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As a manager or business owner, you may not think much about the best boss you’ve ever had in your past career experiences. However, you may want to ponder this for a moment. In fact, if you think back about your previous employers, you may realize that they had a lot to do with shaping what type of leader you are today. As you consider this, think about the best bosses that you’ve had. Think of the last boss you had that wasn’t so good to you. Both played a role in who you are now.

The question is what have you learned from your previous boss? Could it be any of these? More importantly, these may be the steps you are taking right now, with your own employees.

  • You learned to let people go. Sometimes, your job is not about just running the numbers but also about helping talented individuals. You need to find a way to encourage others and provide the support they need. This may mean allowing that individual to take opportunities elsewhere that allow him or her to excel rather than work for you.
  • Give employees the ability to find their passion and then you let them at it. In some cases, you may even be able to help with roadblocks they come to or give them the helping hand they need to overcome challenges. Sometimes, this can mean developing special projects to bring out the best in others.
  • Do you treat your people well? It’s more than just being nice or even just being generous. You also need to treat your employees as though they are humans – with complete respect. You listen to their needs and give it to them. You make sure they take vacations and get the time they need with family.
  • Most importantly, you trust them and they trust you. Without this level of trust, going both ways, no one is able to communicate effectively and the company does anything but benefit. Do you trust your best employees to do a great job or do you feel the need to call on them? On the flip side, do your employees trust you and know you’ve got their back?

What did your best, and worst, bosses teach you? Without realizing it, you may be facing the same situations today with your employees that your previous employers did with you. The question is not so much how you are managing them, but whether or not you are providing the best traits and resources for your employees so they can qualify you as a great boss one day. That’s not about giving, but teaching and leading in the right direction.

If you are looking for a career that will enable you to take your management skills to the next level, TempStaff has opportunities for contract jobs in supervisory roles.


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