10 things great bosses do

Flickr user dan_mcweeney

(MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY In the best of all worlds, executive compensation, shareholder value, operating goals, management objectives, and employee needs are all perfectly aligned.

If you ever find a company like that, keep it to yourself. Nobody will believe you.

It should come as no surprise that perfect companies are about as easy to find as perfect bosses and perfect spouses. It just doesn't happen. Come to think of it, if you look in the mirror and don't see plenty of flaws, you're delusional. And companies are entirely made up of imperfect people, just like you.

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Even after 100,000 years of natural selection, the human race has evolved to the point where our organizations are nearly as effective as a colony of ants with defective antennas. That's right, we still have a long way to go. Sobering thought, I know.

And yet, for all the Yahoos, HPs, RIMs, Sprints, Sonys, Kodaks, Nokias, Bank of Americas, and all the executives that turned these once-great brands into laughing stocks, there's still the occasional Apple or IBM to give us hope.

It may be an imperfect world, but there are still managers who more or less know what they're doing -- after they've had their morning coffee. Here's my take on what high-performance managers do -- or are at least supposed to do -- to motivate their teams and deliver results:

- Help the company achieve its strategic and operating goals by making smart business decisions and managing their team effectively.

- Entrust their employees with as much responsibility as their capabilities will allow and hold them accountable for the same.

- Behave like a mature adult -- genuine and empathetic -- even when their employees or their management are acting out like spoiled children.

- Provide their employees with the tools, training, and support they need to effectively achieve challenging but reasonably attainable goals.

- Promote a can-do, customer service attitude with customers and stakeholders by walking the talk and leading by example.

- Promote their team's accomplishments and take the heat for their failures.

- Provide genuine feedback, both good and bad, to their employees, peers, and management. Request the same from them.

- Work their tail off and be hands-on when necessary. If they don't, they can't expect anybody else to do it either.

- Don't compromise their ethical principles in the name of "the ends justify the means" or for any other reason.

- Strike a balance between shielding their folks from the ripples of dysfunctional management and openly communicating events that may affect them.

Overall, the best managers create a work environment where people feel challenged, do their best, and are held accountable for meeting their commitments. But most importantly, they're key components in an organization that exists to serve its customers and shareholders. We're all happiest working for a successful company.

Image courtesy of Flickr user dan_mcweeney

[Nicks007]

Hi Steve - I like your articles but I'm concerned with the whole concept of working one's tail off. This is in fact a problem in many organisations and in extremes is exploited, especially in tougher economic times. Further, it sets a cultural example that employees feel compelled to do, and sometimes out of fear. Lets not confuse working one's tail off with good quality work. They are not synonymous. In fact a culture of working one's tail off often causes quality issues, affects job enjoyment, and can cause problems with health, society, families, and employee recruitment and retainment.

An organisation with good quality work outcomes, great ideas, fresh, rested and happy loyal employees that provide good value over a normal working day (and prepared to work longer when the need arises and shorter when it doesn't) OR a work your tail off labour camp where you are too scared to leave the office before the boss does? which will have the competitive advantage?

[byte312]

How about a CEO who hires his relatives and places them in high level positions. Then when problems arise, they tell you it is your fault and your job to deal with it. Long hours, low pay and new proceedures handed down every week. Now imagine that you work on the night shift with no shift premium, they turn the heat/air off at 5:30 pm when the office staff leaves, and you are watched by cameras that record your every move. This is where I work. I work in The New World Order and in a Lean manufactureing environment. If I stay I will have no chance at retirement. Work until I drop dead. That is the plan.

[linda oien]

Thank you for another great article Steve. You've described a boss who recognizes their people are their most valuable asset, understands it is through their people customers are served, products and services get delivered and success is achieved. Clearly, great bosses get their crew in the boat rowing in the same direction and call for a "power10" to overtake the competition and win the race!

[amerilatino]

Actually, any manager worthy of his wages meets this criteria, this is not a light-the-fireworks, write-home requirement. A truly exceptional manager, on the other hand, will bring more to the table, he will have the ability to paint the big picture to his subordinates in a manner in which they will make sound decisions toward the intended goals with minimum intervention. He will be able to bring valuable knowledge and procedure to the table when difficult issues beyond established policy arise. He will be able to define and direct operations in a manner that obtains the most results from his subordinates with the least effort in the shortest amount of time, and he will recognize talent that is able to contribute to attaining that end within his ranks. He will also be effective in instilling a sense of achievement and team competitiveness in his crew. These things are not necessary requirements for an adequate manager, but they are for a GREAT manager.

[ambrking]

"The best managers create a work environment where people feel challenged, do their best, and are held accountable for meeting their commitments." Managers should bear this in mind.

Thanks for writing this Steve.