10 Tips For Becoming An Effective Boss

December 13, 2016

The modern workspace environment has undergone a considerable change. The lines between employee and employer aren’t as clearly defined as they used to be. Because of this, being an effective boss has become infinitely more complicated than it was a few years ago. Small business owners may find this especially difficult because many lack management experience and may not know how to interact with employees as their leader.

Fortunately, most leaders eventually grow into their roles and develop their own leadership style but here are some tips that can help you.

1. Don’t Be a Boss

This might seem contradictory but most modern entrepreneurs follow this advice with great success. Being a boss puts you on a different level in comparison to the rest of the team and creates a barrier. Instead of being an aloof entity that sits at the helm of the organization, you can be a team member that offers direction and guidance. Yes, sometimes you will have to enforce your authority; but if you’re a good leader, you should be able to do it without causing any major issues.

2. Develop a Two-Way Relationship

You hire employees because they have the skills you need to run your business successfully. For example, in a web development company, you might hire a graphic designer to create custom graphics while you handle the programming and coding side of things. It’s important to acknowledge that your employees have a different skill set from your own. This will help you develop a two-way relationship where you can help them when they need it and they can help you when you need it. This type of relationship will help to contribute to the overall success of your company.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Reinforce Authority

The office environment (especially in small businesses) is very casual and easy-going. Employer and employees usually have a friendly relationship and rapport, which can make things awkward when the boss has to deliver criticism or reprimands. Leadership isn’t just about guidance; it’s also about control and monitoring. You need to make sure your employees perform at their best level, and sometimes you need to showcase your authority for that to happen. Employers who don’t know when to use their authority or hesitate to do so can often lose control of their team and this can lead to disaster.

4. Criticize Privately

There’s nothing more embarrassing than getting publicly criticized, especially in the workplace. This can make your employee feel resentful and insulted. If you have to criticize or reprimand your employee, you should do it in the privacy of your office in a reasonable tone. Mistakes can happen and they can be a learning opportunity. You should give your employees the room to grow and gain from these experiences. These errors and corrections can turn a rough stone to a diamond so it’s important to be patient.

5. Be Open to Suggestions and Criticisms

As mentioned before, your employees might have a dissimilar skill set in comparison to yours. They might also have a different perspective on different problems and projects. It’s important to take their suggestions and criticisms into account. You should create a workplace environment that encourages open conversation and ensures your employees feel comfortable approaching you. This will help your company and team grow in a healthy manner, which will have an overall positive impact on your reputation. Some business owners fear this may compromise their authority. But if you handle criticism wisely, you’ll only earn the respect of your team.

6. Acknowledge Contributions and Achievements

People like acknowledgement and appreciation for their work and if they get it, they strive to work harder. As a leader, you need to motivate your team and show them how their efforts have contributed to the growth of your company. This will help to encourage brand loyalty and make them feel like they’re an essential part of your establishment. If your employee bags a big client or your team successfully completes a big project to the customer’s satisfaction, let them know publically and reward their efforts in a small but meaningful way.

7. Communicate with Your Team

If an employee makes a mistake and causes a big problem, it’s easy to jump on the blame bandwagon and reprimand them for their mistakes. Sometimes, the cause of such mistakes is actually the result of poor communication and lack of clear instructions. You need to communicate clearly with your employees at all times and make sure they understand what you’re trying to say. You should also take some time to understand your employees and their capabilities. That would allow you to understand their strengths and weaknesses and guide them accordingly.

8. Meetings should be Short, Sweet, and Few in Number

For some reason, many leaders have this compulsive need to have meetings as often as possible. They see it as a way to stay on top of all problems but it doesn’t work and meetings tend to become a waste of time. You don’t need weekly, monthly, quarterly meetings to stay on top of the game. Meetings are just a forum to discuss problems, make critical decisions with employee input, and ensure your company is reaching its goals. You should keep them lean and efficient, which would be a better utilization of your time and ensure they’re truly beneficial.

9. Understand You’re the Face of Your Company

Leaders are guiding lights that decide the direction a company takes. Your business ideals become your company’s ideals, so it’s important to ensure you lead your business responsibly and have good ethics. You’ll be the face of your company and your actions and comments will have a direct impact on your establishment’s reputation and employees.

10. Hire the Right People

In small businesses, every employee is vital so it’s important to choose them carefully. Your core team should be skilled, experienced, and trustworthy while your other employees need to contribute to the overall success of your company. It’s important to hire people who will work well with you and respect your authority and leadership.

If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to lead your company to success. Moreover, you will be a respected and efficient boss, which can help to establish a great reputation in your industry.