“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but where they ought to be.” – Rosalynn Carter
Are you a bad boss?
According to Home Care Coach, Michele Ellis-Williams, being a good boss is all about providing security, comfort, and confidence in the workplace. In other words, as the boss, your presence in the workplace must be something your employees look forward to everyday because it makes them feel happy, comfortable, and more confident in their work.
So, if your presence stimulates the exact opposite, chances are that you’re a “bad” boss.
“Being a bad boss doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a bully who paralyzes everyone in the workplace with terror, it simply means that you’re not playing your role efficiently – which is to lead and inspire your employees,” points out the home care coach.
3 signs of a “bad” boss:
Here are 3 signs that you may not be playing your boss role efficiently, courtesy of Coach Michele:
1. You don’t motivate your employees
“Without motivation, it’s likely that your workforce will not achieve their full potential. Motivated employees tend to have a positive outlook – they enjoy their tasks and give their best as a result. Any organization or company with this kind of employees will rarely have turnover issues and can expect a good bottom line,” explains the home care coach.
“To motivate your employees, any action that gives them the passion or desire to come to work counts as motivation, and this may include things like creating a safe and friendly environment for them, acknowledging and rewarding their efforts, providing career advancement opportunities, improving and encouraging communication within the workplace, etc.”
2 . You treat them like robots
“Your employees are humans, not robots. And unlike robots, humans can’t work 24/7 – they need to rest. They have families that they need to connect with on a daily basis. They also get sick and sometimes make mistakes. They also complain. What is the moral of the story? Treat your employees as humans and, in turn, they will reward you with a better service, and more importantly, their loyalty. On the other hand, treat them like robots and be prepared to deal with a shockingly high turnover rate,” advises Coach Michele.
“How do you NOT treat them like robots? Simple! Don’t be too impersonal with them – invite them to participate in important discussions, encourage them to give their opinions and feedback, and while at it, make it clear that their opinion matters. Thank them and praise them often and genuinely, make friendly conversation with them, ask them about their children, a sick parent or pet, etc.”
3. You give generic feedback or no feedback at all
“Giving regular and individualized feedback is one of the best ways to support and encourage your team to achieve their full potential. Without it, your employees may feel confused and uncertain about their contribution, and this can decrease their motivation, and eventually affect their task completion rates, overall productivity, and job satisfaction”, explains the home care coach.
“On the other hand, through regular and individualized feedback, your employees will understand where and when they’re going wrong so they can improve. This makes them more efficient, which in turn, elevates their confidence and productivity to great levels.”
At this point, you may have a new or better understanding of what you may need to do to improve your boss skills. Feel free to take the tips you have gathered here and implement them into your everyday activities as the owner, manager, or supervisor of your organization, and you’ll definitely begin to see positive changes in your team.
Coach Michele is the CO-Founder of Michele Lee Ellis Consulting, LLC (MLEC), an Atlanta based consulting firm that specializes in teaching and training entrepreneurs to start and grow 6 & 7-figure businesses. She works with home care agencies and other business organizations to help them improve relationships and communications between employees and business owners/managers.
If you want help in becoming a great leader and building a strong team, you can connect with Coach Michele through the following:
Phone number: 888-462-8885
Office Phone Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:30 am-6: 30 pm EST
Website – Michele Lee Ellis Consulting, LLC
YouTube channel @ I am Coach Michele.
