Whether you are starting a business or have been running one for several years, you can always become a better manager. It takes time, skill, and serious dedication to become a good boss. In effect, you don’t want to drive people away for a lack of leadership qualities. Instead, incorporate these traits into your daily work routine to become a better manager.
Communication and knowing your employees
At some point on the job, something will break down or go haywire and there will be miscommunication between boss and employee. Effectively communicating during crunch times or when the pressure is on is a great way to be a better manager. Focusing on having consistent messages and clear guidelines can set both your business and employees up for success. Clearly and concisely explain what needs to be done and the guidelines they should follow. They will come to understand how you work, and you will come to understand how they work. Effectively, they learn how to communicate to you on your level.
On the other hand, to be a better manager you have to learn how to talk to different people in different ways. That means you need to get to know them and make them feel part of a team. Some members of your team will respond well to laughter and jokes, others may want to be serious and want guidance. You can be a better manager by understanding your employees and what they want out of this job. Although they may just be there for the paycheck, that doesn’t mean they can’t learn new things and come to enjoy it.
Celebrate success and invest in people
One of the best ways to get to know your employees and get them to trust you is to celebrate successes. You can do this daily, weekly, or monthly by setting goals for employees to hit. However, I would argue it’s not just about the winning “employee of the month” and getting an extra day. Doing things like:
- Encouraging them during work
- Telling people they are doing a good job
- Encourage learning or bettering oneself
- Being understanding when an employee is going through a rough time
Investing in employees makes you a better manager because you create a better work environment. Employees will be more comfortable around you and feel good about coming to work. Good employees leave bad bosses and I’m a big believer in that. When employees feel like they are being treated correctly and have a boss that wants to help them improve their life it becomes a lot easier to do extra work and commit to company goals.
Admit mistakes
Oftentimes, bad managers let their pride get in the way or will try to place blame on someone else. If you make a mistake, you need to own up to it, both to your boss and to your employees. This isn’t just about times when you mess up on an assignment. You can also admit your mistakes when you’ve handled something incorrectly or don’t know about a procedure. Admitting when things go wrong and why is better for everyone involved. Be a better manager by moving past mistakes, and coming up with solutions.
Be consistent in procedure, but flexible for surprises
Remember how we mentioned clear communication earlier in order to be a good manager? That goes hand-in-hand with setting up clear guidelines and procedures for everyone to follow. Establishing consistent protocol and consistent repercussions if certain standards are not met is key to establishing how operations will be run. However, understand that things can go wrong, and surprises will occur. Helping your employees instead of automatically berating them for not solving the problem will go a long way in establishing trust between you and them.
Explain and measure ways to improve performance
To be a better manager, you want to be upfront that you will be measuring employee performance. In addition, you need to explain the standards by which someone will be graded and how they can improve their performance. Teach them and show them the correct model for doing tasks and procedures or interacting with customers. Your business success is directly tied up in theirs’s so why not give them the tools to succeed? The best managers practice what they preach and invite others to learn what they can. It’s about being a leader through compassion and kindness. It may not be easy, but helping your employees improve their performance can give them valuable skills to help them later on in life, whether they continue to work at your business or move on to somewhere else.
Like this content and want more? Subscribe to Dock Line Magazine and receive free content like this in your email!
