Being a good boss is never easy. To succeed at your job, you have to
make sure that your company is running smoothly and that your employees
are happy. Unfortunately, these two goals can sometimes be in conflict.
To be a better boss, you have to work on making your employees feel
valued and give them meaningful goals to motivate them to work more
efficiently than ever before. To do the best that you can at your job,
you should work on leading by example while setting reasonable
expectations.
Part 1 of 3: Being a Good Manager
-
1
Have clear expectations. If you want your employees
to do as well as they can, then your main goal should be to make your
expectations very clear. If you value numbers and production over
customer service or time spent on other tasks, make this very clear so
your employees don’t go above and beyond on the wrong tasks and then are
confused when you’re disappointed. If there’s something you want or
expect, then be very clear about it instead of sugar-coating your real
expectations, even if they’re lofty.
- If you want your employees to produce five reports per week, for
example, make it clear that this is what you expect instead of just
telling them to keep up the hard work and that they’re doing a great
job, and then later giving them poor performance reviews.
- One important thing is to actually know what you want before you
address your employees so that you don’t end up changing your thoughts
in the middle of a conversation.
- Sometimes, your expectations do change, based on where the company
is headed and other internal changes. If this does happen, be open about
it instead of letting your employees figure it out on their own.
-
2
Explain the reasoning behind your decisions. If a
change has happened at the company, employees really appreciate knowing
why. If an important person in the company was fired, employees may want
to know the reason (even if they don’t get the nitty gritty) just so
they don’t feel threatened about their own jobs. If you’ve decided one
employee isn’t a great fit for a certain project, be honest about your
rationale instead of leaving him in the dark. Your employees like to be a
part of things and would really appreciate being in the know instead of
being left in the dark.
- You don’t want your employees to see everything you do or say as a
mandate handed down from the Gods; add a human touch to your decisions
and show your employees why doing something a certain way is the best
for the company instead of just telling them what to do.
-
3
Communicate with your employees about the progress of the company.
It’s important to keep your employees up-to-date with the progress that
the company is making, whether it’s good or bad. Don’t just tell them
that things are getting better week after week; show them specific
numbers, data, or feedback to prove it. If the company has started
managing accounts differently, if a new person has been hired, or if any
other changes had been made, then it’s best to let your employees know
about it instead of leaving them in the dark. This will help them feel
like they’re a part of things and they’ll think more highly of you as a
leader in the process.
- You can even hold meetings where people who work for different
departments of the company come in to talk to your employees to give
them a sense of how the entire company is running. Your employees will
be more connected to their own projects once they see the big picture.
-
4
Ask for feedback for how you can do your job better.
Though you may not want to hear about how you can do your job better,
asking for feedback can actually help you be a better boss and learn
what your employees really need. You can tell them, “I’d like to know
how to do my job better” and really mean it. They may be shy about
telling you what you could really do better, but you can send out
monthly anonymous surveys, ask them in individual meetings, or even
shoot them quick emails asking how they think certain projects went.
They’ll respect you for having asked for feedback, and their responses
will make you better at your job.
- When you get the feedback, even if it’s harsh, thank your employees
for their honesty. If you make them feel like they’re being punished for
being up-front with you, then they’ll never tell you the truth or trust
you again.
- If you hear the same feedback from many employees, such as the fact
that they deserve much higher pay for the work they’re doing, or that
they feel like they don’t have any tangible goals, then it’s important
to address that. If you just ignore something that is clearly not
working in your company, then your employees will think that you’re
pretending to care without really caring.
- Of course, you can’t address all the feedback and make every
employee perfectly happy, especially if you’re getting conflicting
messages. If there’s something that they’re complaining about that you
absolutely can’t fix, let them know why it has to be a certain way.
-
5
Delegate responsibility. You may think that taking
all the responsibility upon yourself will make you the best boss
possible. You may think it’ll show how smart, capable, and hardworking
you are. However, taking all the responsibility on yourself will not
only overwhelm you and stress you out, but it will give your employees
the idea that you don’t really value or trust them. When you are faced
with a task that you think another employee can do, you should delegate
it to the employee, even if it means a bit of training and micromanaging
are required, at first. This will make your job much easier and will
show your employees that you know what they’re capable of.
- Of course, delegating responsibilities may seem like more effort, at
first, because you’ll have to transition your employees to doing new
tasks. But in the long run, you’ll be saving a lot of time — and you can
spend this time on making your employees feel more valued.
