Years ago, people didn’t really like their boss. In fact, they would express fear when asked about their relationship with their immediate supervisor. Bosses were secretive, conniving, and not to be messed with. Then came a new wave of bosses. These were the folks who wanted to be your friend. But they had a method to their madness. They wanted to get close to you so they could find out what motivated you so they could squeeze more work out of you. Again, it wasn’t a very positive relationship between bosses and employees.
If you are facing the very real possibility that you are going to be someone’s boss, don’t get too caught up in the past. You have the chance to be the boss you’ve always dreamt about — and yes you can be the boss everyone likes.
Here’s how:
Be Understanding
There’s nothing worse than working for someone who is inflexible or unrealistic. Be a better boss by being flexible and understanding of your employees. This is particularly important as millennial employees tend to put more emphasis on work-life balance then on becoming workaholics.
Learn to Communicate
A great boss is someone who is skilled at communicating with all different types of people. Communication skills can be learned over time and practice. Always have an open door communication policy with your employees. Learn to demonstrate compassion and also become a good listener when dealing with your employees.
Build Positive Relationships
You don’t have to be everyone’s best friend in order to be a good manager. However, you do need to be someone that others can respect and relate to. Take the time to get to know your subordinates and develop positive relationships with each person. Find out what motivates them and what their career goals are. Be an encouraging source of support to help people reach their full potential.
Recognize Your Team
Bosses who recognized the unique value in every individual are well on their way to being the boss that everyone admires. Evaluate your employees and identify their strengths as part of your team. Give regular praise and recognize the effort of your employees. Provide meaningful projects that honor the strengths of employees.
Set Reasonable Expectations
A good boss will recognize the human side of the business. They understand that each individual has specific talents, but that there are also certain limitations. When conducting performance reviews other employees, remember that the goals that you set must be reasonable and attainable within a certain amount of time. So too, the support and resources must be available. Don’t set unrealistic demands on people. Remember what it felt like to be put in this position by a previous supervisor.