managers

12 Subtle Signs You'd Make a Good Boss

Paul Michael — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 08:00:07 +0000

There are good managers and there are bad managers. Sadly, the people who would make really great managers often don't realize their potential to lead. These subtle signs — ones that you have either overlooked or never noticed — signal that you could be a fantastic boss. Don't let others miss out on your leadership. When you've checked off enough boxes, go get that promotion!

1. You give constructive feedback

There are several ways to give feedback on a project or idea. You could simply smile and say you like it, regardless of what you really think, in fear of hurting feelings. That helps no one, especially if you see glaring errors. You could be the naysayer: Whatever the idea, and whoever the project manager is, it's awful, try again. Even if a project really is bad, that kind of feedback can stop progress in its tracks.

Genuine, constructive feedback includes specific action items and suggestions on ways to improve or expand the idea. If you have a gift for that, and people are often asking for your opinions, well done. You've got a great managerial skill.

2. You're already treated like a manager

Some people are just natural leaders. They're the alphas in the group, and have the ability to step up and take charge when others are disappearing into the bushes like Homer Simpson. These people are magnets for co-workers. Yes, there is a boss, and they will formally go to that boss to make sure everything is done by the book — but if they're coming to you for solutions to problems, advice on projects, or mentoring of any kind, you are the manager they really want.

Think about how many bosses you've had that never quite seemed up to the task; they were promoted through nepotism, favoritism, family ties, or pure luck. Now think about the people working under them that had it all together. You could very well be that person in your company.

3. You care about performance more than titles and money

Both money and titles are important to a certain degree. You need money to live. Titles dictate responsibility and influence. However, if you put those things second to the performance you give, that's the sign of a great manager.

For you, it's not about peacocking around the office, sucking up to the executives, and impressing people with your shiny new company car. No, you are there to do a job, and do it well. You want to see the company grow and you want your input to have impact. When you do that, the titles and money will come to you anyway.

4. You're a natural listener

Have you ever noticed that your co-workers are inclined to tell you their problems? For some reason, you're the go-to shoulder to cry on, or you're getting that phone call at midnight from a friend who really needs your advice before an interview. You clearly have a knack for not just listening to other people's problems, but making them feel like you really hear what they're saying. This is an excellent trait for a manager. It can defuse tense situations at work and help with team-building and employee motivation. (See also: 15 Soft Skills Every Employer Values)

5. You are a cheerleader more than a naysayer

Are you a stop sign or a green light? Do you build up ideas or cut them down? Are you generally more positive than negative? If you're nodding, you have the mindset that makes for a great manager. This isn't to say you have to agree with everything and bury your head in the sand when bad ideas are presented. But, you see potential when others don't. You can take the acorn of an idea and help it grow into a mighty oak. Your enthusiasm for the work and the initiatives will benefit your company, your employees, and your career.

6. You are always looking for ways to improve yourself

Self-improvement should never stop. Jim Rohn, a famous motivational speaker, once said, "Work on yourself more than you do on your job." By following that advice, you will not only become a better person, but a better employee and a valuable contributor. If you have a manager that believes they know it all, that's a cause for concern. The greatest thinkers and entrepreneurs from history continued to learn and improve right up until the day they died. They were smart and humble enough to know that self-improvement is a proven path to success.

7. You show empathy for your teammates

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It's important to know the difference between that and being sympathetic, which is an internal feeling and does not take into account someone else's emotions.

If you are blessed with great empathy, you have the natural ability to understand what someone else is going through emotionally, and usually know just how to respond to make that person feel better. You listen, you engage, you react, and you leave someone in a better state than you found them. This is a fabulous skill for a manager for obvious reasons. From helping employees with difficult and stressful situations, to dealing with anger, disappointment, and even sorrow, your empathy will take you a long way. (See also: This One Skill Can Make You a Better Boss)

8. You don't get stressed or shaken by sudden change

Turbulence is not just for flights. All businesses, large or small, are going to experience ups and downs. When you're plunged into boiling water, do you go soft like a carrot, hard like an egg, or create something wonderful, like coffee? If you're the latter, you are going to excel in any kind of working environment.

Managers that react to sudden change with professionalism, positivity, and a can-do attitude will inspire a team, solve the problem, and come out smelling of roses. What's more, this is a skill that can be learned, strengthened, and refined. So if you currently turn to Jell-O when the pressure is on, find a mentor that can help you get better in a crisis. (See also: 8 Types of People Who Will Help Grow Your Career)

9. You don't get involved in gossip or company politics

That's not to say you don't understand the politics in a company. But there is a difference between knowing how to survive, and actively engaging in all the water cooler chitchat and backstabbing moves. Anyone who climbs the ladder by throwing other people off it will eventually find themselves on the receiving end of the same treatment. And in the process, they will lose the respect of their team. If you avoid all of the nonsense that is inherent in most corporations, you will be a better manager, and honestly, a better person.

10. You are always ready to step up and solve problems

It's always not easy; in fact, it can be downright intimidating or require a bunch of extra work and hassle. But, you do it anyway because you know you can help. That's the attitude of a great manager. You roll up your sleeves and you're not afraid to get dirty. You have no doubt had managers that were more like dictators; they were happy to bark orders, but never stepped up to the plate. Those people do not inspire the same kind of respect and confidence from their employees as the managers that dive in.

11. You put the team and the outcome before personal gain

It's not about you. It's about the end result. You don't feel the need to take credit for those times you swooped in to save the day. In fact, you'd much rather see one of your team members get rewarded for the work they did, even though you were right there with them every step of the way. This selfless attitude is a fantastic trait of a good manager. To be happy when the team does well, and be proud when their employees are getting results, is rare in many organizations. Sadly, a lot of managers are quite happy to take the credit when they've done nothing at all, and that creates awful morale and a loyalty problem. That will never be an issue when you're in charge.

