If you want to be a great boss, let your integrity guide you.
Managing employees can be a rewarding experience or a difficult one depending on your approach. Like all relationships, the manager/employee interaction will grow with trust, respect, honesty, and clear communication or will whither and die from a lack of those qualities.
Think back to when you were an employee. Reflect on the worst boss you ever had. What made the relationship so difficult? Now reflect on the best boss you ever had. What was it about their style and interaction that supported you to be a good employee? If you haven’t experienced a good boss before, imagine one now – how would they supervise, communicate and delegate? Now take that a step further by realizing that each person requires a different approach in management. Being a great boss requires flexibility, not rigidity.
The most rewarding experience I had supervising employees was when I stepped away from viewing my staff as robots hired to do a job, and started seeing them as human beings here to learn, grow and contribute their skills to serving others. No matter what position a person has in the organization, he or she is offering something to someone. If she can find joy in doing that, she will thrive in the company (and be a great employee). It’s your job as a supervisor to support each employee with this endeavor.
This is where integrity comes into play. Offering your employees the same work experience you appreciate is an act of integrity. Do you want to be seen for who you are, not just what you do? Do you value upfront, clear communication? Are you a better employee when your boss offers you an appropriate amount of direction, guidance and trust? Or do you actually benefit from a cold distant boss who rarely says hello let alone mentors you to be the best you can be in your job? Or an over reactive supervisor whose micromanaging techniques leave you feeling untrustworthy and incompetent?
Here are four suggestions for how to be a great boss and manage employees with integrity:
Know what your employees need. If you didn’t get a chance to screen your prospective employees at the interview stage to ensure their work style is a fit for yours, you’ll need to adapt yours to fit theirs. Some people need more direction and guidance than others, while some need to be set loose and trusted to do a good job. Find out what your employees need in order to thrive at their job. You may think you’re too busy to hold someone’s hand, but if you do it well, they won’t need it after a while. In the meantime, you can save time by allowing the go-getters to take initiative without your constant supervision.
Match employee’s values to the company. When an individual’s values align with their job or the company’s vision, they’re more inspired at work. Get to know what each of your staff member’s value in life and find ways to match that with their work. For example, if John loves to write and communicate, put those skills to work somehow. If Lisa treasures the environment, explore how she can support the company to be more sustainable. If Betty values direct, honest communication, don’t hide important information from her; include her in all relevant messages.
Set realistic expectations. Putting pressure on employees to perform at a faster rate than is natural for them or to complete a task with an unrealistic deadline is asking for trouble. Most people want to do their best at work; it builds their self-esteem which feels good. So unless you’ve hired a bunch of sabotaging masochists, trust each person to do the best they can. Let each person find their own rhythm and pace that supports their productivity. One person may seem slow, but if it’s their natural pace, they will be just as productive in the long run as the person who works at a speedier pace.
Treat employees as human beings. Work isn’t just about producing results and achieving goals; it fits into a person’s lifestyle. If a person chooses work they enjoy, it’s a reflection of their personality. Relate to each of your staff as a unique human being first and an employee second. Or if you’re spiritually minded, go further and see the soul within each person you work with. As you connect from your heart and soul and not just your head and intellect, you will create meaningful bonds with employees and perhaps have an inspiring affect on their personal lives, not just their career (and they’ll remember you as being a great boss).
Imagine being retired. What would make you feel better – to know that you whipped your employees into shape and made the best profit possible for the company – or to know that you contributed to the personal and professional growth of a group of individual’s who offered their skills and time to support the success of the company? Let your integrity guide you on how to manage your employees.
I hope these suggestions were helpful. If you have any questions or comments to add on how to be a great boss and manage employees with integrity, please share below.
