4 Great Qualities Shared By Great Bosses

September 25, 2015

How do you rate your leadership skills? Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter what you think – it’s how your employees perceive you that matters. Most bosses believe they are great at their jobs, but if you were to ask their staff, they might say something different.
While this might not be an issue – there are always people who think they could do better – it could be a sign there are improvements to be made.
Today, I’m going to go through four different skills that all great leaders have. It’s not about being friends with everyone, of course – that’s just impossible. But it is about identifying the areas that you might want to work on if you want to take your business to the next level.

They understand how to create a culture

Successful businesses are all based around an excellent working culture. It defines what you do, how you do it, and sets the right expectations. If everyone knows where they are and the boundaries they can operate in, it can often lead to lasting success. There’s a fascinating guide to organizational culture at http://omegazadvisors.com/organizational-culture/. Check it out and see if you can fit in any of its ideas in your business.

They know the importance of employee welfare

How well do you know your employees? Do you know what makes them tick and are you aware of the problems they are facing outside of work? If you don’t know anything, then it could be time to change things. If your employees are having issues at home or in the office, it’s going to have an effect on their productivity and efficiency. It could even lead to confrontational situations in the workplace. However, by finding out more about your employees and having an open door policy, you will be able to keep them on track. Show them empathy and compassion, but also make it clear that they need to do their jobs. They will respect you for that, and will perform to their best for you.

They understand equality

A good boss is a fair boss. Give everyone the same opportunities to progress and do a job for you and you will see more success in your business. Most people are comfortable with boundaries, and if you can set your expectations out clearly, it will get positive results. Treat everyone the same – whether it’s your master sales team who bring in revenue, or the cleaner who works hard to keep your offices clean.
They understand personal growth
As the boss of your company, you will understand the need for growth. But, growth doesn’t just come from making more money – it also comes from within. Your employees will want to become more competent at their jobs, and they will want to progress and evolve. You have to give them those opportunities for training or to take on new responsibilities. Give them a path to progress along from the day they start working for you, and they won’t get distracted along the way.
Image Credit: Flickr

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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