12. You're doing a manager's job already

Take a look at your current task list. What is in your job description, and what are you actually doing day in, day out? You may have been doing way more than required for quite some time now, and that's often the case these days. As departments are downsized, some employees are required to take on more work. So much more that they have actually taken on a managerial role. If this is you, the time is ripe to sit down with your boss or human resources department and talk about a raise. (See also: How to Be Successful as a First-Time Manager)

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Be Successful as a First-Time Manager

Paul Michael — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 09:30:09 +0000

Congratulations: You have just been promoted to a management position. While you're figuring out your next steps, and how to spend that raise, take a few minutes to make sure you don't turn your first managerial position into your last. The job can be daunting, but by making the right moves early on, you can be a roaring success.

Spend more time listening than speaking

When you first enter your new role as a manager, you may be tempted to let your staff know as much as you can about yourself and your agenda. Don't go in that direction. Instead, focus on listening to people, and make sure you take it all in.

Schedule one-on-one sessions with each of your direct reports. Ask what their pain points are. Identify the major positives and negatives that they encounter on a weekly basis, and ask them what ideas they have to deal with the biggest challenges they face. Chances are, they've had much longer to think about them, and provide a solution, than you've had.

What's more, let your staff know that you are always ready to listen. This is not just a "new boss" thing, but the beginning of a relationship that will be beneficial for everyone. And when you start to act on the information you've been receiving, your staff will know that you really did listen. This will make you stand out as someone who follows through. (See also: This One Skill Can Make You a Better Boss)

Communicate your ground rules and management style early

Some managers are laid back. Others are methodical. Some managers like to keep things casual and conversational. Others go by the book and have strict rules. Whatever your management style may be, let your employees know.

For example, a former manager may have been extremely strict, requiring reports at specific times throughout the week, and running meetings by the book. If you're more of an easygoing manager, tell the staff. It will make them feel at ease.

On the other hand, a previous manager may have wanted the staff to challenge their authority, ask questions often, and work autonomously. If that's not your style, tell them as soon as possible. If they have been used to challenging directives, and that really bugs you, they'll be unknowingly ticking you off. But if you communicate your management style early on, they have no excuses later.

Do not be tempted to clean house

Whenever a new manager starts, there are fears of layoffs, and those fears are not without good reason. A lot of bad managers come into a new environment and want to surround themselves with people they know. They will quickly look into the possibility of getting rid of certain employees, and replacing them with their own hires. This happens a lot regardless of the industry you're in. Do not be one of those managers.

Now, there may be issues with some people on the staff. Over the course of your first few months, you will figure that out. Hopefully you can correct those issues. If you can't, and those staff members are not performing as you'd like, or are disruptive to the department, talk to human resources about next steps. But make it fair, and make it known to your team that you did everything you could to turn the situation around for those employees.

Make positive changes as early as possible

They're often called "easy wins" or "early wins," and they are action items that are easy to fix. If you have been promoted from within the department, you may already know what the issues are. They could be as simple as a broken microwave in the break room, or one of those daily meetings that lasts an hour and makes everyone miserable.

Identify the low-hanging fruit and grab it quickly. By making these simple but much-appreciated fixes early on in your tenure, you will be seen as a go-getter and a problem solver. You've made an impact. Things are changing, and changing for the better. Morale will improve immediately, giving you time to tackle the bigger issues that will require significantly more work on your part.

Don't try and do everything yourself

You have just gone through a significant career shift. You're no longer a regular employee, you're a manager that has a staff of employees. It is now your job to spend time focusing on the bigger picture, and leave the smaller tasks to the professionals you manage. This can be very tough, especially if you were good at what you did and want to make sure it gets done your way.

For example, let's say you're a graphic designer in an advertising agency, and have been promoted to creative director. As a graphic designer, you were very hands on. You sat in front of a computer and sketch pad, designing, editing, and producing work for clients. As the creative director, you must now step back. As tempting as it may be to move the designer out of the way and do it yourself, that's no longer your job. You need to provide feedback and let the staff figure it out. Hire smart people, then get out of their way.

Only make promises you can keep

You're new to the job. You're probably nervous, especially during your first few weeks. And on top of all that, you're going to hear about problems from the staff. Perhaps there's a particular project or process that everyone finds painful to work on. Maybe there's an issue with a supplier. There's also the eternal issue of pay raises, promotions, and benefits.

Whatever you do, don't try and win a popularity contest by promising to fix all of the issues, or offer incredible incentives that you cannot actually provide. Sure, in the short term, it'll make you flavor of the month. Pay raises for everyone? No more weekends and late nights? Extra vacation days? Everyone will be over the moon. You may genuinely want to give the staff all of those awesome things. But what if you can't? What if you are making promises that your company cannot keep? What if those decisions are completely out of your control?

The short term gain of happy staff will be trounced by the incredible disappointment, and distrust of you, in the long term. You can promise to look into those issues, but only offer solutions when you know 100 percent that you can follow through.

Remember: You're not supposed to know everything

As a manager, you have stepped into a leadership role, and that means you call more of the shots. However, just because you are now in a position of authority, it does not mean that you're the smartest person in the room. And if you openly admit this in a professional way, you will garner more respect than if you pretend to know about every aspect of the company.

By all means tell the staff your strengths, but point out any knowledge gaps you have. If you are new to the company, or the department, it's only natural that you'll need to be brought up to speed on certain information. And even if you are promoted within the department, your new role comes with responsibilities you have never had before. If you want to hit the ground running, ask about the things you don't know about, and your team will be more than happy to assist you. If you're a good manager, they'll want you to succeed.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 Things Your Boss Wishes You'd Tell Them

Paul Michael — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:00:06 +0000

Most of us have a boss of some kind. And a lot of people think that bosses only want to hear good news all of the time, but that's not the case.

Positive information is nice, but negatives are just as important. If issues are preventing you, your coworkers, or your company from doing a job well, it makes life harder on everyone — including your boss. As long as you are bringing solutions with the problems, your boss will thank you for pointing out areas that need improvement. So, speak up on the following things, and do yourself and the boss a favor.

1. You want to be challenged more often

Most of us don't want to coast through our careers without learning, growing, and climbing the ladder. To do that, we need to face new challenges, step outside of our comfort zones, and take on tasks that will sometimes throw us into the deep end. While it's a scary prospect at times, it's essential for genuine advancement.

