“By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.” — Robert Frost
If you were to look back in your life and describe the best boss you’ve ever had, how would you describe them? There are so many possibilities, and one of the most difficult things about being a great boss is that everyone would like something “just a little different”.
Some employees like their boss for reasons far removed from the actual function of an employer. “He lets me leave early every Tuesday so I can take my kid to soccer.” Or, “He paid for my vacation.” Generous, yes, but these kinds of things generally fall more under the category of a “nice person” and not necessarily a “good boss.”
I know the word “boss” meets with different opinions. This blog is in many ways a message that it doesn’t matter what word you use, from supervisor / manager, there are good leaders and bad ones – and a few in between who are just average. If you are responsible for one employee, ten, or hundreds I’m sure you want to be a great “boss”.
I’ve had the leadership role of a “boss” for a long time now. Some days of mine are better than others, and I see my role as a very privileged responsibility and sacred trust – but I don’t take myself too seriously. That’s important – Don’t ever take yourself too seriously.
I wanted to share just a couple of nuggets that I’ve learned over the years that are important traits of being “the boss”.
1. Don’t EVER treat your employees like hired hands. One of the most basic needs of a human being is to be treated with respect. Regardless of the status of a person’s job, a good boss interacts with each person in a way that communicates dignity and respect.
2. Invest generously in your employees. Financial generosity is good, but this point I’m making is not only about money. You have to be a good steward with what has been entrusted in you from God. But treating your staff with a spirit of generosity is much larger than their paycheck. You can invest in your Team just by making sure their personal and career growth is in your highest interest. I refer to this as doing everything we can to make sure our team is the best version of themselves. Both personally and professionally!
3. Don’t be a Jerk! Nobody wants to be around that, let alone work for that. Remember that your authority is borrowed. One of the great gifts you can invest in those who report to you is to be always demonstrating grace and humility. Giving grace doesn’t mean you are sloppy or weak; it communicates a humble and generous spirit in you. And to be candid, no one wants to work for a prideful boss. You are in the position you’re in because your Team chooses you to be there. Not because of a position on an org chart.
4. Don’t lower your standards. You are responsible for your areas or the overall success of your business or department / team. So while you want to be liked, sometimes you will be unpopular. Don’t have your Team follow you because they like you. That might work in the short-term, but you won’t get to greatness with those results. You want your People to follow you because you get things done! Producing results will demand the courage to deal with poor employees and to sometimes have to confront good employees. You will quickly lose credibility if you don’t solve problems, especially with problem employees. For example, if you have someone who has a bad attitude, or comes in late several times a week, or is not getting their work done, you need to do something. Correction is needed and you may need to terminate them if they don’t turn-around in a timely fashion! As the boss, your integrity as a leader is on the line by how you handle these situations!
5. Provide top notch training and mentoring for your Team. This is quite often what separates the average boss from the good boss and great boss. So few do this and it makes all the difference! It’s not as complicated as it looks, but does require intentionality, passion and consistency. Under the umbrella of training, separate equipping and developing. Equipping is the process of teaching a person how to do the specifics of their job. I’d hope at a minimum you are doing that! Equipping enables each person to accomplish the primary functions of their job. Developing is training that is less about how to do the specifics of a person’s job and more about helping that person become a the BEST version of themselves!
As you reflect on the thoughts in this teaching, how are you doing as “the boss”? Remember this… Your people could choose a new boss anytime they want to. Yet they chose you! Why? Are you doing anything and everything you can do to be a better leader so that you can pour that back into the people of your organization? It’s NEVER too late to turn it around! Make everyday count in your pursuit to greatness! Everything and everyone around us gets better when we as leaders get better. And never forget that!