An oft-quoted talent expert Marcus Buckingham, saying “people leave managers, not companies.”  According to a recent study by Robert Half, 49% of employees surveyed have quit their posts because of a bad boss. Not all bosses are leaders. Right? There’s the difference between managing and leading? The difference between bosses and leaders is vast! Managing a team means watching over them. But leaders aren’t watching dogs. Leaders confidently face forward to completing a project with the assumption that their team will happily follow. A leader trusts and beliefs in the team’s ability to undertake the task. Leaders influence, inspire, and mentor all the team members. Bosses should consistently analyze their leadership styles impacting positively to their team. To keep a team happy and productive, below are the traits a great boss should exhibit. Transparent and Communicate clearly. A capable team works together, and it sets the communication bar high from top to down. Everyone in the group is communicative. The boss communicates goals, targets, and initiatives. He also accepts valuable feedback to flow freely back to them. Lack of clear communication can lead to things going sideways in the workplace. Transparency is vital backed by a clear communication channel that allows states of the projects, expectations, and goals and frequent interaction with all levels of the team unequivocally. Bosses who take the time to listen on issues and concerns (a two-street communicating) end up creating a production and comfortable workplace that yielding to excellent output. You can only minimize conflict and misunderstanding through communication down the track. Give Credit Where Is Due and Want Employee Succeed Leaders’ acknowledgment of the excellent work of their team members is an excellent source of motivation than bonuses. The recognition should be explicit and fair to encourage the team members. It automatically creates a positive environment and culture where employees are more appreciative of each other’s contributions. According to the bestselling business author Peter Economy, bosses should go a step further and “make a big deal about it.” “When the project is going well, let the people working on it know—early and often.” Recognize high-performing team members for their contribution and encourage them to strive to achieve more. Praise from such a leader is an excellent source of motivation; the employee feels appreciated and part of them. The employees will build a strong working relationship within an organization. The team works to give ingenuity and creativity and sustained outstanding performance. Work Confidently, with Integrity, and have Humility. A true leader leads by example, never shrinking their responsibilities or dished out commands just because they can. Win over the team by seeking to listen to everyone’s point of view. In such a case, the team will tackle the project and face each task without fear of making mistakes. This creates a strong working team. According to Michael Page, a humble leader helps team members feel more comfortable to connect. Fear leads to more mistakes and discouragement. The team members must feel at ease in voicing their opinion when such freedom and support is allowed. Rock of the team The leader should be the expertise in the field, the task the team with, helping rough patches and challenges, and along the way. How the leader deals with hindrances set the tone for the rest of the team! Show your team how to tackle obstacles and let them gain experience along the way. A good leader, the boss, doesn’t get rattled. To quote the Apollo 13’s flight director Eugene Kranz, “you don’t pass uncertainty down to your working team.” The director kept his cool after the explosion. Leaders should stay calm when the team faces a storm. We will remember such a boss legacy of the team years down the track as the best. Passionate, compassionate and patience Leadership should exercise high-level passion, kind, and very patient with the team as they level huddles along with the project.  Working with such a boss who is genuinely excited about the job is incredible. It makes the working more exciting, and team members assured that every task undertaken is part of the collective big picture. Such a boss sees their life’s work as more than just a job. Treat the team with equality, passion, compassionate as well as patience. The boss destined the team to succeed and perform optimally. They play ‘chess, not checkers’ Think about the difference. In checkers, the pieces are all the same. And no team member wants to feel like a faceless cog in the proverbial wheel. Compared to chess, each piece is unique and has a particular role, unique abilities, and limitations. A great leader has a keen eye on the strengths and weaknesses of their team and will play to either chess. According to a US-based author Travis Bradberry, of the best-selling book “Emotional Intelligence 2.0”, the unforgettable boss is like great chess masters. They recognize their top team qualities and unique traits of each member.

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Is your boss a leader?

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Vasanth Kumar Makam

About Author

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