The success of any business all depends on the forceful productivity within the company. Meaning, the hardworking employees who actively produce a smooth-running business greatly impact a company reaching their full potential. Yet, dedicated and valuable employees do not perform at their best for bosses who provide a horrible structure lacking support and appreciation. Great employees and great bosses go hand in hand; you can not have one without the other. For great bosses to exist, a boss must first hire their employees while establishing an effective hiring process to ensure that they collect the best talent to work for their company. Every company’s hiring process sets the foundation on which a boss and their employees build the business’s growth and viability. A lot can be said about a boss that acquires a process of hiring, reflecting their effectiveness and finesse towards being a leader.
There are many critical steps to building a successful hiring process. One of the top priorities in the hiring process is knowing how to write a good description to attract high-quality candidates. A job description with a relevant title that includes more than the basics of the job responsibilities and requirements plays a significant factor in increasing the number of skilled applications a company will receive. A job description is a company’s sales pitch used to spark potential candidates’ attraction to work for that company. In general, crafting an appealing job description from the beginning paves the way for a successful hiring process. Another valuable aspect to include in creating a proficient hiring process is to use job posting sites to reach a potential job seeker. A company that uses a job posting site that they know their ideal candidate uses to search for their next career opportunity forms a bridge between the business and their potential candidates. Finally, there is no better way to have an organized and thorough hiring process than using an applicant tracking system that enhances the way a business hires. Most applicant tracking systems or ATS provide the tools to help a business stay on top of their hiring and improve the candidate’s experience when engaging with a certain company brand. Overall, the hiring process for every business impacts a business’s growth and supports the company culture that a company is attempting to create. Having a superior hiring process is the initial action that leaders or bosses must form to achieve greatness.
Additionally, there can not be enough said that great employees’ efficiency starts with having superior leadership. A strong leader provides practical guidance and supports their group with encouragement, trustworthiness, and improvements. More than ever, the need for great bosses is crucial to having long-lasting success for a business. Of course, reading the advice from well- known and highly successful business founders such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates is a wonderful way to gain insight into being a leader. However, receiving advice from other business owners who are currently working hard to be an awesome boss while scaling their company may offer you a different perspective that speaks to you on a personal level. We have asked several amazing individuals to share their advice and experience on what they believe it takes to be a great boss. Here are some fantastic approaches to learn from and be an outstanding boss.
15 Ways to Be a Great Boss
Dr. J. Salim DMD, Owner, and Founder of Sutton Place Dental Associates
“I respect everyone I encounter, including my employees, and treat them as though they were my family members. By so doing, you not only create a positive and productive work environment, but you also give them a voice. By giving them a voice and allowing their identities to shine, you gradually boost their self-esteem and confidence.”
“This positivity within the work environment will increase your business’ productivity, and your employees will feel part of the team. By remembering to treat your employees as people and friends and not as people you have hired to work for you, you gain their trust, and they begin to open up to you.”
“At the end of each working day, I also spend at least 15 minutes talking to all staff members about their lives, concerns, topics of interest, etc. I try to see if there is a way I can be of help to them, whether by offering suggestions or simply listening. Respecting their viewpoints of life, listening to what they have to say, and treating them as though they are your family members, will help create an empowering work environment, and they begin to also see you as a friend who cares, and not as their employer and boss.”
“Even though these extra times spent with staff throughout the day may seem counterproductive at face value, in reality, it is the exact opposite as it makes your professional life much more fulfilling and balanced. Also, from an ethical and moral perspective, it is definitely the right thing to do, and it is the best way you can increase their self-confidence and tap into your employees’ hidden potentials.”
Kevin Miller, CEO, and Founder of The Word Counter
Now more than ever, great leadership is key to keeping a business afloat. Communicating with employees is extremely important and should be done daily as well as in the form of one-on-one meetings and all-hands company meetings. With COVID-19 in full swing, we’ve found that full transparency is the best way to go. We are honest with employees and let them know exactly what to expect. During these difficult times, displaying that the employer and the employee are on the same page is critical.
Demonstrating we are in this together mentality goes a long way! An ethical leader must, above all, have integrity. In the business world and elsewhere, to have integrity means to match your actions to your values. In other words, walk the way you talk. Ethical leaders are the opposite of hypocrites – they are the same behind closed doors as they are out in the open when everyone is watching. An effective manager can have a tremendous impact on the morale and productivity of an organization. Employees don’t quit jobs; they quit bad managers. A good manager can retain great employees while handling operations and building an effective and healthy company culture.
“One of the most important aspects of being a good boss is setting good expectations and ground rules between you and your staff from the very get-go. This way, they clearly understand what is expected of them and what they should expect from you as their leader. You absolutely need to build rapport between you and your employees; otherwise, a disconnect could develop between their feelings and you. They must trust you and go to you for guidance, advice, etc. More communication and the ability to communicate effectively is crucial to succeeding in a leadership position.”
“In my opinion, being a great boss is about give and take. You can’t look at yourself as your organization’s high overlord whose ideas must never be challenged. This is a great way to make everyone who works for you to view you as a tyrant, and eventually, it will come back to bite you.”
