A good boss is hard to find, and even the best employees will fail to meet expectations from time to time. How to manage people is often one of the most difficult aspects of being a boss and there is a delicate balance of being courteous and ensuring performance is high.
Manage each employee individually
Availability
Good bosses will be available to chat to their employees whenever they need them. Rather than managing people as ‘teams’ every individual will be treated as an important and respected member of the company.
Professional Development
Being provided with opportunities to grow and develop in a professional capacity will not only improve the quality of the work produced, but will also encourage external learning and increase motivation. Alongside this, the loyalty to the company will be given a boost, an issue many employers struggle with.
Be a teacher
Mentorship is an invaluable asset to an employee. Younger employees are especially influenced by the knowledge gained from colleagues, even if they do not work in their specific field.
Stay on track
Organise, organise, organise
Tasks management ensures none of the essential priorities are missed. Whether this is using a project management tool such as Asana, Trello or Basecamp, everyone will be able to take ownership for their specific tasks and manage these accordingly.
Expectations
Without expectations, there is a common trend for laziness to ensue. Set the expectations high, but reasonable. When these are met, take time to acknowledge this, and when they aren’t simply encourage your employee to find a strategy that will work better in the future. Feedback
Performance reviews are great, but if something needs to be addressed, do so as soon as possible. Be honest, giving clear direction and try to encourage initiative.
Listen
Ask questions
Feeling that they contribute and are valued will enable your employees to take charge and apply their ideas in a meaningful manner. Who better to assist you than those who know your company inside out?
Apply feedback
If someone makes a valid point, make sure you attempt to apply it, giving them credit. This promotes a stimulating culture - other employees will see this, and likely feel more inclined to do the same. ________________________________________________________________________
Every employee wants to feel as though they are worthy of the position and team they are in. To ensure this occurs, develop and encourage them. When they fall short, help them improve. Last of all, make sure you are empathetic but professional. A good boss can visualise being in their employees shoes and making sure both parties are improving and moving forward (in their own shoes…)
At Leadearly, we teach skills to make sure you will succeed, as both an employee and a boss. One of the most important skills we teach is the art of negotiation, which builds confidence and teaches win-win tactics, making everyone happy!