As a manager, everyone wants to be respected and well-liked by their employees. Unfortunately, it’s a fine line to walk between being treated with professional deference and being treated like a friend who can be taken advantage of in the office. While it is important to maintain friendly relations with your team, as the boss, some distance must be maintained in order to preserve the working relationship. Here are some ways that you can ensure that you’re acting like the personable, yet respected boss everyone wants to work for.
Hire good people. A hallmark of a good boss is the quality of the people who makes up their team. When hiring and growing your team, group dynamics and collaboration is crucial for success. Employees who work in a highly functional team report greater job satisfaction and productivity, as well greater respect for the boss who leads them. During the hiring process, involve key members of the team in the interview process and ask whether or not they feel the prospective new hire would fit in well with the team. By hiring capable candidates who can work well with the existing team, you’re demonstrating that you have everyone’s best interest and success in mind.
Trust your team. Now that you’ve built an outstanding team, trust your employees to do their work. While you will still be required to make top level decisions and delegate the work accordingly, allow your team to work in their own way. Encourage them to creatively problem solve any issues that they may encounter, but make it clear that your door is always open should they need guidance or advice. If you micromanage your employees, the message you send out is that you don’t believe that they are capable of doing their work without oversight. Having faith in your team’s skills and ability, and giving them the freedom to achieve their potential will earn you points as a supportive and empowering boss.
Be honest. Communication and accountability are key to being a great boss. Employees do not like being kept in the dark regarding changes in the workplace. Secrecy will only breed mistrust and insecurity. Treat your team with respect by being honest and offer as much disclosure as possible and they will respect you more for it. This also applies whenever you make a mistake. Own up to it and use your example as a learning opportunity for the team.
Be a team player. Earn your team’s respect and loyalty by demonstrating your willingness towork alongside them when deadlines are looming. It’s vital for bosses to understand each team member’s function and to be able to do the job you’re asking them to do. While you shouldn’t push aside your managerial responsibilities on a daily basis, a good boss should always be able to get down in the trenches with his or her team should the need arise. At the very least, a good boss should know the ins and outs of each individual’s role well enough to offer practical and technical guidance.
Encourage a healthy work-life balance. Productivity and effectiveness requires a break from work every once in awhile and even the most capable and dedicated of employees need to
decompress and recharge. Be a good boss and encourage team members to maintain a healthy balance between work life and personal life. If you see you team struggling to complete a project or solve a difficult problem, offer a brief diversion or distraction to take their mind off the obstacle. Late nights in the office should not be routine and employees should be sent home if they hit a wall instead of forced to burn the midnight oil. Returning to the task at hand, re-energised and with a clear mind will be far more effective than insisting they push through the mental block.