However, your boss may not realize that you are not being challenged enough throughout the week. He or she may think you have just enough on your plate to cope; bosses are not mind readers, and may not realize you are lacking the trials and tests needed to gain experience. Tell the boss what you want to be doing. Ask if you can take on projects that are beyond what is expected of you. If you put in an honest effort, a promotion may even follow. (See also: 8 Career Moves That Prove You're Finally a Grown-Up)

2. Any major issues you have with other employees

The boss needs to know this ASAP, because small problems can become big problems, and those big problems can lead to lawsuits and dismissals. You only have to look at the issues plaguing Hollywood right now to know that keeping things hidden could hurt you in the long term. So, whether it's unwanted attention, inappropriate comments, discrimination, or bullying, tell your boss as soon as you notice the problem. Furthermore, document the issues when they happen, as this gives your boss solid evidence that can help with human resources and dealing with an employee that is making your life difficult.

3. The current state of employee morale

In many companies, bosses aren't privy to the day-to-day events and processes that their employees are going through. If your boss is in and out of meetings all day, traveling weekly, and working on large projects, it will be hard for them to know what the morale situation is like. Maybe it's great. Maybe it's awful and people are ready to quit. Either way, if you can give the boss a regular temperature reading on morale, you will be doing everyone a favor. And even if morale is great, there's nothing wrong with asking for team building events to keep it there.

4. Your daily frustrations

Your relationship with your boss is in some ways like a relationship with a romantic partner. Little things here and there can get on your nerves, and you bottle up your feelings. These small frustrations can eat away at you day after day, and become overwhelming. So, find the time to bring them up in a weekly status report or one-on-one. Don't whine. Don't complain. And don't do it without having possible solutions up your sleeve. The boss will be thankful that you addressed it sooner rather than later.

5. How they are doing

One of the biggest reasons people leave a job is their relationship with the boss, and in some instances this could have been repaired long before it became an issue. So, find ways to tell the boss what they're doing right, and what they could be doing better.

Suggest things the other employees are asking for. Maybe they would like more transparency, and weekly updates on the status of the company. Perhaps they want a simple night out every month, together as a team, to help with morale. Let the boss know.

Of course, judge each case by its merits, and never insult. If your boss is known to be sensitive, you should throw a lot of great compliments out before hitting them with a problem.

6. What you like, and don't like, about the job

Start with what makes you happy and excited to come to work every day (and if you can't think of anything, you should probably start looking for a new job immediately). Are there certain projects that really get you going? Are there challenges you enjoy taking on? Make a list of all the reasons you enjoy coming to work, and let your boss know about them. He or she will not only appreciate it, but may throw more of those things at you when the opportunity arises.

Similarly, make a list of the things that stop a good job from becoming a great job. Are there tasks that are boring? Are there systems in place that make your life hell? Tell the boss while offering solutions, and it will give them a chance to fix the issues. (See also: 13 Great Reasons to Quit Your Job)

7. How you could be an even better employee

Nothing stirs a boss quite like an employee who is driven to do better, be better, and go further. Self-improvement is an admirable quality, and if you see ways in which you could grow and become a greater asset to the company, talk to your boss about it. Is there a conference coming up that would be invaluable to you? Ask if you can attend. Are there skills you would like to learn? Research workshops and online training.

In many cases, bosses are happy to pay for some, or even all, of the cost of these events, as they are a direct benefit to the company. What's more, many businesses actually put aside money for employee training, so you would be making your boss look good by taking advantage of this benefit. (See also: 7 Certifications That Add Big $$ to Your Salary)

Remember, at the end of the day, if you make your boss look good, you will prosper. So talk to him or her about any of these topics in a cordial way, and work together to resolve any problems. You will do your career a world of good.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Free Ways to Impress Your Boss

Paul Michael — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 08:30:14 +0000

Boss Appreciation Day just passed, but that doesn't mean you should wait until next October to show your boss how much you appreciate them. In fact, you can show someone how much they are valued on any day of the year, not just one specific holiday.

One of the best ways to show your boss your appreciation is by stepping up to the plate and being a good employee. You can do this at no cost other than a little of your time. And your boss will be pretty impressed with you along the way!

1. Educate yourself

A well-furnished mind is an asset to any company. Just because you left college years (or even decades) ago, there's no reason you shouldn't continue to improve yourself, your knowledge of the industry you work in, and life in general.

Start listening to free podcasts on the drive to and from work. Watch TED talks and read books or magazines about your industry. Attend business seminars that are paid for by your company. Further your education with courses available free from the library. Do whatever you can to soak up information, and make a point to share that knowledge casually in meetings and conversations.

If you make the boss look good, you look good to the boss. By becoming an impressive, knowledgeable employee, you help everyone, including yourself. (See also: 7 Certifications That Add Big $$ to Your Salary)

2. Ask for more responsibility

What can you do to take some of the burden of the boss's shoulders? Do you have skills that could come in handy and free up some of his or her time? If so, volunteer to help out.

Yes, you may find yourself busier, or even staying late on occasion. You may have to come in earlier to get everything done, or work through lunch. And you'll be doing it all for the same money.

However, that won't be the case forever. If you can become an essential part of your boss's daily routine, you will be valued. And when you're valued, promotions and raises often follow. Even if they don't, keeping the boss happy is a great way to ensure job security. (See also: 8 Ways to Improve Your Career, Get Ahead, and Become Upwardly Mobile)

3. Do some of those tasks everyone hates

You know the ones, because you don't like doing them, either. Making the coffee. Fixing a paper jam. Checking supplies and putting in orders for new stationery, pens, paper clips, and highlighters. Dealing with complaints. Whatever the cruddy jobs are in your workplace, take some of them on. Your boss is usually the one that must do it if no one else does. But if the boss sees that you're on top of those day-to-day humdrum activities, you'll earn some extra credit.

4. Keep everything clean and organized

Have you ever walked past someone's workspace and it looks like an explosion of papers, coffee cups, tissues, and empty food containers? What kind of message does that send? It doesn't matter if that employee happens to be the most productive one in the building (and just might be so busy there's never any time to tidy up) — it just makes that person appear sloppy and disorganized.

