How to be a good boss

Times have changed. Recently, a friend was telling me how different it was to work in India again after having lived overseas. When he was away, people told him off for not saying his ¡°please¡± and ¡°thank yous" and here in India, his employer told him the diametrical opposite. He was told never to do this when the ¡®staff¡¯ does something as it their job, what they are paid to do, and hence, there is no need to be humble or grateful about it! I think my jaw dropped so low, we needed a crane to lift it! Therein, it seems, lies a cultural and a generational gap that desperately needs to be paved.

To me, this is just simple manners and politeness; this is what will gain you respect and love, which is always far more effective than ¡°fear¡±

I stumbled on an article in which they made a mockery of the old bosses and mentioned their old management strategies of ¡°divide and rule,¡± so that your employees can never stand up and unify to oppose you. ¡°Never give them credit," ¡°always give them less time than is needed to finish the job¡± (and then hold it against them in their appraisals) and lastly, ¡°always make mountains out of mole-hills.¡±

It was funny to read but I'm aware that some people still do treat their employees in these old-fashioned ways even today. Unfortunately, if you don¡¯t aim to inspire, lead by example, and truly wish the best of growth and success for each of your employees, you will not have a happy or healthy team.

A good boss is one who shows appreciation for each employee, seeing clearly how they contribute to his/her getting the job done. They value their employees and share the common vision and goals of the company with them. On that note, here are a few simple things you can incorporate into your 'leading' techniques for a better boss-employee relationship:

Trust

Trust not only that the employee will, but also that he is capable of delivering the job. Hence, bosses are able to delegate and give the employees enough and more information to make decisions with the bigger picture in mind. A good boss solves problems, offers feedback without pointing fingers in blame, and avoids nit-picking on petty details.

Humanize

We no longer live in the days where you could whip people into doing your bidding. Remember that your employees are people with needs and aspirations just like you, and the more you care about them, the more they will care about you and your company.

Make it Fun

Make the office a fun place to be, It has been proven time and again that people are more productive when they are having fun. Support and create fun interactions and brainstorming that would engage your employees from all different areas of the business and involve them activities that unify.

Talking Up vs. Talking Down

Check if you ¡°talk down¡± to your employees or whether you treat them like children. Remind yourself that they are adults and treat them as responsible ones. People often behave and deliver in the manner you expect them to--so revise your expectations upward!

Acknowledge & Appreciate

Acknowledge and appreciate good work and good effort. It is not always about the numbers; when you can see that your employee has put in his best, then let them know that you noticed and reassure them that it is not only about the results.

Coach them to see that failures are just feedback to teach them for the next time. Empower and support your employee¡¯s growth. It is alright to point out mistakes or to offer constructive criticism as long as you are just as generous with your compliments.

Share

Share as much information as you can about the business to ¡°include¡± your employees in the common goals and vision. They too want that sense of ¡°belonging¡± and when you have a team who receive fulfillment of that basic human need from the company they work for, you will have them as devoted employees for life.

Be Humble When Necessary

Be willing to admit that you don¡¯t know everything and be grateful when an employee can either show you or do some things for you. Never be jealous or feel threatened if an employee shows how good he is--it only adds to the strength of your team!

Conclusion

The bottom line--remember that they too have dreams and aspirations and that if through working for you they can grow and blossom to create more for themselves, then you have been a great boss. Most importantly, remember that "with great power comes great responsibility"

Malti Bhojwani is a certified life coach who offers her services at Multi Coaching International. When she's not teaching people how to be good bosses, she's helping scores of corporates, educational institutes, and individuals better themselves using her unique coaching techniques. She's also launched a free series of videos offering tips and advice; check them out here.