5 Habits That Can Stop You From Becoming A Better Boss

It’s not easy being a boss. Actually, it can be easy depending on your level of experience — but being a good boss; well, that’s something else.

Earning the respect of your team/employees is often confused with being a one-way deal. They (the team) have to listen to the boss, no matter what. Factually, this simply isn’t true. No boss wants a team of people-pleasers, and no boss wants a team that isn’t willing to follow simple instructions. It’s a tough balance to strike, but it can be done.

Today I wanted to talk about the steps any given boss can take to make sure they are being fair. Because it’s not all about the team doing what we want, we also have to make sure we’re bringing something to the table. A team is only as good as its leader — good thing that’s what we’ll be focusing on today.

1. Results Are Either Good Or Bad 

They call this black-and-white thinking. Seeing things as wins and losses, and not accepting that events can be more complex. Sometimes we can ask our team to do something, expecting certain results and the team falls short of those expectations. A boss with black-and-white thinking sees that as a loss — this sometimes results in everyone around them being demotivated. 

A good boss acknowledges that the goal was not achieved without discrediting the work the team has put in. We are dealing with people, not machines. 

2. Talking More than You Listen

Take time to listen to what your employees or team have to say. It doesn’t matter if it sounds ridiculous, make time for it anyway. And when you hear what they have to say, respond accordingly. 

If you disagree, say why, with respect. If you agree, acknowledge that. 

Being a boss of few words has its benefits, it gives you more time to pay attention to everything happening around you. And when you speak, people will listen because they know whenever you speak, you speak with a purpose.

3. Being Narrow-Minded

No boss is perfect. But no boss sucks more than the one who refuses to see situations differently. If there is new evidence presented to us, we should consider adding it to our plans and re-adjusting.

Not every piece of evidence we get will always be worth changing our plans for, but we should reflect on it. It’s worse when more than one employee points out a problem and narrow-minded bosses refuse to budge without looking closer. And then when everything falls apart, they blame the team.

It sounds ridiculous, I know. But there are bosses like this. Do yourself and those around you a favour, and don’t be one of them.

4. Having a Judgmental Attitude

Don’t jump to conclusions. When an employee confides in you, don’t gossip or assume you’d do better or know better. Accept differences in people, and treasure when people trust you enough to tell you their secrets/insecurities. That trust is easy to break, a good boss ensures that if anyone should confide in them, they keep those secrets as if they are their own.

Judging others is a sure way to push those that are close to you away. And of course, no one will choose to confide in or trust you.

5. Breaking Your Word

Do I even need to say more here? If you promise your employees something, say, a party after a hard project. Do it, no excuses.

The thing is, they would likely have worked incredibly hard motivated by the idea of the party. And for you, as the boss, to snatch that from under them is incredibly unfair. 

No boss wants the word “unreliable” associated with them. Earn your team’s respect by always sticking to what you say and doing as you say.

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