So you have just started your own business and called yourself a start-up founder. Now you are your own boss. You have also hired people to help you run and grow your business. It’s an amazing feeling to become the boss. You are the leader, the employer, and you are the one paying salaries which also help your local economy.
Whether you are an employer in your own company or you are promoted as a manager in a certain organization, it’s always a good thing to keep learning how to be a better boss. If marketing helps a business grow its sales, human resource management, on the other hand, helps it ensure effective and efficient production.
Without highly motivated and skilled workers who help your company ensure high-quality production, your sales may not continue to grow no matter how effective your marketing is. Hence, you have to learn how to lead and manage people effectively. Here are 21 ways to help you become a better boss:
1. Fulfill your promises.
Your employer-employee relationship should be based on trust. Hence, be true to your words and fulfill your promises if you want your employees to trust you. Did you promise them a company beach outing? Deliver it and don’t break their hearts.
2. Be transparent.
You don’t need to hide your company problems from your employees. If you trust your workers, you have to let them know your organizational problems and ask for their help. They are a part of it anyway, aren’t they? Asking your employees what they can help shows that you have faith in them. It boosts their worth and motivates them to work harder.
3. Spend quality time with them.
In any relationship, time is essential to keeping it healthy. Grow your employer-employee relationship by spending quality time with them. Do personal coaching, have lunch with them, treat them to dinner, and engage in other fruitful activities that will strengthen your connections with them.
4. Respect them.
Your staff or workers are not just laborers, but they are also your company’s important resources. Without them, your business will have less or even zero production, and without production, it will not generate revenues and profits. Thus, treat them with respect, honor, dignity, and pride. Never treat them as your company’s expense, but as your company’s valuable assets.
5. Be a role model.
A great leader was once a great follower. If you want to be a better boss or manager, show your employees how to get things done. If you want them to achieve their targets, achieve your own targets. If you’d like them to always clean their workspace, always clean your own desk. If you wish them to always be on time, be on time always. In other words, lead by example.
6. Be a better listener.
It’s usual for bosses to be a good speaker, but it’s rare for them to be a good listener. Be an extraordinary boss by giving your employees the privilege to speak and be heard. This will enhance their communication skills and improve their self-confidence. This will also improve your knowledge, awareness, and understanding of your team members, helping you to formulate better management decisions in your organization.
7. Appreciate your employees.
Don’t be a credit grabber but give the credits which are due to them. Give your workers a reward they deserve for a job well done. Although they are getting paid for their time and work, there are still priceless things that you cannot compensate for with money. These unseen things include their trust, loyalty, and faith in you.
8. Be accountable.
Don’t be a blame-thrower. As the boss or the head of your company or department, you should realize that you have the greatest responsibility. You can hold an employee responsible or accountable for the mistakes she or he commits, but you should not forget to take your share of blame or liability.
9. Encourage work-life balance.
Do not overwork your employees. Their lives do not only revolve in your company – they also have families with whom they must spend quality time with.
10. Encourage physical health.
Let them take a power nap. Let them enjoy their lunch and coffee breaks. Conduct regular sports and fitness activities. Encouraging a healthy body, mind and lifestyle benefits not only your employees but also your company’s productivity.
11. Be generous.
If you like your workers to give their best or work for more than what you are paying them, then be generous. Generosity begets generosity. So don’t be too stingy. Do not underpay your employees but rather pay them for more than what they deserve, especially if your business is already thriving. Give bonuses and gifts so they will also gift you extra time, care and efforts to grow your business.
12. Encourage discipline.
Too much kindness will not make you a better boss. It will only give birth to abusive and undisciplined employees. Without discipline, there is no progress. That is why you should set rules and policies in your company, and strictly implement them. Don’t hesitate to give punishments and penalties to your employees if they deserve them. Remember that a great leader doesn’t only have a soft heart but also have tough hands.
13. Challenge them.
Don’t let your employees get bored with unchallenging and routine tasks. Instead, teach them how to go out of their comfort zone and push their limits. This will help them achieve professional and personal maturity. Give them challenging tasks, and trust them.
14. Share your vision.
To inspire and motivate your employees, give them direction. Show them your destination. Tell them about your company’s mission and vision. Make them feel that they are a part of your company’s goals and dreams.
15. Be realistic.
Learn how to choose your battles. A wise leader will not go into a war that she or he cannot win. Likewise, a good boss should not also make goals or targets that are unrealistic. If you provide services to clients, don’t make promises that your workforce cannot deliver. It will only put your people and your business in trouble.
16. Show good vibes.
A simple smile or positive greeting can already brighten up their day and inspire them to work harder. Of course, you can only do this if you can master the art of keeping yourself calm in any kind of situation.
17. Encourage self-discovery.
Buy personal development or self-help books for your employees. Let them attend leadership and motivational seminars. Provide them paid vacation leaves for traveling and discovering their inner self.
18. Encourage independence.
Train your employees on how to make decisions on their own. Teach them how to have initiative. This will not only help them enjoy autonomy, but it will also help you delegate other decision-making tasks to save time and let you focus on other important matters in your organization.
19. Show that you care.
Make your workplace comfortable and safe for your employees. When they are sick, visit them. When they have family or personal problems, ask if you can help them. A better boss is also a hero to her or his own workers.
20. Train yourself.
Learning and training are not only for your employees, but they are also for bosses and managers. Don’t stop learning new managerial and leadership skills. Read more books or join training that will help you enhance your leadership skills further.
21. Hire better employees.
Finally, to be a better boss, you should not only be good at planning, organizing and directing, but you should also be good at staffing. An effective manager knows how to choose and hire the best employees for her or his company. Therefore, don’t just hire for the sake of filling up vacancies in your company, but hire people who will help you, your business and the whole team grow.
Final thoughts
Becoming a better boss takes a lot of patience, diligence, self-control, and even compassion. It also involves constant learning and practice. You may encounter a lot of failed expectations since the reality is that people are difficult to handle. However, as long as you are sincere to lead, and you can manage to lead yourself first, you will have a better chance to be an effective boss.
Remember that you cannot boss others if you cannot boss yourself.
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