- That said, if times are tough and your employees are not doing well
with the extra responsibilities, step up and be accountable for it. Talk
to them about how you can help them succeed instead of blaming them.
-
6
Manage individuals instead of numbers. It can be hard
not to obsess over numbers as a boss, whether you’re trying to write
hundreds of blog posts or selling shoes. While numbers are important,
they are not the only key to your success; you should focus on each
individual employee and their own work style and personal goals and try
to make that fit in to your production goals. When it comes to being a
boss, you have to remember that “one size fits all” is almost never the
case, and that you have to look at each employee individually to see how
he or she can help you reach your number goals.
[1]
- If you’re the head of a major corporation, of course, it can be
tricky to look at each and every employee as more than just a number.
Still, if you can’t do this yourself, you should have a manager below
you who is responsible for the human element in how you treat your
employees.
Part 2 of 3: Making Employees Feel Valued
-
1
Give rewards for work that goes above and beyond. If
one of your employees has gone above and beyond, then you should make
sure to acknowledge the hard work he or she has put in to his work. You
can send around an email, make an announcement, give a monetary reward,
or even give the employee a card and flowers. This should be meant to
motivate other employees to succeed, not make them jealous. If your
employee has worked extra hard, rewarding his actions will have a big
impact on his happiness in the workplace and his idea of you as a boss.
[2]
- Of course, money is a great motivator, and sometimes no reward can
be better than a cash bonus. However, money can’t be the only thing that
motivates your employees, or they will be so focused on getting more
bonuses that they will overlook the methodical, careful work that needs
to be put into their job.
-
2
Give your employees tangible goals. Tangible goals
are often more of a motivator than cash rewards, and you don’t have to
spend any extra money to give them to your employees, either. Your
employees should have goals to work toward, whether it’s reaching out to
X amount of clients by the end of the year, making Y amount of sales,
or having Z amount of revenue from their latest project. Give them their
goals, talk about how they can meet them, and even discuss any rewards
they’ll receive for going above and beyond. If your employees feel like
they have something to work toward, then they will be much more
motivated when they come to work every morning.
- Tangible goals should be based on achievements, not on amount of
hours worked. If you give your employees the goal of working a certain
amount of hours per week, they may technically put in the time, but they
may not use it wisely.
- Each of your employees has a different work style and they may not
be motivated by the same goals. One may be motivated by producing as
many reports as possible, while another may be motivated by being told
that he should produce the most thorough or comprehensive report he can
on a given subject. Some people actually get stifled or discouraged if
their only goals are time or numbers based, instead of based on the
quality of their work.
-
3
Schedule individual meetings with your employees.
Though you may feel like you really don’t have the bandwidth, if you
want to be a better boss, then you should schedule individual meetings
with your employees to better understand their work style and to show
that you care. Try to schedule these at least monthly, if you can, and
they’ll appreciate the fact that you took the time to chat with them
individually. Even if you only meet with each employee for fifteen
minutes, this will be a sign that you’re a caring boss.
[3]
- Show a personal interest in your employees when you meet with them.
Though your meetings can focus on asking how they’re doing at the
company and asking for any feedback on current projects, you should also
ask a bit about how they’re doing outside of work.
- You don’t need to pry into your employees’ personal lives, but if
you know they are married or have kids, ask about how their family is
doing, whether their kids have started school, if they have any family
vacations coming up, or anything else that shows you care without
seeming too personal.
-
4
Don’t play favorites. Of course, everyone has
favorites, but if you want to do the best you can at your job, then you
have to be able to hide your preferences. Remember that everyone at your
company is contributing something, and that if you clearly favor some
employees over others, then your preferences will be known and your
less-favored employees will resent the people you favor and will feel
like they can’t win. Though you may clash personalities with some
employees, you should try to be equally kind to everyone, and offer the
same rewards to employees for doing the same thing.
[4]
- Don’t let one employee you like take a longer lunch break while
chastising another for being out for too long. Don’t set different
expectations or timelines for two employees who have to get the same job
done. This is unprofessional and will make your employees trust you
less.
-
5
Organize social events for your employees. Though you
don’t have to do all of this yourself, having someone in charge of a
social committee can help your employees feel more like they’re part of a
team. You don’t have to go to work happy hours or out to lunch with
your employees if that feels weird, but attending a yearly Christmas
party, having a work softball league, or being part of a volunteering
work organization can help you get to know your employees and can make
them feel happier in the workplace, too.