“Instead, make peace with the fact that you don’t have perfect ideas or implementation 100% of the time, and input from people in other disciplines is always valuable. Be willing to listen. More than that, be willing to take criticism and respond to it by doing better. That is the mark of a truly great boss.”
“I feel being a great boss is about leading by example. You should strive to learn and grow as a person and a boss so your employees can do the same. It’s not right to ask people to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself.”
“In general, I feel modeling the behaviors you most want to see from your employees is a great quality for bosses, managers, CEOs, etc. It makes you a better and more understanding person, and it helps you create a workplace filled with people who are following your lead.”
“When focusing on being a great boss, it is vital to make sure your employees feel recognized and heard. Employees want to have a voice within the company; they don’t want to be taskmasters; they want to feel valued and needed. Understanding their needs and developing systems that showcase that appreciation is key to employee appreciation. Furthermore, it is necessary to stay on track with each employees’ development. It is up to the employer to challenge each employee with a steady pace of growth that is pushing them to learn but not at the speed of being overwhelmed.”
“With that considered, if an employee feels he/she is being pushed to their limits by the speed of their growth, they may start experiencing burnout. Besides, employers need to make sure there are visible opportunities to grow within the company. An employee should always have a viable position to be striving towards. It will motivate them to work harder as well as provide a visible success path within the company.”
“Lastly, integrating core values into the company culture that support the team members and place value on their best interest as well as encouraging open communication and feedback.”
“Staying connected and putting extra emphasis on communication is vital in maintaining great relationships with your employees. I have noticed employees experiencing burnout and struggling to get into a daily routine since being forced to work from their homes. It is a difficult time for everyone, but overall my employees have expressed gratitude to be able to continue to work throughout these unprecedented times.”
“As a leader, I’ve been more present and available to my team members. I do daily check-ins with employees to keep them on track and listen to any concerns or feedback they might have to offer. I need to keep my team happy, comfortable, and optimistic. A happy employee is a more productive and engaged employee.”
“In my company, I focus on inclusivity and transparency. It is vital to set up a stream of communication in which employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and making sure those thoughts are recognized. With feedback from our employees, we assign challenges to specific leaders to implement visible improvements in our company culture and daily workforce environment.”
“Furthermore, we encourage and offer help to find a healthy work-life balance for each of our team members. By trusting and empowering our employees, they feel appreciated and valued, which makes them more confident in their work.”
“As a business owner, I have built a company based on my employees; they are part of the team, so their health, welfare, and happiness are important to me.”
“My advice on how to be a great boss is to go the extra mile. Make your company environment safe and inclusive for all. Make sure your employees feel comfortable in expressing their concerns to you. Always be open to feedback. Work hard at building strong relationships by checking in regularly. Create a safe environment for employees to connect. Team building activities are a good way to get employees together. Lastly, provide support and understanding through offering solutions or just being available to listen.”
Jennifer Long, CEO & Founder of The Corporate Canuck
“I’ve been a multi-passionate entrepreneur for over a decade, taking on management roles in everything from a tea shop to a dance franchise to running a circus! Being the boss can be challenging, but I’ve learned a lot along the way.”
“Give your employees room to fail. They need to develop their own critical, solution-driven thinking. Get comfortable with the fact that it may look different from yours- that’s okay! Take those challenges, evaluate together what went wrong, and let them lead the plan for how to do it differently in the future.”
“Humans first. Yes, there are deadlines and work to be done but at the end of the day, choose human over productivity. That includes sick days with pay, being flexible with scheduling (where possible), and setting & respecting boundaries.”
“Learn your employees’ Love Languages. We all give and receive recognition in different ways. If you want your team to feel appreciated, learn the best ways to do so for THEM”.
Samantha Moss, Editor & Content Ambassador at Romantific.com
“Even before I started being a boss, I became an employee first, and I believe my experiences as an employee made me a better boss.”
“A good boss is a human, not a robot. They should be sensitive enough to the needs of their team. A good boss should also be aware of their actions because they are the role model of their team.”
“Employees shouldn’t feel awkward when talking to their boss because a good boss knows how to interact with their team in a way that they will feel comfortable and still respects the boss. A great boss should also serve as a guide to everyone, so they need to know how to give instructions properly so that their people will function effectively, even without the boss being physically there. Lastly, a boss should have a heart and takes care of their people, not just because they need them, but because the boss considers their team like family.”
“Bosses are one of the people behind a great company. They are the one who builds and nurtures employees to give a better performance to the next level. Bosses are one of the reasons whether you love to stay or quit in your job.”
“In my experience as the CEO of a company, there are a lot of struggles and challenges I encountered, but this is not a reason for me to give up. Instead, it gave me more motivation to do my work better. By this, I encourage my employees to do a good job at work. Here are my tips to be a great boss:”
“Get to know your employees. The more you get to know your employees, the more you will understand what is lacking in their performance. It will result in a good relationship between you and your workers.”
