A couple of months ago, I wrote about handling difficult bosses and it got me thinking, what does a good boss look like and how can you ensure that YOU are one when the time comes?
1. Know your onions: To be a good boss, you’ve got to know what you’re doing; none of that barely getting by and cutting corners to get to the top. There’s nothing like a boss who knows their stuff. Oh, the joys of working under a maestro, an expert, a master of the game! If you’ve never had one of those “Nah, MD is good!” moments, I have been there, and I can tell you that this is the kind of boss we all dream of working with and learning from, and this is the kind of boss you want to be, at any level.
2. Motivate and mentor: Beyond knowing what he/she is doing, a good boss is a mentor of sorts. The best-loved bosses, the ones whose employees go the extra mile to please them, are bosses who are generous with their time, energy and attention not to spoon-feed employees, but to guide, instruct and coach. The opportunity to learn and grow is one of the perks of working under a seasoned professional, so when you’re a boss whose door is always open, your employees can’t help but love you.
3. Respect your staff: Good bosses know that respect is not one-sided. They know that they’re not doing their staff a favour by “giving them a job”, and they appreciate the fact that value is being exchanged for money. They respect their staff and treat them decently, and in return they have junior colleagues who don’t merely defer to their professional authority, but truly respect and honour them. This atmosphere of mutual respect comes with a morale boost that raises performance levels incredibly.
4. Care about your staff as human beings: In an attempt not to get chummy, or cross the line over to unprofessional behaviour, many bosses have become hardened and oblivious to their employees’ welfare and wellbeing. When your employee is ill and you show genuine concern, or when you know that they live far away and so you refrain from keeping them at the office late, you show a human side that every one of us connects with. It does not take anything away from you as a boss. Rather, it makes you a boss who is not merely feared, but loved and respected.
5. Pay them what they’re worth. Good bosses know that it is to their detriment to have employees who are constantly looking for other jobs. They reward their resourceful, hardworking and dedicated staff with rich remuneration, instead of leaving them to be snatched by others who can clearly see their value. When an employee is due for a raise, a good boss makes it substantial, and whatever bonuses they deserve, a good boss sees that they get. Bosses who treat their employees this way are not only loved; they reap even greater loyalty and dedication in return, which leads to greater success on a consistent basis.
Be that boss employees will always be grateful to have worked with!
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Thanks for this beautiful piece of art.