how to be a better boss in 2015

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Post on 21-Apr-2017

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BE OPEN TO INPUT.Management often uses the phrase “we care about what you think” as a throw-away feel-good phrase during meetings or for new hires. Employees quickly learn whether or not that’s true, and if it isn’t, they’ll feel disillusioned and bitter.

LEARN FROM YOUR OWN BOSSES.If you’re lucky and you made note of your frustrations or positive reactions back when you were the employee, you have great reference material to use. Otherwise, take the time to imagine yourself then. Jot down the answers to these questions:

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU? WHAT DEMOTIVATED YOU?

WHY WERE YOU LOYAL TO SOME BOSSES, AND NOT TO OTHERS?

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU:

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU: ANGRY?

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU: FEARFUL?

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU: STRESSED?

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU: HAPPY?

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU: EAGER TO WORK?

WHAT DID BOSSES DO THAT MADE YOU: RELAXED & SAFE?

READ THROUGH WHAT YOU’VE WRITTEN.

ARE YOU GUILTY OF BAD BEHAVIOR? WHAT CAN YOU DO TO CHANGE SO THAT YOU MIMIC THOSE GOOD BOSSES?

DON’T MISTAKE THE VALUE OF BEING BLUNT.The value of being a direct communicator cannot be oversold; poor communication is the root of far too many office problems and frustrations.

STOP MICROMANAGING. TRUST INSTEAD.Micromanagers need to understand a couple of things:

EMPLOYEES WON’T DO THINGS EXACTLY AS YOU WOULD DO THEM. THAT’S KIND OF THE POINT. TRUST THEIR SKILL AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

YOU CAN’T EXPECT EMPLOYEES TO BLOSSOM INTO THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP AND CONFIDENCE IF YOU DEMAND TO RUBBER STAMP THEIR EVERY MOVE.

UNDERSTAND THE PERSONALITIES OF YOUR TEAM.Some like brevity and bluntness, while others need you to lead softly with positivity before launching into correction.

DON’T WASTE YOUR EMPLOYEES’ TIME.Respect your employee’s time. They are trying to do a good job, and get the work done. But bosses are often guilty of wasting their time with meetings, unnecessary paperwork, constantly changing routines, and other distractions.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOUR MEETINGS DON’T WASTE EMPLOYEES’ TIME?

ASK YOURSELF A FEW QUESTIONS:

IS IT NECESSARY?

IS IT THE RIGHT TIME?

WHO HAS TO BE THERE?

CAN WE STAND/WALK?

ARE WE ON TRACK?

DO TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISES IN AND OUT OF THE OFFICE.Have fun with your employees. Don’t relegate yourself to the office Holiday party and call it good. Have periodic team and creativity building exercises and meetings. Have regular dinners where employees can socialize if they’d like.

REWARD YOUR EMPLOYEES REGULARLY.People are motivated by results, and they are also motivated by the opportunity for reward. If you have an employee that is doing a good job and has not received a raise since the day they were hired, you have made a mistake.

BE THE PERSON YOU DEMAND OF YOUR EMPLOYEES.If you demand hard work, be a hard worker. If you demand that employees come in on time, have positive attitudes, treat their co-workers and customers well — you had better be doing the same thing.

ESTABLISH A PROPER RELATIONSHIP.After all of this talk about how to be a great boss, it’s important to remember who you are: the boss. Not a friend. This is about boundaries and the fact that you will have to make hard decisions in the future.

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