“Be a leader and a coach. A great boss leads his employees at work, someone who educates and enlightens them to work better and do their job nicely.”
“Give feedback. A boss needs to give feedback to his employees to correct their mistakes for better performance. Feedback is a way of learning.”
“Find employees’ unique talents. Observe what your employees’ talents are. In this, you can easily assign a task that they will enjoy and excel at. Recognizing talents in employees means that you are a great boss.”
“Give credits. Appreciate what your employees do for your company. A simple reward may bring happiness to your employees. Giving credits to their work will motivate them and increase their productivity.”
Anthony Babbitt, Change Management Consultant, Business Strategist, & Executive Mentor at Babbitt Consulting
“The most important advice I have on being a great boss is that bosses guide, not push or pull. A great boss is a leader showing the path, not someone pushing from the back. This means that your employees are just as integral to your success as your own management skills. Great bosses hire motivated employees and turn them loose to accomplish shared goals. Great bosses guide these employees and direct their efforts; they don’t provide the motivation for the job.”
“People often forget that being the boss is about your relationship with the people you manage. They have input into your success. The greatest boss in the world would fail with the wrong employees. Great bosses identify people who want to be successful and add them to the team. Along these lines, the best boss in the world is the best because of the people. Patton and Lee were great generals, but only because they led great armies (there are plenty of examples of great generals without great armies that were not successful). This fact is one of the reasons you see great coaches trading players to build the right combination for their teams.”
“In a nutshell, being a great boss is a team effort, and the boss is responsible for building the team.”
Laurie Wilkins, Founder and Editor of Call Outdoors
“Understand you employ real people. When you run a company, it can be difficult to keep in mind that your employees are real people with real lives – especially when you work in a high-pressure industry. Take time out to ensure that your employees are doing well not only in the workplace but at home too!”
“Be open to teaching. The business landscape is evolving quicker than ever before. Even the most experienced employees may need to be trained in updated processes or systems, so your employees must understand that you are always available to assist and bridge any knowledge gaps that they may be facing.”
“Be open to learning. As valuable as being open to teaching your team is, it is even more important to keep in mind that you may also learn from your staff.”
“Pay on time. This one might sound crazy, but many small business owners will attest to how difficult it can be to make salary commitments when you’re starting out (or even when your business is established). Be sure that your employees are always the first on your payment schedule – they’re the lifeblood of your organization! Remember that your employees will talk about the environment you create, don’t let late payment become what you are known for!”
“Don’t change deliverables (without clearing it with your team). Nothing creates a toxic workplace environment quicker than ever-shifting goalposts. If you need to change targets, project scope, or job functions, ensure that your team has agreed to it beforehand! If I need to make internal changes, I usually do so by drafting a letter to the persons affected, which I ask them to sign off on. If there are changes or queries that they would like made before finalizing decisions, I ensure that I attend to those before implementing anything.”
Brendan Heffernan, Writer & Editor at Dunk or Three
“As someone who has worked with great and terrible bosses in the past, and as someone who has managed people for the past 3 years, I can speak in great detail on what it takes to be a great boss.”
“To me, the hardest thing about being a great boss is straddling the line between an authoritative figure and someone who can relate with everyone on the team on their level. You want to act like you are one of them but keep that air of respect and authority when you have to make decisions and rally the troops. Some bosses have a gift of switching it on and off when they need to be the boss and when they can be part of the team and let the rest of the team let their guard down a bit. You never want people to dread or fear when you are around, but when it comes time to request something be done by your team, you expect them to do it immediately without question.”
“As someone who has worked for different types of bosses, the biggest thing I have noticed from bad bosses is the lack of self-confidence in themselves, which ends up being overcompensated through authoritarian leadership (or rule). Some people want so badly for the team to know and respect them as the boss that they lose focus on how they become the leader. People want to work for a leader; they can’t stand working for a boss.”
“The biggest thing I love that good bosses do is they trust their team. If I am asked to do something for a great boss, they will give me the freedom to create before coming in and giving their opinion. It gives me a sense of empowerment that can’t be beaten, and I begin to genuinely respect my boss to the point where I will go out of my way for them and the team.”
“Being a great boss is as easy as getting to know your employees, freelancers, and workers. Treat your employees like gold! Times are exceedingly tough these days. Everyone is stressed out, especially those who work for a living. Your employees are probably experiencing stress at home and work. As a boss, you’re in the perfect position to make their time at work less stressful.”
“I propose that rewarding your employees, getting to know them, and recognizing their hard work is probably the best way to become an excellent boss. If you can make your employees laugh and smile, even for a moment, then you’re on the way to becoming a boss that they remember for the right reasons!”
“Let your employees know that you appreciate their hard efforts. If you treat your employees right and acknowledge their achievements, then I think you’ll stand out in their lives as one of the best bosses they’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with and getting to know.”
“Remember that your employees might be more stressed than they’ve ever experienced. If you can help alleviate that stress in the workplace by leveraging your knowledge of how they operate and what makes your employees happy, then you can win the day as the coolest boss ever. “