Do what you can to keep your work area as clean and organized as possible. It doesn't have to be stock photo perfect, but it should look like you're on top of everything. Get into the habit of giving your space a tidying up before leaving every night. Before long, it will be second nature.

5. Get there before the boss … and leave after them

Nothing says dedicated to the boss quite like beating him or her to the office. It doesn't have to be hours before, either. Simply arriving 10 minutes before they do is good enough (unless they're in the habit of arriving late for work every day).

Ideally, you should aim to get into work about 15–20 minutes before your actual start time. When it's time to leave, stay a little longer. Use that time to clean your space, as mentioned above, or do a few of those tasks that no one else likes to do. The extra effort will get noticed, and sometimes you can actually cut down the time of your commute by getting in early and leaving a little late.

6. Become a firm decision maker

The boss has a lot to deal with. So, when he or she comes to you with a question, the last thing they want to hear is a shaky, uncommitted, and infuriating "I could go either way" answer. Your answer should, in fact, be informed, assertive, and free of doubt.

Even if the boss disagrees with your opinion, it will be taken much better than a weak answer that commits you to no clear direction. People in charge usually get that position by being good decision makers, and you should start standing up for what you believe as soon as you can. A great boss will want to hear differing opinions, so never be afraid to politely go against the party line.

7. Go beyond your job description

No boss in the world is impressed by an employee that refuses to do something beyond their job description. "That's not really my job" is a phrase about as inspiring as "Man, this place sucks, I can't wait to leave."

If you have skills that go beyond your current position, by all means utilize them. Go above and beyond. And if you're asked to occasionally do something you consider "beneath you," take a moment to think if it really is. Will you be helping the boss by getting this done? Maybe you have to sit at reception and take calls for an hour. Perhaps you have to run to the supply store. Are these hardships, or are you showing just how helpful you can be?

8. Ask for honest feedback

There's a big difference between an official performance review and a one-on-one private conversation about you and your position. Set up a meeting every few months with your boss as a way to gauge his or her impression of the job you're doing. What can you do better? What are you doing well? How can you improve?

This is a great way to ease the pressure from someone who has a lot of employees to manage, and nip any potential issues in the bud. It also gives the boss an easy way to bring up concerns, rather than those awkward meetings they have to initiate if something is a problem.

9. Find ways to cut costs

Money is important to any business. Losing money is bad, making money is good, and whatever you can do to stem the former and boost the latter will be very much appreciated.

Start with your own department. Ask how things are done and what costs are associated with each process. For example, there's a famous money-saving story about a worker at a matchbox factory. He told the head of the company he could save them thousands of pounds every year with one simple suggestion — put sandpaper on only one side of the box.

Are there ways you can apply this thinking at your company? Do you see examples of waste that can be eliminated? Write up a report and tell your boss, then wait for the well-earned pat on the back.

10. Become a fountain of industry knowledge

Whatever business you're in, there's always breaking news about it. You could be in the air conditioning industry, selling cupcakes, or curing diseases. And these days, the internet offers a wealth of new information on everything imaginable.

Start following known industry leaders and innovators on social media. Subscribe to newsletters and industry magazines. Listen to podcasts. Then, make a note of the most interesting and relevant news and let your boss know about it. Maybe send a weekly news email to the department, and CC the boss. It is a fantastic way to show you're dedicated to your career and that you want to help the company succeed. The boss will love you for it.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

This One Skill Can Make You a Better Boss

Paul Michael — Mon, 22 May 2017 09:00:10 +0000

What is it that every great boss has, and every rotten boss lacks? Here's a clue: it's not a fancy degree or something you can buy.

The answer is empathy.

With it, you can be a boss that is revered. Without it, you're tone deaf and often hated. Along with your actual ability to do the job, it is the most important trait of a truly superb manager.

What is empathy?

This may sound like an obvious, or even patronizing, question to ask. But empathy is often confused with sympathy, which is related, but different.

According to TheFreeDictionary.com, empathy is "the ability to identify with or understand the perspective, experiences, or motivations of another individual and to comprehend and share another individual's emotional state."

Sympathy is feeling pity or sorrow for someone else. It is more general, and more distant. Empathy is deeper. It means that you can put yourself in the other person's place, and share their emotions and outlook on life. "I feel sorry for you" is sympathy; "I feel your pain" is empathy.

The importance of empathy in the workplace

Whenever people are asked why they quit their job, "the boss" is often among the top answers. That is no coincidence. Whether the boss is a bully, or just inept, it can make a workplace intolerable. In many cases, a lack of empathy is to blame.

Employees want to feel understood and appreciated. An empathetic boss will not only fulfill those needs, but will do it in a way that does not feel forced or "required by management."

If you are not a naturally empathetic person, don't worry. With enough time, support, and encouragement, managers can learn to be empathetic. Here are some positive steps you can take right now to become that beloved boss.

1. Put yourself in the shoes of various employees for a day

It may not always be practical, or even possible. But if you can walk in an employee's shoes for the day — or even a few hours — it can completely open your eyes and show you a whole new perspective. This is especially important if you did not come up through the ranks.

From taking orders at the front of the store, to working on the production line, to assembling a report, you will gain firsthand experience of the different roles for which you are responsible. It will also send a positive message to your staff.

2. Conduct more one-on-one and group interviews

Your employees want to feel heard. If you never give them the chance to tell you what's on their minds, you aren't leading with empathy.

So, arrange regular appointments with them, either for private interviews or group meetings, and let them clear the air. Be open to new ideas, and do not use this time to rebuke anyone, or shoot down suggestions. Make it a positive experience that they look forward to, and make sure good things come from it. Act on the ideas you like, and tell them why you're not implementing ideas you don't like.

3. Get to know staff personally

Ask people how their weekends were. Get to know them beyond the daily grind. How's the family? Are they taking on a lot of extra work at home? This could be the reason they look tired, and have made some mistakes recently. Have they had a major life change, or has there been a bereavement? The more you know, and genuinely understand, the more empathetic you will be, which will in turn make you a better boss.

4. Be open with the staff

You're not expected to be everyone's best friend. You're a boss, and you should define those boundaries. But, there is absolutely nothing wrong with telling people about some of your own management struggles.

