Publish date:

• 25th September, 2020

"Without trust, we don’t truly collaborate; we merely coordinate or, at best, cooperate. It is the trust that transforms a group of people into a team." - Quote by Stephen M.R. Covey.

How would you rate yourself as a leader/manager/supervisor/boss? Good or great. If you take an internal survey of your juniors anonymously, most people who think they are great bosses would be shocked by the feedback that they get from these informal surveys. These are eye-opening and wake-up calls for people in leadership positions to take affirmative & positive actions, and not be a boss disliked or feared.

Here are some suggestions on how to be a great boss:

• Forge a bond of trust with your colleagues. This requires constant work from your end, its equivalent to working on a relationship that has to be nurtured on a daily basis.  Be transparent in your approach and honest in communication & intention. Be impartial and fair as the boss. Even if you have soft corners or partiality in approach to some over the others, it should not reflect in your words/actions. Do not gossip or encourage the same across the board. Do not bad mouth any absent member of your organization etc. Cultivate empathy, and it will take you a long way to becoming a great boss. for example, if a colleague is having a rough time at home for personal reasons, give him/her time off to sort out the issue as well as cut him/her some slack for some time, till the issue is over.  Even if you are the manager/boss/leader, be a team player, and share the load of the entire team in terms of work.

• Compliment your team members/juniors at work. Recognition and reward is a great way to retain human resource talent and prove yourself to be a great boss.  As per a survey, 16% of employees leave an organization as they feel neglected and unappreciated. We as human beings have this inherent need to be recognized for our work, however small, as it a motivating factor. Therefore, as a boss, "recognition and reward" schemes and opportunities should be created. A pat on the back goes a long way and will help you to keep good employees in the company.

•  Inspire your colleagues in any and every way you can. It could be in the form of setting a personal example as many heroes such as Ratan Tata or Mahatma Gandhi have done. Praise your people, encourage talent and upgradation of skills, be open and responsive to constructive feedback which is translated into action. Share your learnings and knowledge with them. Inspire them with company and your "vision, mission, motto" etc. Every human being wants to be a part of something of worth & value, bigger than themselves.

• Encourage feedback. Be open to feedback, suggestions, criticism, and value open communication across the board, at all times. This could be in form of team meetings, written surveys, one on one discussion. Just tell your people that you have an open mind and are happy to hear all kinds of feedback even if negative, as it gives you an opportunity to make amends and win hearts.