The Kind of Boss You Wish You Had

Do you have that kind of boss you’ll never forget?

We all remember those people that motivate us to grow and be better. It's the kind of boss that challenges us if needed and coaches us in times when we don’t know what to do. We also don’t forget those bosses that are holding the whip all the time - the kind that we set as an example of what NOT to be.

Between these two, the first boss is always the effective one.

A positive leader always influences the workplace in a good way. They create a light and livable working environment for the team. It's that kind of positive atmosphere that eliminates pressure and stress. It facilitates a more efficient result.

Do you have that kind of boss? Or do you want to be one? Here are some tips to make everyone’s work-life easier. And for you to be that kind of boss nobody wants to leave.

1. Set a clear path for your team.

People tend to work better when they have a clear direction. It’s easier to get motivated when you have the prize of the goal in mind. A team that feels like there’s no clear path for improvement in the future often quits. They won’t even bother to try their best.

As the leader, you should be the one clearing the path of where your team can follow. You can write down your goals for the team and be firm. And then start brainstorming the steps you can take to reach it. It is easier to follow a leader who has a clear vision for the future, rather than someone that’s lost.

2. Communicate your goals and set the right objectives.

You know you need goals to be productive, but figuring out which ones to set is difficult. These goals must be inspiring, relevant to your staff's job description, and in line with the company's goals. To set the right objectives, you need to communicate with the team. Communication is extremely important especially if you’re working with a virtual assistant or remotely. It lessens misunderstandings.

Have some transparency and share your goals and path for the team. It would help make the team feel valued. You can also ask for their voice. The spirit of camaraderie starts with good communication.

3. Praise your staff publicly and give criticism privately.

Praise from the public is beneficial for both recognition and learning. It has more value for the person being complimented when you publicly discuss what was excellent and why it was fantastic. And it also helps the entire team learn something new.

As a virtual assistant team, it always motivates us to do better if appreciated. A simple “thank you” and “great job” boosts our spirits. It makes us feel more connected with our clients and keeps us going even when we are working virtually.

Aside from praise, criticizing is also important. To be kind and clear, private criticism is one way to do it. It's easy to feel like public criticism is unnecessarily harsh. And defensive reactions make it considerably more difficult for a person to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes. Criticizing someone in private is far gentler.

4. Giving criticism is good but declaring praise is better.

While criticism is needed and valued, without praise, people are more likely to become discouraged and bitter about their boss. Without praise, criticism is dispiriting. It would lead your team to feel like they’ve contributed nothing and under-appreciated. Most employees who feel resentful don’t do well on their tasks or quit. A small tap in the back and “good job” will do. It doesn’t even have to be lengthy. You can even treat the team to lunch and give incentives.

A great boss also gives praise. It shows how much you care.

5. Influence and inspire.

To inspire is to provide something important. It is when you uplift and motivate others to bring out the best in themselves. And influencing means setting an example for others to follow. These two must go hand in hand. You could say the most inspiring thing but without setting an example, those are just empty words.

Anyone can easily forget, but they can never forget how you make them feel. So try aiming to inspire and influence your team positively. The eyes of everyone will always be on the leader. You can either pick up the pace of your team or slow it down.

Take away

More and more people leave great companies due to one fixable factor - lousy bosses. Effective leadership is vital in the workplace. Set clear, fair expectations for your employees and be consistent in your approach.

We always aim to have these positive values in 8point8. A positive working environment produces great outputs. With good leadership, our company has been growing and we can never be more than thankful - especially to our clients who have always been consistent and kind when working with us.

After all, being someone's boss does not automatically make you a good leader. So be the kind of boss you wish you had.

Are you ready to be the boss? You might need a positive and goal-oriented team to work with. Look no further! You can hire a virtual assistant team for your business and have an instant team that’ll work with you. Book a call with us and find out more about it.