Your staff may be annoyed because you haven't implemented something they have been requesting for months. Explaining that you have, in fact, been trying to push that through upper management and are being stonewalled will let the team know you're on their side. Don't pass the buck, bad-mouth your bosses, or make yourself out to be a victim. Just let them know you're working for them.

5. Learn to read body language

If you ask how someone's doing and they say they're fine, it may not be the end of the conversation. How do they look? How's their stance? Is their head drooping? Fingers constantly fidgeting? There may be something they want to tell you, but are hesitant to ask. You can break the silence and find out what's wrong. Don't prod. Simply showing genuine concern can have a major positive impact on how your employees view you.

Above all, be honest, sincere, and understanding of what your employees do. Learn more about their work, their troubles, their lives, and their hopes for the future. Even if you cannot solve their immediate problems, understanding them will make your staff feel so much better having you as their boss.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Succeed at Work Despite Your Lousy Boss

Paul Michael — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 08:00:11 +0000

In an ideal world, your boss would be a great leader, a teacher, a mentor, and someone to be admired and celebrated. As we all know, it's not an ideal world. Sometimes, the boss is so bad, you dread going to work and spend hours looking for a new career. However, there is hope. You can turn the situation to your advantage, and help you "manage" when the boss is a lost cause. (See also: How to Survive (and Thrive!) in a Job You Hate)

Get to know everything about them

What motivates them? What makes them happy, in and out of work? What about career goals, or people who inspire them? What do they like to do on weekends? Do they have a hobby? The more you know, the better.

When you are armed with this kind of information, you can use it to swing things in your favor. This does not mean sucking up, or blackmail. This is a way to figure out why they make certain decisions, and in turn, gives you the chance to steer them in a direction more favorable to you. For instance, if the boss is micromanaging you, find out if they are worried about their own performance review. They may fear you cannot do the job the way they want it done. If you can prove to them that this fear is unnecessary, they will focus on someone else.

Do not play their game

A really lousy boss will play head games with you. They'll ask you to work late when they know you've got tickets to the concert. They'll put you on a project with someone they know rubs you the wrong way. They'll ask for two hours of work to be done in one hour. You know — a really nasty piece of work. (See also: The 9 Types of Horrible Bosses — And How to Manage Them)

Despite this, don't let them see that it bothers you. Like any bully, they get their kicks from your reaction. If you brush it off, smile, and happily do everything they request; it will eat them up inside. They'll end up doing something that reflects badly on them, or they'll focus their energy on someone who gives them the response they want.

Keep meticulous records

We live in a world of emails and text messages. If you're having trouble with a boss, start tracking everything. From every email exchange to every closed-door conversation, use technology to build a case against the boss's behavior. Take detailed notes in meetings, and send a copy of those notes to your boss to ensure that you understood everything that was required of you. Get approvals in writing. The more evidence you have, the less chance you will be a scapegoat for anything. Even if the boss is just inept, you can use this technique to keep them on task. (See also: 10 Warning Signs Your New Boss May Be a Bad Boss)

Take the initiative

A lousy boss will often keep you out of the loop, and may even try to marginalize your position. This approach keeps their employees uninformed, and as we all know, knowledge is power.

Don't settle for this. Do everything you can to find out what you can through other channels. Speak to colleagues in other departments about projects they're working on. Get friendly with people in HR, or upper management. Make yourself available for jobs that the boss has "forgot" to mention in staff meetings. But of course, be polite and respectful to the boss, and make sure he or she knows you have only the best interests of the company at heart.

Give them the impression it was their idea

If you're having trouble getting your initiatives greenlit, you could have a boss who doesn't like employees taking their spotlight. In this situation, you should take a page out of the advertising agency book.

Ad agencies often deal with clients who balk at original and bold ideas, so they plant seeds in meetings called "tissue sessions." Here, the agency works side-by-side with the client to produce an idea, steering the client all the way. The client believes they have helped to birth this idea, and it is blessed with little or no changes. Do likewise. Plant seeds. Make the boss think your great idea is something they were planning to do all along. The people that matter will know who is really responsible for it, and you'll get to do what you want.

Make them look good

At the end of the day, most bosses just want to be successful. They rarely care how that happens, and if you can help in that quest, you'll come out smelling of roses. Ask them how you can help them in their day-to-day duties. Do they have something big in the works that you can assist with? Are they having problems with certain employees, and if so, what can you do to help them smooth things over?

Become their most trusted and effective member of staff; the indispensable "right hand man." They'll start to rely on you more, and you may even help them get promoted. When that happens, you'll be next in line. (See also: 15 Ways to Suck Up at Work That Won't Make You Feel Slimy)

Learn their triggers

Every boss is different, and as such, your approach to every boss needs to adapt. Some bosses like to be challenged; others will find it offensive and believe it is insubordinate. Some bosses love employees to take the initiative; others will insist on having everything passed by them first. So, learn these triggers, and find ways to work around them. The less you hit their pain points, the better life will be for you. If nothing else changes, the fact that you are no longer ticking them off will make a huge difference in your daily work life. (See also: 7 Signs You're Working for an Impossible Boss)

Have a genuine heart-to-heart

Sometimes, a lousy boss has absolutely no idea they're causing you grief. They really do believe they're doing a great job, and everyone loves them (think Michael Scott from "The Office").

In this instance, you can make life a whole lot easier by clearing the air, and talking about the issues you're having. Now, no one likes to be told they're not performing well, so phrase things delicately. Have solutions at hand for problems you are about to explain. Let them know what their strengths are before pointing out areas of concern. A boss is still a person, and if you charge into their office with your rage level at 11, you'll put them on the defensive.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The 8 Types of Bad Bosses — And How to Survive Them

Paul Michael — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 09:00:13 +0000

Most of us have a boss (unless you work for yourself!). For the majority of us, the boss is just someone we deal with as part of the daily grind. However, some bosses stand out for all the wrong reasons. Here are the eight worst offenders; which one do you have?

1. The Comedian

If you have ever seen an episode of either the UK or U.S. version of "The Office," you know this kind of boss all too well. This kind of boss has one driving priority — to be popular. He or she will be cracking jokes at every meeting, and will have an office filled with "wacky" gadgets and posters that put a dorm room to shame.

