How to Be a Great Boss

Berating your employees will certainly damage your reputation as a boss.

Great bosses are a rare breed. Standing out from the pack requires a consistent commitment to certain principles of human relations. If you can master these principles, you will be held in high esteem — a boss for whom every employee will want to work.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Positive attitude
• Even temperament
• Charisma

1. Keeping your emotions under control at all times is pivotal to your reputation as a boss. Even one major blowup or emotional outburst will be destructive to your overall effectiveness.

2. Treat people like people. Act like the boss you would want to have or have admired from your past. Your employees will appreciate you if you care and show them the utmost respect. Keep in mind that you set an example for everyone. If your behavior is less than stellar, your people will feel it is okay to do the same.

3. Keep your folks in the loop, meeting on a regular basis. Make sure that priorities align with goals and objectives. Encourage questions and be courteous in responding to issues raised as concerns. Follow up when you say you will.

4. Delegate often and effectively. Never give someone a job you would not be willing to do yourself. Check back with people to see how they are doing but not in a hounding mode. Show support and enthusiasm.

5. Keep everyone in your group aware of priorities so they will do first things first. Treat everyone in your group the same and don't play favorites. Your entire work team should be your favorites or inner circle.

6. Allow people to talk about problems to you and be sympathetic. Giving them a hearing is good and shows you are understanding. If the same person has personal problems all the time, however, beware. You may have a problem employee on your hands.

7. Learn from your new people. New employees often come to the company from other places where they have been trained to do work in a superior way. Take note and learn from the new folks who worked for a more progressive company. You might have a chance to do things in a better way. Be open to these opportunities.

8. Train your people and develop their skills, readying them for promotion. When you develop your people, you build a stronger base. Plus, someday your employee could be your boss; thus, treat him as if he were a boss or fellow manager.

9. Be positive because it can make you a better manager. Strive to see the good side of things and point these out to your staff. Never talk disparagingly about the company or people in higher-level positions or you will lower yourself in the eyes of your people.

Tips & Warnings

• Everyone wants to be part of a winning team. Make sure you act like a winner and are willing to take reasonable risks. Others will follow you and cover your back as necessary.

References

• Inc.: How To Be a Great Boss