5 things really great bosses do

People quit people, not organizations. So it’s no surprise that bosses are the primary reason for people either loving, or leaving their jobs. A boss connects employees to an organization, and if that relationship is damaged, the employee will eventually leave.

Here’s five really great things you can do to make sure they don’t quit you:

1. Be real.

So you’re the boss. That means that people probably don’t think of you as an actual real person. Showing that you that you need help every once in a while, is a one way to keep it real. So try it. Ask for help from a member of your team. It shows confidence and vulnerability. This automatically raises the other person and recognizes their skills while demonstrating transparency.

2. Give space.

From their perspective, the best ideas are theirs. So let it happen. Leave room for them to take your ideas and make them their own. They’ll do way more than you imagined, and feel a sense of gratification that simply following your direction could never have brought.

3. Make it count.

Everyone needs to feel the love. Love is in the details, so don’t just comment on the obvious stuff, (the stuff they’re accustomed to hearing from you.) Instead, notice something small, positive, and unexpected. It will show that you’re paying attention to what’s important to them. The payoff: they will they work harder, and more importantly they will gain confidence.

4. Be clear.

Resist the temptation to give a laundry list of how your employee should get the work done. Instead, talk about specific outcomes. This way, they are entrusted to execute in a way that works for them.

5. Give it away.

As far as others are concerned, the losses are yours, and the wins are theirs. Give all the credit away. It will come back, I promise. And now you have just earned the unconditional trust that you can’t buy or train otherwise.

And a reminder… at the end of the day, we ALL just long for a really great boss (yes, even our bosses.)

Tags | be clear, be real, give space, give the credit away, make it count, things great bosses do