However, they are so focused on getting people to like them that they refuse to make tough decisions. They won't reprimand anyone for fear of losing a friendship. And they certainly won't make changes that are necessary, but unpopular. This kind of boss will lead to the downfall of his or her department.

Game plan

You know what motivates this boss, so use it to your advantage. Suggest that making certain decisions may not appear popular in the short term, but will make the boss a hero in the long term. At the very least, laugh at his or her jokes, and stay popular long enough to get a few raises and promotions before moving on to a different department, or company, that is not destined for a nose-dive.

2. The Seagull

The seagull boss flies into the department (often from another location or division), makes a lot of noise, and will "take a dump" on everything from a great height before quickly flying away. They don't know the real problems and strengths associated with the daily routine, and they really don't care. All they want to do is look good by making everyone else look bad. Nothing you do will ever be good enough, and even if you implement their ideas, you will be blamed when they don't work. This kind of boss reduces morale quicker than a pay cut and a canceled holiday party.

Game plan

First, don't react — at least, not negatively, and not to his or her face. They have power that you don't, and they are happy to use it against you. Let the seagull boss do what they have come to do, but take it all with a huge grain of salt. Then, when they leave, figure out as a team what you need to do to make the suggestions work, or improve the department to the standards that have been set, without annoying the boss or tanking morale even further.

3. The Ladder Climber

This boss has enough ambition for the whole department, but lacks the moral fiber of conscience to care how the promotions happen. Stepping on good employees to climb just one rung is seen as "all part of the job." They'll smile to your face and bad-mouth you behind your back. They will take credit for your work, and put their mistakes firmly on your shoulders. They want just two things — promotions and raises. And if you get in the way, you're history.

Game plan

Don't do anything to impede their success. They're the boss, so they have the upper hand. Instead, be civil, and even ask how to help them achieve their goals. Your aim is to get them promoted into a position that no longer impacts your daily life. Hopefully, they'll take a job somewhere else for more pay and a better title. If you happen to send them these opportunities, saying they are meant for greatness, even better.

4. The Insufferable Martyr

Whatever this boss is doing, they're doing it for you. And, they work harder than anyone in the office. You think you had it rough last week? Well, just listen to their sob stories and be put in your place. 100-hour weeks. Being berated by clients and management. Rewriting proposals during their daughter's sixth birthday party. Building a time machine just to go back a week and stop a disaster from happening. OK, so maybe not that bad, but it does get ridiculous. Everyone rolls their eyes but stays quiet as this boss recounts the worst week of their life, which happens every single week.

Game plan

You really only have one way to deal with this one; go along with it. If you challenge them that they don't have it as rough as they say they do, they'll consider you to be unempathetic and against them. However, you really don't want to enable this behavior — it makes things worse. Just nod, agree that life is tough, and move on.

5. The Faker

There's an old saying; "Fake it till you make it." Sometimes, people in business fake it really well, and sadly, they're still faking it by the time they become your boss. You won't learn anything from this type of manager, other than how to bite your lip when they say something that's clearly wrong. However, they got this far, and the chances are they'll continue to do well by employing the same charm and guesswork that got them here in the first place.

If they have friends in high places, they'll take full advantage of that favoritism. If you're good at your job, they'll use you to make themselves look good. They may even ask you to do their job for them, in a roundabout kind of way. And as you wonder how they ever got this far, they'll get yet another raise and promotion. It really is infuriating.

Game plan

It's tempting to set a trap for "the faker" to show how little knowledge they actually have. But, a word of warning: Setting them up, perhaps in a meeting, will only put you on their bad side. They have spent years, or even decades, avoiding detection by those in power. They have more excuses than you'll ever be able to combat, and they have a long memory. You do not want to get on their bad side, especially with this kind of move. At some point, they'll either move on, or make a mistake they cannot squirm out of. Keep your cool.

6. The Chicken Little

The sky is always falling for this boss. Corporate is constantly down on his or her department, and the pink slip is coming any day now. Jobs are going to be severed. Wages cut. Bonuses slashed. Everything is horrible, the department is doomed, and you should start looking for new work because it's all going wrong.

The problem with this kind of boss, other than the constant stress he or she exerts on employees, is that it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Time spent stressing and running around looking for answers becomes more important than the actual job. It gets noticed, and they eventually seal their own fate; perhaps yours as well.

Game plan

Be careful what you believe, and what you toss aside as speculation and worrying. There are always problems in every company, and news can be taken one way or another. In all likelihood, there could be some truth to the doomsday predictions, but more than likely, it's a storm in a teacup. Do your own research, and make your own conclusions.

7. The Sleazebag

This usually applies to male bosses, but that does not mean women are excluded from exhibiting this kind of behavior. This boss is all hands and roaming eyes. They notice every time you wear something that reveals a little skin. They make suggestions that would not even belong in a locker room. And, they make your skin crawl the second they walk into the room.

You feel uncomfortable in their presence, and sometimes, you even feel afraid. This kind of boss will use his or her power to take advantage of every situation, and will often try to blackmail you into giving in to their horrid advances.

Game plan

Nip this one in the bud, and fast. Keep meticulous records of every interaction, every email, every voicemail, and anything that will support your genuine claim of harassment. Then, take it to HR. If you don't have an HR department, take it to the most senior person on the executive staff. And if that happens to be your boss … you need to leave.

8. The Mosquito

They are the back seat driver of the office. They come up behind you when you're working, and you hear them breathing in your ear. They look over your shoulder, they bug you 15–20 times a day, and they never seem to take a hint that you do not appreciate their constant irritation.

This boss is something of a micromanager, but also seems to be at a loose end for the entire working week. Why don't they have something better to do? Why are they looking at every line you write, or every job you start? Why don't they just leave you alone!?

