Being a good boss isn’t about giving orders. That’s what a dictator does. An effective manager should to lead by example, show respect for his or her employees, and inspire subordinates to give their best efforts.
It helps greatly if employees like their managers. It takes an incredibly rare individual to be unlikable but still charismatic, brilliant and lucky enough to become a successful boss, so taking steps to be more likable is a worthwhile investment of time and energy.
- Compassion – Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Would you respond to your management style? You’ve surely had bosses in the past. What qualities did you admire most in them, and are you displaying those same qualities? Approach every interaction with multiple points of view.
- Reliability – Employees have to know they can count on you. This means keeping promises, following through, being fair, always being prepared and being punctual. Reliability demonstrates your respect for the people under you and your commitment to providing them with an effective work environment. Furthermore, it sets an example for them to live up to.
- Flexibility – Being understanding and flexible is good for your employees’ health – and that’s good for your company. A willingness to accommodate your employees’ personal lives can get the best out of them while making them feel valued, keeping satisfaction high and turnover low.
- Friendliness – Everyone wants to matter, so make your employees feel like you care. Learn their names; greet them when you see them, ask how their day is going, and get a sense of what’s going on in their lives. Creating an air of friendliness makes you seem more approachable when they have problems you might be able to solve or new ideas that could benefit the company.
- Positivity – Moods are contagious, and a leader who is often visibly angry or frustrated is likely to pass that onto his or her employees, harming morale and denting productivity. Conversely, a supervisor who brings a positive, supportive attitude into work is going to spread that desirable mental state among the staff.
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