Being the Boss: Don’t Just Be A Good Boss, Be A Great Boss

If you’ve been in the workforce for some time, there is an excellent chance you’ve had your fair share of good bosses and bad bosses.  In all your experience have you ever really had a great boss?  Thinking back, what were some of the key moments in your career that were facilitated by having an effective boss?  Have you ever felt held back by a boss?

Now that you have climbed the rungs and are responsible for managing your own team of employees, you should take some time to think about what you can do to be an effective leader.  Call upon your past experiences to remember what it is like to be on the other side of the fence.   It is a rare person who instinctively and naturally manages others with success.  For the rest of us, here are some tips and reminders to help further our professional development and the careers of our employees.  

The effort of workers is what makes management successful.  Recognize your employees’ hard work and allow them to feel accomplishment rather than taking credit for all successes.  It is your job to lead your team, keep them on track and ensure positive results.  Remember, it really is a team effort.

In order to function as a team, you must delegate work and trust your employees to accomplish their tasks.  Micromanaging is a hot button for most people and it can drastically slow down work flow.  Perhaps your team members have processes that differ from yours.  As long as their results are timely and accurate, allow them to exercise their own style.  This leads to recognizing your employees’ strengths and not being threatened by them.  Look at each team member individually and identify their key strengths then capitalize upon them.  Great bosses know how to rely upon their workers.

A good boss addresses concerns with employees privately, but a great boss addresses concerns with employees privately, directly and in under one minute.  Really, it only takes about a minute to point out a task that missed the mark or make a policy reminder.  Anything longer and you risk having an unnecessary discussion that could lead in the wrong direction.

Lastly, if an employee needs to speak with you, listen to their concerns and acknowledge their thoughts or feelings.  Most of the time the issues can be worked out in one conversation and your employees will feel better knowing they can rely on you to listen.  This is also important because your employees can provide insights that you may not be aware of and really should address.

Do your best to be a great boss every day, and remember - when you need help finding talented team members, look to J&J Staffing Resources for all your staffing needs!

Social Media in the Workplace: To Tweet or Not To Tweet?

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn …The list of social media sites goes on and on. Chances are you have an account with at least one of these sites.   Whether you are an infrequent user, daily checker or avid mobile updater, there may come a time when you are on the clock and social media temptation will strike. 

Many employers understand how prevalent social media is in today’s culture (statistically speaking, they probably have their own Facebook accounts).  Knowing their workers have various pages and also knowing how much time a person can spend on these pages, many businesses are now including social media regulations in their handbooks.  When starting a new position, make sure to read through all the company’s policies and guidelines. 

On the other hand, there are companies that have yet to address this topic.  In that case, take it upon yourself to set boundaries, self-regulate and maintain professional decorum.  Here are 3 tips to get you started on the right foot:

1. Socialize on your own time.  Working hours are just that: working hours.  Your phone should only come out on breaks—this includes texting—or for emergency purposes.  Resist pulling up social sites on your work computer.
   
2. Keep your work life separate from your personal life.  This can be difficult because as soon as you publicly mention the name of your employer, you become a representative of that company.  When possible, especially on personal blogs, add a disclaimer such as: The opinions expressed here are solely mine and do not reflect the opinions of ‘Company.’  On the flip side, if social media is beneficial to conducting your business, set up separate accounts tailored to your work persona.  Your business’ business is their business, not the business of your 416 Facebook friends.
   
3. Save work complaints for the HR department.  Recent court cases under the National Labor Relations Board prohibit companies from demanding their employees refrain from making disparaging comments about them on social media sites.  Though it is your right to speak your mind, online venting will get you nowhere.  Talk to someone who can actually address your concerns.

Social media is definitely changing the way society communicates and interacts.  It is changing the way business is done and impacting the workplace.  It is up to you to take responsibility for yourself and the words you put out for the world to see.  Think twice, post once.

J&J Staffing Resources provides professional staffing services – find your new job today!