Game plan

First, prove to them that you know what you're doing. If they're bugging you because they don't trust you, it's time to gain that trust. If they are just the kind of person who likes to hover, have a genuine heart-to-heart. Tell them you appreciate the checking in, but you get more work done when you're left to do it yourself. But when you need their excellent advice, you will definitely ask for it.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Effectively Complain to the Manager

Lauren Treadwell — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:00:34 +0000

One of the basic tenets of business is that it’s cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one. Many companies view customer complaints as a way to gauge what works and what changes they need to make to keep customers happy. Good managers take this to heart and strive to provide the most favorable solution to a customer’s problem. However, an ineffective complaint can actually hurt your chances of getting the issue resolved. How you approach the situation can make all the difference, so using the right methods can greatly increase your chance of satisfaction. (See also: How to Get What You Want on Customer Service Calls)

Remain Polite and Calm

Although you are likely annoyed or even angry about the situation, it’s very important to keep your emotions in check when you speak to the manager. People often lose their ability to empathize when they feel like they’re being verbally attacked, and the manager can easily go into a less-than-helpful, defensive state if you come off as overly upset or aggressive.

Don’t Point Fingers

People react better and are more willing to help you if they do not think you are blaming them directly for the problem. If a service rep, salesperson, or restaurant server is the problem, using a phrase such as “I’m sure the person in question does not represent your policies” tells the manager that you’re not attacking him or the company as a whole. This also keeps management from becoming defensive and less willing to resolve the matter in your favor.

Blunt Your Criticism

No one wants to hear everything they do is wrong, and this is especially true for mangers who are trying to solve a customer’s problem. Stating what you enjoyed about the meal, product, or service and then offering your criticism softens the blow and tells the manager that he may be able to keep you as a customer. Use the company’s desire to retain you as a customer as leverage. Say how often you visit or use the service and tell the manager that you would like to return. Failing to point out the good points about the establishment or service will make the manager think you won’t be returning anyway, and it may make him less inclined to honor your request.

Propose a Solution

The most effective complaints offer a specific solution. Telling the manager exactly how you want the issue to be resolved gives him a direct course of action and increases the likelihood of a positive result. It also takes away the need for the manager to guess at what you want, which can quickly turn into dickering for “fair” compensation instead of fully resolving the issue. If you desire a refund of a purchase or payment for a service, read your service contract or check the store policies online or on the back of the receipt to determine the refund policy and ensure that you are not out of the refund or return time frame. If you are, you may only be able receive store credit or an exchange, no matter how well you craft your complaint.

Be Reasonable

While your request should make you feel adequately compensated, demanding a free meal because your drink order was wrong will make you seem unreasonable and can make the manager less willing to help you. If a product or service you ordered was damaged or incorrect, give the manager adequate time to repair, replace, or redo it.

Staying polite and reasonable gives you the best chance of initiating an effective complaint. Not only will you be more likely to receive the outcome you desire, you’ll also be able to return to the store or restaurant or keep using the service with confidence.

This article is from Lauren Treadwell of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Entrepreneurs Versus Managers: Which are You?

James Clear — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:25:20 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/articles/entrepreneurs-vs-managers-which-are-you

"Successful entrepreneurs know their weaknesses as well as their strengths."

The line above is a classic small business maxim that I believe most of us would agree with. Self-aware people are well-positioned for success and when it comes to being self-aware I have noticed two distinct types of business owners: entrepreneurs and managers.

We All Start The Same

In the beginning, everyone is a hustler.

You're a fire starter. You have to be. You can't bootstrap an idea into a profitable business without a little elbow grease.

Things start to change, however, once you accomplish a small amount of success. When you cross that valley of the unknown and realize that you're actually going to stay in business...well, then it gets interesting because most people settle into one of two categories.

Entrepreneurs vs. Managers

Entrepreneurs are go-getters. After they build a business, they are ready to push the envelope once again.

Day-to-day operations bore them to a certain degree. Sure, they are interested in continuing to grow their first company, but in their mind the daily grind of business is something to be delegated.

Entrepreneurs start companies because they want to change things. They expose gaps in the market. They are always moving on to the next idea.

Once entrepreneurs build one profitable business, they say, "Watch me. I did this once and now I'm going to do it again."

Managers believe in the business they built so much that they want to cultivate it on a daily basis. Once their first business is profitable, they view it as their personal responsibility to take it to the next level.

Managers may delegate some things and they certainly might tell themselves that they delegate often, but truthfully major business decisions usually go through them before they are approved.

Once managers build one profitable business, they say, "We're profitable. Now watch me take this worldwide."

You Can Be Successful Either Way

Let's get one thing straight: both entrepreneurs and managers can be wildly successful with their businesses.

It's not about one style being better than the other, it's about choosing the style that's best for you. I'll give you an example using two of the most successful business men of our time.

Richard Branson vs. Steve Jobs.

Branson is an entrepreneur. His Virgin brand now encompasses over 400 different businesses. 400! When he succeeds with one business idea, he is on to the next. In fact, the following quote from Branson is one of the reasons I wrote this article.

"An entrepreneur is not a manager. An entrepreneur is someone who is great at conceiving ideas, starting ideas, building ideas ... and then handing them over to really good managers to run the business." -Sir Richard Branson

Steve Jobs was a manager. Last month, Apple had the largest market cap of any company in the S&P 500. Jobs built a $300+ billion dollar business by operating in a manner very different from Branson.

Jobs was famously a micromanager and a perfectionist. Employees have noted him calling out tiny details in design changes (all of which had to be approved by him), grammatical and spelling errors in company documents, and so on. He would even answer customer service complaints as the CEO from time to time.

Which Are You?

Branson and Jobs have both been incredibly successful at building their businesses, but they have done so in very different ways.

For some of us, being a manager is the path to success. For others, being an entrepreneur is the best bet.

If you're an entrepreneur, then keep building businesses. If you're a manager, then focus on a single subject matter and become brilliant. This is about finding your strength.

Which type is best for your small business? More importantly, which one are you?

This article is from James Clear of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Incentive plans always go awry

Philip Brewer — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:04:00 +0000

Ever worked someplace that had an incentive plan (as in, "Hit these targets and you'll get a bonus")? Ever been a manager whose job it was to administer an incentive plan? Ever tried to create an incentive plan, hoping to get people to do more of what you want them to do? Here's a little tidbit for you: Incentive plans always go awry.

