If you’re in management, there’s not much skill or creativity needed to receive the dubious distinction label of a “bad boss.” However, becoming an effective boss takes time and energy. This blog will focus on 9 ways to become an effective boss. When businesses face difficult periods of time such as high inflation, supply chain limitations, or even during a pandemic… a quality boss or supervisor is needed. That’s because employees look for and need a strong leader who can both motivate and provide moral support at the same time.
If you’re a business owner or manager, here’s an opportunity to determine if you meet the basic requirements of an effective boss. Read the questions below and see how many of the 9 ways to become an effective boss you would answer “yes” or “no:”
- Do you recognize your employees?
Do you take all of the glory when business is good? At the same time, if things go “sideways,” do you deflect all of the blame to your staff? An effective boss does the opposite. When your business is clicking on all cylinders, the effective boss stands in the background and lets the light shine brightly on the employees. Meanwhile, during difficult times or crisis situations, the effective boss is front and center. That’s because the effective boss realizes that a business can sink, or swim, based upon the contributions of employees.
- Do you instill confidence into your employees?
Are employees afraid to make decisions? It’s important for bosses to inspire an aura of belief in their employees so they can think for themselves. The trust relationship between employers and employees is critical to the success of every business. Employees need to know their roles in the organization. Meanwhile, their bosses must allow employees to do their jobs whatever their particular responsibilities might be. That’s where thorough employee training builds an environment of trust between bosses and their employees.
- Do you ensure that your employees aren’t expected to do more and more?
It comes with the territory, but an owner or manager usually spends more time at the office than employees. However, an efficient boss will make sure that employees don’t “burn themselves out.” Losing a good employee will merely add more hours to the work schedule of the boss.
- Do you correctly connect an employee’s salary to job performance and position?
Bosses hope their employees enjoy working for them. At the same time, employees enjoy receiving their paychecks. In determining an employee’s salary, effective bosses look at an employee’s job performance as well as the responsibilities associated with that position. Paying a fair salary is significant in retaining key employees. Otherwise, employers may end up with a never-ending revolving door of employee turnover.
- Do you emphasize your employees’ strong points?
Employees don’t want to be constantly reminded about their inadequacies. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. However, effective bosses realize that employee motivation flourishes through encouragement and recognition of the employees’ strong points. Through proper coaching and guidance, an employee’s weakness can be reduced or eliminated. Constantly reminding employees about their weaknesses without an improvement plan merely stifles performance.
- Do you carefully select the right people to hire and get promoted?
Effective bosses invest the time and resources needed in hiring and promoting employees. Ineffective bosses rush through the process. As a result, new employees or the newly promoted employees find themselves “in over their heads.” Effective bosses spend time asking the right questions and checking references to find and hire the right person for the right job. Similarly, effective bosses thoroughly review an employee’s performance, skills, and attitude before promoting that person into a position which includes more responsibilities.
- Do you nit-pick employees?
For some employees, they feel intimidated and under a constant spotlight if the boss is always questioning them. Some employees may need to be second guessed because they lack confidence in their jobs. However, the majority of employees welcome some type of freedom to do their jobs. That’s without the fear about being micromanaged as long as the employees complete what they’re expected to complete in their jobs.
- Do you back employees if they have any customer or vendor problems?
There’s the old saying that “the customer is always right.” That isn’t necessarily true 100% of the time. Therefore, in those circumstances where the customer is not right, the employees need to know if their boss will support them in those instances. There’s a good chance that highly valuable employees will leave a business if the boss does not back them. Efficient bosses know how to deal with these delicate situations without losing customers, employees, or both.
- Do you offer clear direction and straightforward expectations?
Employees do not want to be left in the dark as to what’s expected of them. Therefore, communication on behalf of the boss is key. Employees don’t want to get into a guessing game regarding their job responsibilities. Therefore, efficient bosses, through their leadership skills let their employees know what they should and should not do in their positions.
So…Are You an Effective Boss?
There’s no way around it. It costs time, money, and effort to find, hire, train, and keep good employees. An effective boss cannot cut corners throughout this entire process. Otherwise, there’s a revolving door of employees which results in fewer faithful customers and an overall negative impact on a company’s bottom line. Unmotivated employees ultimately become dissatisfied and usually leave with their jobs.
No matter how many employees work for a business, every boss needs to be competent and efficient. If a business expects to survive in today’s business climate, every boss needs to be a “jack of all trades” in motivating, engaging, leading, and creating a culture where employees want to work for you!
There are many more ways to become a successful supervisor, but these 9 ways to become an effective boss can point you in the right direction. So, how did you answer our nine-question quiz? Are you an efficient or inefficient boss? If you came up short with your answers, there’s always time to improve before it’s too late.
