What It Takes to be a Great Boss

No one wants to be a bad boss. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them out there, and they make life a lot harder for their employees than needs be.

The thing is, many of them don’t realize that they’re bad bosses at all. They think they’re doing the right thing and they want to be liked by their employees – who doesn’t want to be like? – but one way or another, they end up getting it wrong. This is bad, not only for them and their staff but also for their business because unhappy employees are much less productive than happy ones.

So, how exactly do you ensure that you’re a great boss and an excellent leader? Well, here are a few things to start with:

 

Build Trust

If you want to be a good boss, then you need to gain the trust of every single employee in your organization from the janitor to the next most senior person in the company.

In order to do this, you need to be honest with your employees always; you need to be fair to them and have no favorites, and you need to avoid gossiping, especially about sensitive personal information – and that’s just for starters.

 

Improve Conditions

Well respected CEO Jozef Opdeweegh says that every good CEO should treat their staff right and he is right. If you want to be a good boss, you need to put your employees first, and a good way to do that is by improving the conditions they work in.

Whether that means adding more windows so they can benefit from natural light – something which boosts productivity too – or buying ergonomic furniture so they can work in more comfort (and avoid getting injured and taking more sick days).

Most of your staff will be happy and think of you well.

 

Don’t Explode

The worst kind of boss is the kind of boss who takes their bad day out on their ‘lowly’ employees. If you want to be a good boss, no matter how tough things are with your business, you should not fly into a rage at a poor receptionist who is just doing her job.

Go take your anger out at the gym or walk it off instead. Do anything to diffuse the situation without your staff getting in the crossfire.

 

Reward Good Work

Great bosses are bosses who value their staff and reward them well. Whether it’s giving them a bonus for completing an important project early or throwing a big end of year party where guests are given awards for their hard work, your employees will look much more favorably on you if you actually let them know you appreciate them.

Oh, you can and should do this by simply giving them a “Good job.” now and again too.

 

Invest in Development

Investing in the further development of your employees is the sign if a good boss and a smart entrepreneur. Employees like perks and they like to feel like they have the opportunity to progress, so paying for their professional development is a great way to ensure you’re a good boss.

It will, of course, also ensure that yours is one of the most highly skilled companies in the sector.

Want to be a great boss? You know what to do!