Boss Tip #15 - Treat Your People Like ... Well ... People!

"Organizations work fine. It's people who screw 'em up." (Kevin Burns)

It is true though isn't it? Almost without exception, every single problem in every single business is created by a person. If you could just take the people out of your organization, you would eliminate almost every single problem that you, as a boss, are forced to deal with. Think of how much more you could get done if there weren't "people" problems to deal with. You could probably reduce your hours to part-time status and still get the job done if there weren't people to deal with.

Well good luck with that one. There ARE people to deal with. These are the same people you have either hired or at least had a hand in getting hired. These are your people. Without them, you wouldn't be needed. Thank your lucky stars for "people" problems. It's one of the things that keeps you, the boss, working.

So since you've hired people to help you do the job, perhaps you could cut them a little slack and treat them like, well, treat them like they are valued by you. How would you want to be treated if given the same job and responsibilities? C'mon, it's not that hard to figure out. You'd like to hear an occassional, "Good job," or "Thanks," or "What would we do without you?" It's pretty simple. We all want to know how we're doing so it becomes your job, as a boss, to make sure that your people are not only given the coaching they require, but even an occassiaonal bit of praise wouldn't hurt either.

I can guarantee that if you choose to praise your people on a regular basis, they will actually do more for you. How is that possible? When people take ownership of their work, they take pride in the workmanship. How can you get them to take ownership? Make a few heartfelt positive comments about their quality of work and watch the quality improve. People like to know that they are valued. The more you praise them, the more they are likely to perform for (not you) themselves. You get to take credit for a well-run and high-quality department.

All it takes is a little positive reinforcement once in a while. Treat your people like the valued people that they are. Your company's work wouldn't get done without them. And if you don't value their work, then one of two things is taking place: either they don't want to work for you or you hired the wrong people. Either way, they are not to blame - you are. You obviously don't know how to hire properly or can't coach worth a damn. Either way, the coach (boss) needs to be fired then.

Connect with your people on a personal level and they will begin to take their work and work ethic personally. When it gets personal, pride gets involved. When pride is involved, the quality of work has a much better chance of being top-notch.

Your people are both your most important asset as well as your greatest liability. Your job, as a boss, is being able to differentiate the two. If you can't differentiate the two, then your people aren't the problem. That just leaves you.