Be a Successful Boss
There is a fine balance between skills and professionalism that you must maintain if you want to be a successful boss. You must learn how to effectively and fairly manage your employees. You also need to work not only at a peak production, but also to keep your upper management satisfied and happy as well.
Steps
- Introduce your plan to upper management.
- Make sure to have clear cut goals for your department and reasonable plan to achieve these goals. Your plan should lay out targets for both you and your team to achieve along the path to the goal. This will give you a measurable means to track your progress. You can reward your team when the project is on schedule, and also have a visual for discussion when production is running behind.
- Discuss policy and company rules, as it relates to your project. This is to show your superiors that your plan incorporates a firm understanding and application of both policies and rules. This will prove that you are prepared to handle any situation where policy and procedures are not being strictly followed, allowing you to take swift action to rectify the situation.
- Ensure all of your training is up to date. If you have been with your company for many years, ensure all your certificates and training are up to date. Are you up to date on all software upgrades? Your firsthand knowledge will come in handy when discussing an employee's experience. It will also offer you insight as to where a new employee may need training or upgrading.
- Know your company's definition of success. Some companies measure it on profit margins alone, while others combine it with employee retention and happiness. Either way, make sure that you have a clear understanding of how they define success so that you can manage your team accordingly.
- Project confidence and willingness to those you manage.
- Knowing that you have a competent boss is important for an employee to be happy at work. If you display uncertainty or weakness, it can diminish the confidence your employees have in you. As well, you risk losing their respect.
- Roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Show your team that you are willing to work as hard as they do, side by side. Just because you are management does not mean that there are jobs that you will not do. Instead it means that you have been given the task to lead the group, working with them towards the goals of the company. Show them that there is no "i" in "team"!
- Continue to improve communication skills.
- From listening to an employee going through a personal crisis to holding the weekly team meeting, knowing how to relate to your employees is vital. You need to show compassion and understanding to your employee, then be completely composed to hold the attention of the room during your team meeting. Communicating appropriately while holding your composure are vital skills in gaining respect of your employees.
- Institute an Open Door policy with your staff. As manager, you will be the person that the employees all come to for help, advice and encouragement. Let them know that your door is always open. Be kind and approachable, while maintaining a boundary of professionalism.
- Lead by example.
- If you expect your employees to show up on time, take an hour for lunch and work until 5 p.m., then you should be doing the same. Some employees may justify similar behavior by having witnessed you doing it. More likely, they will assume you are taking management privileges. That can be detrimental to morale. Do not put yourself in that position. Keep up the motivation and feeling of team, by showing that you work as long as they do.
- Managing by gaining the respect of your employees is far more effective than leading with an iron hand or using an attitude of "because I said so!".
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