So now I’m giving you the tips I wish someone had given me 15 years ago. When you follow these ways to be a better boss, you’ll find:
More respect Higher performance More peace of mind when you leave the office Effective relationships with your direct reports Better results.
These tips can save you years of frustration as the boss, boss-in-waiting, and even as an employee.
The Most Important Thing About Becoming a Better Boss
It’s crucial to realize upfront that being a “better boss” is a matter of perspective. One boss might be a godsend for one employee and then an absolute nightmare for another. Your “better boss” classification is always based on opinion, so it’s never the absolute truth. For example, your employees might interpret asking questions about a particular project as you being a distrusting “micro-manager”, or maybe they interpret it as you just showing concern over their workload. Or, an employee might interpret delegation of responsibilities as you not being involved enough in day-to-day activities and that you’re afraid to roll-up your sleeves; while another employee may interpret the same actions as showing you trust your team and want to empower them to make an impact. Whatever the employee’s opinion is, it always says more about the employee than it does about the boss. This challenge leaves most bosses in the lurch, trying to guess what their employees will think and then trying to strategize an approach to fit the employee. While this can work, I’ve personally found it to be stressful and incredibly frustrating. There’s a far more effective way to be a better boss, if you just follow a few guidelines.
Try These Ways to be a Better Boss:
The Final Way to Be a Better Boss
The final way for being a better boss is to take action. Action puts the strategy in motion and inspires the team to get the job done. Select one of the 13 ways to a better boss above, and write it on a post-it note beside your computer. Use it a reminder to try it in your work day. Notice the difference. Share it to inspire your team.
