goes for their employees. Time comes, when people are no longer connected by the professional relationship. Thinking about the future managers have to make sure that when they meet their x employee in the street it wont be unpleasant meeting.