Great bosses make every encounter count

I’ve seen a lot of great bosses up close. They come in all shapes and sizes. They work in a variety of industries. But they all make time to touch base a lot and when they do, they make every encounter count.

Take time

When we think something is important, we give it time. Your relationships with team members are important. Give them time. That’s how you get your “real” work done.

Set the example

Your team members pay attention to how you act for clues about what you want from them. Act accordingly. Use what you say and do to influence what team members say and do.

Watch and listen

Watching and listening are the ways you learn. Use them to learn about your team members and how they work. Use them to get a sense of the challenges team members face.

Have a conversation

Conversations are the way that positive relationships grow. When there’s time, take the time to have conversations with team members. You don’t have to limit the subjects to work.

Praise

Seek opportunities to give legitimate praise. You can praise achievement or improvement or effort. Don’t dilute your praise with “but.” You don’t have to limit your praise to work, either.

Coach

Take time to coach the team or a team member. Coaching is helping a team member do better in the future.

Ask the key question

The key question is “What can I do to help you?”

Say “Thank you”

They may know that you appreciate their work, but it’s nice to hear it.