1. Show Your Employees That You Really Care About Them.
You don't need to become best friends with your employees. However, your friendly attitude and respect toward your employees will go a long way. You should learn to treat people, and your employees in particular, just like you would like them to treat you. Find out what concerns your employees may have, demonstrate your genuine empathy toward their concerns, and try to alleviate these concerns.
2. Be Prepared To Take Responsibility For Your Actions.
Don't be afraid to be wrong on some occasions. Since nobody is perfect, you are also allowed to make mistakes. If you do, be prepared to admit your mistakes and show your employees that by admitting a mistake, it will only make a person stronger and better prepared not to repeat the same mistake again. Never blame your employees for your mistakes - this is not fair and it will only make things worse.
3. Show Genuine Respect Toward Your Employees.
Remember: "what goes around comes around". If you want your employees to respect you, you should be prepared to show them respect first. Since you are the "boss", your employees will show their respect toward you whether you are right or wrong. However, if you want your employees to show you a genuine respect - you should show them how this is done by treating them accordingly.
4. Be Prepared To Compliment Your Employees When They Do A Good Job.
Always be prepared to praise your employees for above-average performance. Remember, that verbal recognition may be much more rewarding than money. Hopefully, all your employees are motivated to perform their job well. So, when they actually achieve above-average results, they will certainly appreciate "emotional compensation", which will stimulate them and all other employees to continue with excellent performance.
5. Cultivate The Culture Of Independent Thinking Among Your Employees.
Develop a culture of "out-of-the box" thinking and entrepreneurial attitude among your employees. This will stimulate them to take the initiative, identify problems, and provide your organization with the best possible solutions in various areas of operational activities.
6. Be Prepared To Learn From Your Employees.
Only ignorant people "know everything". Be prepared to admit to yourself that you don't have all the answers all the time. In fact, it is a smart policy to employ people who may know more about certain subjects than you do. For this reason, always keep an open mind and be prepared to learn from your employees and develop a culture of mutual learning from each other on a continuous basis.
7. Demonstrate Enthusiasm And Confidence.
You should remember that your behavior in the workplace will be mirrored by your employees. If you are sad, they will be sad, if you are enthusiastic - they will have a better chance to be enthusiastic too. Since you are the "boss" - you must create a "good mood" in your organization and this will motivate your employees to demonstrate a positive attitude toward their work and improve your company's performance.
8. Keep An Open Two Way Communication Within Your Organization.
Don't try to be a dictator in your business. Your employees will appreciate a culture of open two-way communication within your organization. You should encourage your employees to openly express their concerns regarding your company's operational activities and any problems which they may experience in the workplace. Only through open and honest communication you will be able to achieve the best possible results and maximize your company's performance. Avoid "politics" in your organization at any cost.
9. Help Your Employees As Much As You Can.
Ensure that your employees' performance is monitored and evaluated on a continuous basis. When you identify a specific problem related to a particular employee's performance, adopt a constructive approach and find a way to resolve this problem by "inviting" the employee to adopt improved working methods. Learn to "pull employees by showing them a better way", instead of "pushing" the employees by criticizing their performance and punishing them.
10. Develop High Standards Of Performance Within Your Organization.
Visualize high level of performance by your organization and translate your vision into reality by setting high standards for your employees. As a business leader, it is your duty to set your organization's performance standards. If you set these standards high enough and create a culture of high level of achievement, your employees will gladly follow your lead. Make sure that all employees understand what is expected of them.
11. Be Direct With Your Employees.
Don't try to be a "poker player" with your employees. Be as open as you can and let your employees know how you feel about their performance. If you feel that a particular employee performs on an above-average level, don't be afraid to express your appreciation. If you feel that some employees fail in performing their tasks, be prepared to evaluate the reasons behind their failure and do your best to assist these employees to improve their performance. Never leave your employees guessing about what you think. Be direct with them and ask them to be direct with you.
12. Keep Your Employees Informed.
Don't be overly secretive about your business. On the contrary, be prepared to share pertinent information related to your organization with your employees. Remember that your employees are part of your team and you should treat them accordingly. If you have concerns, be prepared to share them with your employees and you will motivate them to work harder and smarter to improve overall performance and, possibly, to reduce the underlying reasons for your concerns. If your employees can see the "big picture", they will have a better chance to help you to maximize your company's performance.
13. Encourage Your Employees To Show Initiative, Innovation, And Ingenuity.
Don't play the "not invented here" game. Some business owners have excessive ego and they want to be the only source of all good ideas. On the contrary, you should encourage all your employees to think "kaizen" and be prepared to participate in the process of continuous improvement within your organization. The only way for you to ensure above-average operational performance, is to encourage your employees' participation in kaizen events, quality circles, and continuous "out-of-the-box" thinking attitude.
14. Practice Hansei - Self-Reflection.
Don't think that you are right all the time. Learn to be humble and practice self-reflection on a continuous basis. Do not allow your prejudices or biases to interfere with the way you treat your employees, or your evaluation of their performance. You can achieve best results by showing your employees that you are not better that they are because you are their boss. You simply have more responsibilities and by demonstrating your humility, you will stimulate higher level of respect and motivate your employees for superior performance.
15. Always Remain Flexible.
Remember that flexibility is the key to success in every business. The fact that you have done something one way since you started your business does not mean that it has been done right. Always be ready to change for something better and "never rest on your laurels". Learn to appreciate what you have, but never be satisfied with what you achieved and try to become better tomorrow. If you create this culture within your organization, your employees will adopt your values and this will be the best prescription for your organization to maximize its performance in the long run. |