[5]
- Social events can help your employees get to know each other better
and to also work together in a new way, whether they’re figuring out how
many appetizers to order for the table or how to paint the side of a
house.
- Your employees will feel happier for getting to know each other
better and they’ll also be more grateful to you for caring that they get
along with each other. A good boss cares about his or her employees
building strong relationships with each other.
-
6
Acknowledge your employees’ birthdays or milestones.
Though it may sound kind of silly, sending around an email, bringing a
birthday cake, or writing a card can really make a difference in whether
or not an employee feels valued at a company. These little
acknowledgements will show your employees that you see them as people
and that you care about their lives and accomplishments. It also shows
them that you see them as people, not just machines, and makes them feel
cared for and valued.
- You can even send around a card for all your employees to sign for a
special occasion for one employee, to show that not just you, but the
entire company, recognizes this employee.
Part 3 of 3: Leading by Example
-
1
Get in 15 minutes earlier. You may not think that
getting in to the office 15 minutes earlier will have an impact on how
your employees view you, but in fact, this can change the course of your
entire day. Getting in earlier will give you time to get settled, will
keep you from forgetting an important appointments or meetings, and it
will make you feel less stressed and overworked when your employees want
to talk to you. This will help you be on top of your game and will make
you look more approachable to your employees; they’ll be more excited
to talk to you if they don’t feel like you’re going to say that that
things are “super busy” all the time.
[6]
- Getting in earlier also sets a good example for your employees, who
will see that you must really care if you get in to work so early. You
shouldn’t, however, pressure them to get in even earlier, or you’ll be
back where you started.
- The truth is, the morning can be the busiest time, because that’s
when you’ll have to check your email, make your calls, and have to talk
to 20 employees who all want to meet with you. You may find that, if you
get in earlier, you can even wrap up your work earlier.
-
2
Don’t lose your temper. Of course, we all lose our
tempers and it happens to the best of us. If you’re in charge of a
company, then there are plenty of reasons for you to lose your cool once
in a while. Still, if you feel yourself getting heated, then you should
excuse yourself and return when you feel more calm. You may even need
to shut yourself up in your room and take a few deep breaths before you
can return to what you’re doing. And if you lost your temper in front of
employees, do the mature thing and apologize.
[7]
- This happens to the best of us, and you don’t need to feel like a
complete failure if it happens. That said, learn to recognize the signs
that you’re about to go off the deep end so that you can excuse yourself
before it happens in the future.
-
3
Be accountable for your mistakes. If you’re the boss,
then everything that goes wrong at the company is your fault to a
degree. If an employee is underperforming, then it may be because you
hired someone who wasn’t a good fit for the job, or because you weren’t
clear about the expectations you had for a certain project. You should
make it clear that you could have done your job better whenever the
moment arises, and if you’ve flat-out made any mistakes, like insulting
an employee, missing a meeting, or being late, then apologize for that
as well.
[8]
- Even if your schedule is packed, you should still apologize if you
miss a meeting with an employee. Don’t just say, “I had too much going
on,” but, “I’m sorry that I didn’t give you the time you deserved.”
Don’t make the employee feel bad about how busy you were.
- Deal with problems quickly. If you see that something has gone
wrong, address the problem head-on before it gets worse instead of
putting a band-aid over it. If you see a failed report, an upset
employee, or a new program that’s just not working, don’t wait a month
for it to get even worse, hoping that it will blow over. Instead, find a
way to address the problem so your company continues to run smoothly —
your employees will be impressed by your hard work.
-
4
Be consistent. Another thing you can do to be a
better boss is to be more consistent about your expectations. If you
want employees to focus on customer service, don’t get angry with an
employee for spending a long time with a customer who didn’t buy
anything. Make your priorities and expectations clear, so that your
employees know what you want. Don’t praise them for something one week
and then ask them to do it differently the next. If they feel like
you’re not consistent, they’ll get the sense that they can never win.
- If you’ve changed your priorities or expectations in some way, you
should tell your employees about it up-front instead of letting them
figure it out. It’s okay to change focus, but important for your
employees to know about it right away so they can adjust their style
accordingly.
- Along with being consistent, it’s important to follow through on the
goals you set and the promises you make. If your employees think all
you do is make empty promises, then they won’t trust you.
