The manager / employee relationship can be a fraught one. Put two people in a situation where there’s potential for power play and you could be asking for drama. The responsibility for the smooth sailing of the dynamics within this relationship rests on the shoulders of the manager. No matter the personality type of an employee, a good boss should be able to navigate any kind of troubled water.
But is this always the case? Many managers it seems don’t have the people management skills to communicate properly, let alone encourage, engage or inspire their employees. This is unfortunate as not only can a bad manager affect employee happiness, they can affect career advancement and ultimately cause a perfectly good worker to quit.
Do you think you’re a good boss? Check your skills with these 5 questions:
1. Have you defined and communicated the vision for the business?
Knowing exactly what a business wants to achieve can give employees a sense of purpose and a greater sense of achievement when those goals are met. Meetings where you outline key strategic objectives and put deadlines in place makes people feel part of a team working towards a collective goal.
Rather than you giving a lecture in these meetings to a sea of glazed expressions ask for input and work together to help the business to succeed.
2. Do your employees know their individual performance goals?
Each person plays a part in the running of a business but most of the time the connection between daily duties and how they’re helping with its continued success is lacking.
Work with each employee one-to-one to share the vision, set performance goals and help them see a direct correlation between what they do and the bigger picture. Employees who make this connection are more likely to identify new ways for growth and productivity.
3. Do you provide opportunities for feedback?
Meeting regularly with each of your employees for a discussion on their progression will provide valuable feedback on both sides. Good managers can take on the role of teacher/coach/mentor when necessary to ‘clear the air’, provide a supportive environment, and aren’t afraid to have difficult conversations.
4. Do you provide opportunities for growth?
You may think you’re a good boss, but if someone is bored in their job and not given the chance to learn new skills, you can be sure they’ll be looking around for more meaningful work. Enable your employees to add to their CVs by helping them build on their strengths and delegate challenging work.
You’ll be viewed as a good manager if you let them know that they’re on your radar for wanting to up-skill. You’ll be seen as a great manager if you actually follow through.
5. Do you recognise a job well done?
Many managers will throw out a ‘nice job’ comment on occasion but personal recognition and rewards for a job well done can have a lasting effect on confidence, productivity and motivation.
High staff turnover is not good for the financial health of a business. So be the kind of boss that isn’t afraid to give credit where it’s due and employees will be much more likely to stay put, rather than look elsewhere.