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A lot of people are under the misconception that a good leader is someone who strikes fear into the hearts of those they are leading, but actually, those kinds of leaders are less likely to be effective because they will not have the respect or affection of their employees, which means they won’t go the extra mile for them.
If you’re serious about being an effective leader, you need to be at least likable, if not loved. With that in mind, here are a few things you can do no to help you become an effective and likable boss in the future:
Treat employees like individuals
People are not a homogenous group. If you want them to like, respect, and ultimately follow your lead, you need to treat them like the individuals they are. For example, some employees will benefit from a lot of micromanagement while others will flourish when trusted to work independently. If you can work out the difference and act accordingly, you will be well on your way to being an effective and likable boss.
Reward hard work
The most likable and effective bosses don’t rule with an iron rod – they are friendly and relatable, and most importantly, they know how to reward hard work. You can reward employees with everything from monthly bonuses to pizza vouchers – check out more at GThankYou.com – depending on what they’ve done and how hard they’ve worked, and you should do so regularly because it shows your employees that although you re in charge, you value their contribution and know you couldn’t do it without them. It shows them that you understand how a team works and obviously it makes you much more popular which is always a bonus.
Deal with problems fast
If there’s a problem, you should never let it fester and get worse, Take swift action and you’ll get more respect while stamping out problems and maintaining a harmonious working environment. You’ll get nothing but respect for that.
Admit to your faults
We’ve all had bosses who think they know everything and will never let anyone challenge their word, no matter how wrong it is. Those bosses are almost universally disliked because they make life harder and more unpleasant than it needs to be for everyone else. It’s far better to admit to your employees that you don’t know all the answers, listen to their ideas, and allow them to take the lead when it would be beneficial. True leaders always admit their weaknesses and take the time to learn from them.
Be fair
If you want to be an effective and likable boss, you can’t have favorites. If you discipline one employee for being late, you need to discipline them all otherwise you may be popular with some staff but hated by others and you’ll certainly create an unpleasant atmosphere in the office.
Basically, being an effective and likable boss boils down to being fair, showing your human side, and treating your employees like the unique human beings they are – if you can do that you’ll make a great leader someday.