(Akiit.com) Being in charge of your own business will often mean that you are also in charge of the people you employ. If you have never been a boss before, it can be difficult to get used to delegating tasks and organising meetings, and you may find that you learn something new every day about managing personnel.
If you want to be a cut above the rest, here are some great tips to take on board when becoming the best boss you can be.
- Lead by example
The first and possibly most crucial point to bear in mind when leading your team is the fact that you are indeed a leader, not a dictator. You cannot lead by a bad example and expect your employees to act differently. For example, if you always come in late to work and then finish early, you can’t expect to shout at your employees if they run late due to traffic.
- Provide technology and tools
Take the time to sit down with each of your employees to see if there is anything you can buy to make their job easier. For example, as a social media marketer, your employee might need photoshop to edit marketing materials and images- if so, provide it.
On a more general note, you also want to be able to provide the incentive for your employees to work hard and progress in their job role. If you’ve never had to hire for a particular role before, it might be useful to use a salary benchmark tool so that you can provide the best wage possible without going overboard. You can then use the tool to work out promotions and pay rises.
- Stop Pestering
When you set tasks to your crew, the last thing they want is for you to be checking up on them every few hours. Sit back, trust the people you hired and arrange a meeting at the end of the week to discuss their progress on a project.
- Be Human
You don’t have to be an emotionless robot to lead a team of people, in fact, often the best leaders are the ones who open themselves up and allow their employees to know them as a person. Relationships are a truly important part of working as a successful team, and that includes you too.
- Remember Why You Are Here
It can be easy to get lost in your daily work and be lost in a bubble of tasks and projects, but it is important sometimes to step back and remind your employees why they are here. Take some time to give them an insight of the wider picture of running the business, and what their work has an impact on for the success of your empire. It can be incredibly helpful and even motivating for employees to see where their hard work actually goes.
- Have Fun
No need to be a dictator and sit in silence all day every day, take some time to listen to the radio, have a laugh and chat to your workers throughout the day. It has been proven that laughing and talking can reduce stress levels hugely and actually increase work performance.
- Be available
Leave yourself open to your employees if they ever need your help with a work matter or something more personal. It is important for the health of your team that you are there to answer any concerns people may have with the running of the business or their personal lives.
- Admit When You Are Wrong
It might be difficult for you to admit your failures, but when there is an issue in the company that needs resolving, don’t just try and hide it- share the burden. A problem shared is a problem halved. You might find that having a fresh set of eyes to look at the issue is just what you need to be able to find a solution to it.
- Challenge them
Think about any job you’ve worked on throughout your lifetime. The ones you love are often the ones which challenge you and get your mind racing. Whereas the ones you hated are most likely the jobs where you stood twiddling your thumbs. People like to be challenged; it’s human nature. It stimulates the brain and allow them to learn and grow as they work. Don’t be afraid to challenge your employees now and again, it will help them learn new skills and most likely let them come out of the other side much stronger.
- Help them grow
If you have a team of fledglings at the moment, you may want to think about the fact that one day you need leaders for your business. Nurture your employees and offer training courses to help them grow their skills and experience. It will keep their mind stimulated and also give them better skills to put toward your business.
Staff Writer; Jerry Poole