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Having said that, I am in a privileged position where I get to meet some of the greatest, most inspirational leaders in the world when I travel.
They usually travel as much as I do, so I always ask the question, "How do you manage your people?"
Here are 5 Habits that highly successful (top-notch) bosses possess:
- They listen to everyone and rarely speak a word until they have thought everything through. That means when an employee comes to them with a problem, they know that there is more than one solution and they either empower the employee to come up with the solution that best fits them, or they help them derive at a conclusion that fixes the problem and makes it look like the employee actually achieved it collaboratively.
- They look like "bosses". If you are a boss, usually everyone in the room knows you are just that. It's not because they have it written on your forehead or wear a shirt that says "I am the boss". It is simply the way they stand, the way they hold themselves and how they communicate. Watch leaders and mirror the way the talk, walk, and communicate.
- They ask lots of questions, but rarely offer up much of themselves. They have a job to do and they do that well. What happens behind closed doors, stays behind closed doors. It's quite interesting watching some of the world's most well-known leaders operate and how they look people in the eyes and talk ask questions, and the person they are talking to, often find that they didn't get to know the "boss" or what he or she actually thought. They were too busy answering questions. It's an art.
- They are present in every conversation. When you are a seasoned boss, you know that the most valuable thing to any employee is your ability to give them time. Your time is valuable and hard to get - and there will not be a person in the company that doesn't recognize that. When you are an accomplished boss, you realize that it is the small things that matter most.
- Have a well thought through plan in place and ensure that every single person knows that plan inside out, back to front. Every good leader has a vision, a plan and a set of company values that is shared and explored.
There is so much that we all can learn about being bosses and very few, including myself fail to ever nail it. Reading books, blogs and listening, and learning from others is always a great way to learn how to be better and constantly on the improve.