I don't mean to say that incentive plans don't work. They just never do what you want them to do. Here's why: They replace intrinsic motivation with extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Ever seen a kid try to learn how to do something he wants to be able to do? (For example, learn to beat a level on a video game or learn to jump a skateboard up onto a wall?) If so, you've seen intrinsic motivation. I've seen kids spend hours, doing the same thing over and over again, until they get it right. People offering bonuses have seen the same thing too. That kind of concentrated hard work is what they're trying to get, only they want it focused on their project.

They're never going to succeed, because only intrinsic motivation does that.

That's not to say that extrinsic motivation doesn't have an effect. Offer a bonus, and people will try to get the bonus. But observe: Their motivation is not to accomplish your goal--it's to "get the bonus."

Incentive programs and metrics

Any kind of incentive program has a metric--the thing that you're measuring to decide whether someone gets the bonus. For salesmen, it might be a target number of sales. For the quality-control guy, it might be keeping the number of bad units below some level. For a corporate executive, it might be some level of return on investment.

Whatever metric you pick, though, it will be something that can be gamed. A salesman can sell more units a dozen different ways:

He can stop pushing a single right-sized unit and start getting customers to buy two or three smaller units.
He can make aggressive use of financing to sell units to people who can't afford them.
He can stop providing support for his old customers and spend all his time chasing up sales to new customers.
He can make wink-and-nod deals to "sell" units with the understanding that they'll be returned next quarter.
He can kick back a fraction of his bonus to purchasing agents who buy what he's selling.

Now, the head office can thwart any of these moves. It can change the bonus metric from number of units to number of dollars in sales or number of dollars of profits. (Then the salesman puts all his effort into selling the most expensive or most profitable units.) It can delay credit for vendor-financed units until the bill gets paid. (Then the salesman stops using vendor financing even for customers where it makes sense.) It can mandate a certain amount of time spent supporting existing customers. (Measured how? Answer: According to some metric that the salesman can game just as easily.) In fact, it can spend all its time fiddling with the incentive plan, to the point where the head-office folks don't have time to do their own jobs--but nothing it can do will keep employees from gaming the metric, and nothing it can do will produce intrinsic motivation.

The point is that, under an incentive plan, everything is worse. Everybody's focused on the metric, and nobody's focused on doing the work that needs to get done.

Notice what the underlying assumption is: that the employees haven't already thought about what's best for the company and what's best for their customers. That their intrinsic motivation is something other than doing a good job. Some employers no doubt have plenty of disgruntled, unmotivated employees just there to pick up a paycheck for the least work they can get away with--but the answer to that problem is figuring out what's gone so terribly wrong with the business.

What to do instead

Whenever I point out that incentive plans make things worse, people always say, "But what should we do instead?"

Of course, just asking the question shows that you haven't grasped the essential point: Incentive plans make things worse. It's like whacking yourself on the foot with a hammer. The first thing to do is to stop. Once you've done that, you can focus on aligning employee's intrinsic motivation with the firm's business needs.

First, think for a minute about what people's intrinsic motivations are. My own experience is with software engineers. They're strongly motivated to:

do new, cool stuff with the latest technology
do work that's worth doing
gain the respect of their peers

Clever managers can use that to get employees to do what needs to get done. (For example, by making sure that every engineer gets to do some new, cool stuff, by not assigning pointless work and making sure that engineers understand why a task that might seem pointless is worth doing, and by making sure that everybody gets to see some of what their coworkers are doing.)

Most managers, though, have a different focus. They're too busy "managing" to have time to explain why the pointless work is worth doing--to them, it's worth doing because senior managers assigned it--and the new, cool projects go to key employees, because they're high-visibility, must-succeed projects and putting a junior engineer on it would be too risky.

With intrinsic motivations out of the picture, managers have to fill the gap with extrinsic motivations--praise, raises, promotions, and bonuses.

It's important to note that there's nothing wrong with any of these things--managers should lavish their employees with all of them. What's wrong is using them as an incentive. As soon as you do that, you've got your employees trying to hit the metric, rather than doing what needs to be done.

Minimizing the harm

Even though the harmful effects of incentive plans have been known for a long time, and the harm has been throughly documented--See for example, Punished By Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes by Alfie Kohn--they haven't gone away. How then can we minimize the harm that they do?

For managers

First, remember that the harm is done by having an incentive tied to some metric. It does no harm to pay people for their work, nor does it do any harm to offer a bonus that isn't tied to an incentive plan. For example, a profit-sharing plan does no harm, and is often a good idea for everyone involved. (It means that the employer can lower payroll costs during bad times without having to lay people off or cut salaries.)

Second, if you have to have a metric, make it something that employees have no control over--total profits, for example. This will be de-motivating, of course--employees will be frustrated at having a bonus plan that's essentially a lottery ticket--but not as bad as if all your employees are spending their time trying to hit the metric.

Third, if you have a bonus tied to a metric, keep the bonus as small as possible. That way your employees can continue to follow their intrinsic motivations to do a good job without feeling like chumps for not gaming the bonus system.

Fourth, don't set your employees up to be competing against one another. You want your employees to be collaborating. Putting them in competition for a bonus is exactly the wrong thing to do.

Fifth, don't waste time trying to come up with a metric that your employees can't game. It's impossible. Unless their job is absolutely trivial, it will always be easier to maximize the metric than to do a good job. Any effort you put into creating a perfect metric is wasted effort.

To the greatest extent possible, though, avoid incentive plans. If your business has any kind of reasonable structure, your employee's intrinsic incentives are already aligned with the business's interests. (If they aren't--if your employee's natural inclinations to do work that's worth doing and to do it well doesn't lead them to do what you need done--then that might be a good place to focus your managerial efforts.)

For employees

I don't actually have much useful advice for employees suffering under an incentive program, except to try to find employers where the incentive programs are small and the target metrics are out of employee's control.

Really, your natural inclinations are going to be the right ones. If the bonus is small enough to be ignored, just ignore it and do your job. If the bonus is so large that you can't ignore it, put in whatever effort it takes to get the bonus, and then spend the rest of your time doing whatever you should have been doing. But you knew that already.

Everybody should read Alfie Kohn's Punished By Rewards. It will change the way you think about incentive plans--and change it for the better.

This article is from Philip Brewer of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: