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Six Things Every Boss Should Know

BY: MICHAEL STERN September 13, 2004

To me, September has always marked the beginning of a new business year. It's a time to shake off the summer doldrums and adopt new habits and attitudes that will get you off to a fresh start.

On the premise that business is easy, but management is tough, here is my contribution to your new year's renewal: six things every executive ought to know (and commonly forgets).

- Talk is cheap. The people in your organization have heard all the platitudes. "We empower our employees. The customer is number one. Our core values are integrity and ethics."

Eyes glaze over at the mention of visions and missions if employees never see the followup steps that prove such commitments are for real. The next time you're tempted to say, "People are our most important asset," prove you mean it. Show how your company is investing in training and career development. Describe the new bonus plan that encourages employee loyalty.

True leaders will acknowledge the disconnect between what most companies say and what they do. And they offer concrete evidence their organization means what it says.

- It's not about the money. Time after time, employee opinion surveys prove what most bosses just can't believe: salary is not the key motivator for your employees.

Cash is a necessary commodity, but insufficient on its own. If you are trying to stimulate loyalty and initiative, then recognition, challenge and accomplishment are all much more powerful.

Yes, you have to pay your best performers a competitive wage. But you also have to give them continual respect, positive feedback, and assignments that help them learn and grow. If you pay top employees well but treat them like mushrooms, you'll lose them to today's competitive markets.

- They're always watching you.

Whether you're department manager or CEO, your people have their eye on you. They're looking for clues as to how you feel about business today, how you're handling the pressure, and how much you really know about what's going on under your watch.

Basically, they're looking for leadership. They want you to lead, through your humanity, team spirit, creativity and generosity. Are you talking up the troops, or taking all the credit for their success? Are you holed up in your office, or walking around? Do you come in early every day or take long, languid lunches? People take their cues from you.

- Never let them see you sweat - profusely. Yes, leaders have to convey enthusiasm and confidence. But don't let that become your sole persona.

No one is "up" all the time. It's all right to let your people see you concerned or annoyed once in a while. It makes you more human. And if you are a true leader, the team will work hard not to let you down.

- Take time to recharge. Build downtime into your schedule. Everyone needs a break. One executive I know brings more work with him on a skiing vacation than he does ski equipment. That attitude just ensures he'll return to the office frazzled - and in need of another holiday.

Take a complete and sustained break from work. Turn off the Blackberry and stop checking voice mail. Your office can survive a week or two without you. In fact, your people will enjoy making decisions in your absence and appreciate your confidence in them. You'll return refreshed and your team's energy will be renewed.

- Manage expectations up and down. Most problems in the executive suite result from failures to communicate -- up or down. To prevent trouble, make sure your people know what you expect of them. Set measurable, achievable targets, and let them know how much time -- and leeway -- they have.

That may sound like Management 100, but you'd be amazed how many executives tell me that they're working in a vacuum, with no jointly established deliverables.

Don't forget to establish a better understanding with your own superiors. Clarify their expectations, and how involved they want to be in your activities. Do they want to hear from you every day or once a week? Remember: a managed boss is a happy boss.