Managing the work of other people – “bossitude” as I’ll call it for the purposes of this piece – is not something we are ever really trained for. I’ve managed the work of others for close to forty years as a corporate executive and as an entrepreneur, but no one ever really formally taught me how to hire, lead, and fire. In fact, I’ve worked for some truly dreadful bosses over the years and picked up some horrific habits along the way.
I remember the day my boss simply said to me, “You’re really busy and you look like you need some help. So now, Jimmy* (who was my age at the time and not particularly happy about working for me) works for you.” Since then, I have hired, trained, given feedback, and fired many people. Am I a fantastic leader and manager yet? Probably not…but I’m still learning.
Being a manager has changed over the years. The “command and control” style of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s has been replaced by a spirit of collaboration and teamwork. However, business owners and entrepreneurs still need to get work done and are often dependent on the cooperation, commitment, and passion of others to help them do quality work.
No magic formula exists for leadership, but here are some basic guidelines:
- Great bosses inspire the people who work for them to believe in a common goal. They encourage and reward creativity.
- Bossy leaders are all about control. Check the language you use and how you communicate when someone presents a new idea.
- Great bosses motivate through positive reinforcement and rewards. Bossy leaders often humiliate employees in public or focus on the negative.
- One ability that great bosses have is the willingness to make tough decisions, artfully balancing work and play. The boss who wants to be liked can sometimes inadvertently fall into the buddy zone. He socializes with his team outside of work and gets involved in their personal lives. If performance issues arise, giving direct feedback or letting a poor performer go becomes extremely difficult. More than one of my entrepreneur colleagues have fallen victim to embezzlement because they trusted their “work friends” a little too much.
Women leaders are often challenged as bosses, and communication styles. Ban Bossy is a national campaign, geared toward teaching girls leadership skills starting at an early age.
According to Inc. “bad bosses” result in close to $400K in losses annually. And “boss research” lays out some of the most common gaffes they commit.
So, whether you’re about to make your first hire, or you’re in the process of growing your big team, aspire to be the boss who everyone respects and not the one who’s feared, loathed, or loved a little too much. Clients, investors, and vendors pay close attention to team dynamics too and will often judge a company based on its leaders’ competency.
Remember that leadership skills will also affect the way your team members will one day lead others. Even if you’re in your 20s (the same I first became a boss), you are viewed as a role model for future leaders.
Solicit honest feedback from your employees about how you can become a better leader. Developing an environment where people can be comfortable providing honest feedback without fear of retribution will lead to a healthier team spirit.
None of us can build a business single-handedly. Learning how to perfect one’s bossitude can make all the difference to your company’s long-term success and prosperity.
*A pseudonym because frankly I don’t recall his name…It was 40 years ago!