-
5
Listen more than you talk. You may think that being a
boss is all about giving out mandates, telling your employees exactly
what to do, and spouting off numbers, but in fact, it’s far more
important to listen to employees so you can have a better sense of how
to run your workplace. If you take the time to hear them out during
meetings, ask them lots of questions, and ask for ample feedback, then
you’ll be getting a lot of ideas for how you can run your workplace more
smoothly. What’s more, your employees won’t see you as a talking head,
but as a person who really cares about what they have to say.
- When your employees are trying to tell you something, don’t scarf
down your lunch, check your Blackberry, or read over reports right in
front of them. Give them your full attention to show that you care. Even
if you can only give them 5 minutes of your time, that’s far better
than giving them 15 minutes that you spend mostly multi-tasking.
-
6
Be friendly without trying to be best friends with your employees.
You don’t have to try to be BFF with your employees — and in fact, you
don’t want to be that boss who hangs out with his employees all the
time, because that can send mixed messages in the workplace. Still,
nothing is stopping you from saying hi to your employees, stopping to
chat if you have a minute, or just having a smile on your face if you
walk by them. If you storm by them without even looking in their
direction, they may not think that you care.
- It goes without saying that dating your employees or making romantic
advances at them is completely unprofessional and should be avoided in
almost all cases.
- Give your employees compliments and make them feel welcome in your
office. Have them see that you’re happy to be there, and that you’re
more than just the average boss.
1Have clear expectations. If you want your employees to do as well as they can, then your main goal should be to make your expectations very clear. If you value numbers and production over customer service or time spent on other tasks, make this very clear so your employees don’t go above and beyond on the wrong tasks and then are confused when you’re disappointed. If there’s something you want or expect, then be very clear about it instead of sugar-coating your real expectations, even if they’re lofty.
2Explain the reasoning behind your decisions. If a change has happened at the company, employees really appreciate knowing why. If an important person in the company was fired, employees may want to know the reason (even if they don’t get the nitty gritty) just so they don’t feel threatened about their own jobs. If you’ve decided one employee isn’t a great fit for a certain project, be honest about your rationale instead of leaving him in the dark. Your employees like to be a part of things and would really appreciate being in the know instead of being left in the dark.
3Communicate with your employees about the progress of the company. It’s important to keep your employees up-to-date with the progress that the company is making, whether it’s good or bad. Don’t just tell them that things are getting better week after week; show them specific numbers, data, or feedback to prove it. If the company has started managing accounts differently, if a new person has been hired, or if any other changes had been made, then it’s best to let your employees know about it instead of leaving them in the dark. This will help them feel like they’re a part of things and they’ll think more highly of you as a leader in the process.
4Ask for feedback for how you can do your job better. Though you may not want to hear about how you can do your job better, asking for feedback can actually help you be a better boss and learn what your employees really need. You can tell them, “I’d like to know how to do my job better” and really mean it. They may be shy about telling you what you could really do better, but you can send out monthly anonymous surveys, ask them in individual meetings, or even shoot them quick emails asking how they think certain projects went. They’ll respect you for having asked for feedback, and their responses will make you better at your job.
5Delegate responsibility. You may think that taking all the responsibility upon yourself will make you the best boss possible. You may think it’ll show how smart, capable, and hardworking you are. However, taking all the responsibility on yourself will not only overwhelm you and stress you out, but it will give your employees the idea that you don’t really value or trust them. When you are faced with a task that you think another employee can do, you should delegate it to the employee, even if it means a bit of training and micromanaging are required, at first. This will make your job much easier and will show your employees that you know what they’re capable of.
6Manage individuals instead of numbers. It can be hard not to obsess over numbers as a boss, whether you’re trying to write hundreds of blog posts or selling shoes. While numbers are important, they are not the only key to your success; you should focus on each individual employee and their own work style and personal goals and try to make that fit in to your production goals. When it comes to being a boss, you have to remember that “one size fits all” is almost never the case, and that you have to look at each employee individually to see how he or she can help you reach your number goals.[1]
1Give rewards for work that goes above and beyond. If one of your employees has gone above and beyond, then you should make sure to acknowledge the hard work he or she has put in to his work. You can send around an email, make an announcement, give a monetary reward, or even give the employee a card and flowers. This should be meant to motivate other employees to succeed, not make them jealous. If your employee has worked extra hard, rewarding his actions will have a big impact on his happiness in the workplace and his idea of you as a boss.[2]
2Give your employees tangible goals. Tangible goals are often more of a motivator than cash rewards, and you don’t have to spend any extra money to give them to your employees, either. Your employees should have goals to work toward, whether it’s reaching out to X amount of clients by the end of the year, making Y amount of sales, or having Z amount of revenue from their latest project. Give them their goals, talk about how they can meet them, and even discuss any rewards they’ll receive for going above and beyond. If your employees feel like they have something to work toward, then they will be much more motivated when they come to work every morning.
