With summer vacation over and offices fully staffed again, September is a great month to focus on becoming a better boss. Many women in management feel they have to outperform their male counterparts just to be considered as equally talented. Instead of working harder to outperform someone, try working differently. As conventional wisdom often results in mediocrity, I have found that the best bosses do the opposite of what an average boss does. Here are some unconventional tips to being a great boss.
1. PUT THE CUSTOMER SECOND, AND EMPLOYEES FIRST.
Many managers use the common axiom, “put the customer first.” But by doing so, they can overlook the people who are responsible for developing the customer experience – their employees. Customers and clients can immediately sense when employees are miserable, overworked, or under trained. Great bosses concentrate on making certain that their employees are happy, healthy and trained properly so they can do the work.
2. DON’T USE FEAR AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL.
Fear is the bad manager’s favourite emotion. Why? Because it works. But remember it works in the same way crash-dieting works: you can lose five pounds in a week by starving yourself, but it is not sustainable. Managers who operate through implied or obvious threats will get what they want – but the best people will leave as quickly as they can find a way out. When employees are worrying about whether they will be fired, criticized or humiliated, their brains are in survival mode, just to get through the day. Great bosses know that creativity and innovation are essential to success. They don’t use fear as a management tool, instead they focus on positive emotions that bring out optimism, hope and confidence in their teams.
3. HIRE PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU.
Average bosses like to be the smartest person in the room. They think it is their job to know all the answers and give them to their employees. But by acting this way, they deprive their employees of the opportunity to grow and think on their own, which is essential for solving problems. They end up hiring people who keep the status quo rather than improve the organization. Great bosses hire smart people because they don’t limit themselves to their job descriptions. Smart people go above and beyond the call of duty as they realize their most important job is to help the company expand. Great bosses don’t need to have all the answers; they just need a team of smart people.
4. MEASURE YOURSELF BY YOUR WORST EMPLOYEES.
Bosses like to point to their top performers as a sign of how successful they are as managers. However, the success of a top performer is often a reflection of that person’s drive and ability, not just what the manager did. Great bosses know that the real measure of a manager’s skill is how he or she handles the poor performers. Your worst performers illustrate exactly what you, as a manager, are willing to tolerate. Providing proper training and goal setting will help improve poor performers. If performance does not improve, then it is time to let them go.
5. FOCUS ON FUTURE TRENDS NOT PAST FINANCIAL REPORTS.
Many bosses use monthly or annual financial reports to prove they are good managers. While that is useful management tool for financial purposes, it is important to remember that these reports represent the history of what has happened. Focusing on them is like trying to drive a car while looking in the rear-view mirror. Great bosses know that the only way to get good financial figures in the future is to focus on what is currently happening in the business and industry. Concentrate on getting your employees to stay abreast of current and future trends. By putting your employees first, fostering innovation, hiring people smarter than you, improving your worst performers and focusing on the future, you are on your way to becoming a great boss.
By Theresa Weber
ABOUT THERESA WEBER:
Theresa Weber is the President and Co-Founder of Alexandria Consulting Team (ACT) LLC, an international management consultancy. Terry is also editor of the daily e-newsletter: MENA #WomeninBusiness Forum Follow @TheresaFWeber and @ACT_LLC