3Schedule individual meetings with your employees. Though you may feel like you really don’t have the bandwidth, if you want to be a better boss, then you should schedule individual meetings with your employees to better understand their work style and to show that you care. Try to schedule these at least monthly, if you can, and they’ll appreciate the fact that you took the time to chat with them individually. Even if you only meet with each employee for fifteen minutes, this will be a sign that you’re a caring boss.[3]
4Don’t play favorites. Of course, everyone has favorites, but if you want to do the best you can at your job, then you have to be able to hide your preferences. Remember that everyone at your company is contributing something, and that if you clearly favor some employees over others, then your preferences will be known and your less-favored employees will resent the people you favor and will feel like they can’t win. Though you may clash personalities with some employees, you should try to be equally kind to everyone, and offer the same rewards to employees for doing the same thing.[4]
5Organize social events for your employees. Though you don’t have to do all of this yourself, having someone in charge of a social committee can help your employees feel more like they’re part of a team. You don’t have to go to work happy hours or out to lunch with your employees if that feels weird, but attending a yearly Christmas party, having a work softball league, or being part of a volunteering work organization can help you get to know your employees and can make them feel happier in the workplace, too.[5]
6Acknowledge your employees’ birthdays or milestones. Though it may sound kind of silly, sending around an email, bringing a birthday cake, or writing a card can really make a difference in whether or not an employee feels valued at a company. These little acknowledgements will show your employees that you see them as people and that you care about their lives and accomplishments. It also shows them that you see them as people, not just machines, and makes them feel cared for and valued.
1Get in 15 minutes earlier. You may not think that getting in to the office 15 minutes earlier will have an impact on how your employees view you, but in fact, this can change the course of your entire day. Getting in earlier will give you time to get settled, will keep you from forgetting an important appointments or meetings, and it will make you feel less stressed and overworked when your employees want to talk to you. This will help you be on top of your game and will make you look more approachable to your employees; they’ll be more excited to talk to you if they don’t feel like you’re going to say that that things are “super busy” all the time.[6]
2Don’t lose your temper. Of course, we all lose our tempers and it happens to the best of us. If you’re in charge of a company, then there are plenty of reasons for you to lose your cool once in a while. Still, if you feel yourself getting heated, then you should excuse yourself and return when you feel more calm. You may even need to shut yourself up in your room and take a few deep breaths before you can return to what you’re doing. And if you lost your temper in front of employees, do the mature thing and apologize.[7]
3Be accountable for your mistakes. If you’re the boss, then everything that goes wrong at the company is your fault to a degree. If an employee is underperforming, then it may be because you hired someone who wasn’t a good fit for the job, or because you weren’t clear about the expectations you had for a certain project. You should make it clear that you could have done your job better whenever the moment arises, and if you’ve flat-out made any mistakes, like insulting an employee, missing a meeting, or being late, then apologize for that as well.[8]
4Be consistent. Another thing you can do to be a better boss is to be more consistent about your expectations. If you want employees to focus on customer service, don’t get angry with an employee for spending a long time with a customer who didn’t buy anything. Make your priorities and expectations clear, so that your employees know what you want. Don’t praise them for something one week and then ask them to do it differently the next. If they feel like you’re not consistent, they’ll get the sense that they can never win.
5Listen more than you talk. You may think that being a boss is all about giving out mandates, telling your employees exactly what to do, and spouting off numbers, but in fact, it’s far more important to listen to employees so you can have a better sense of how to run your workplace. If you take the time to hear them out during meetings, ask them lots of questions, and ask for ample feedback, then you’ll be getting a lot of ideas for how you can run your workplace more smoothly. What’s more, your employees won’t see you as a talking head, but as a person who really cares about what they have to say.
6Be friendly without trying to be best friends with your employees. You don’t have to try to be BFF with your employees — and in fact, you don’t want to be that boss who hangs out with his employees all the time, because that can send mixed messages in the workplace. Still, nothing is stopping you from saying hi to your employees, stopping to chat if you have a minute, or just having a smile on your face if you walk by them. If you storm by them without even looking in their direction, they may not think that you care.
