Once you’ve made your decision to enter the realm of entrepreneurship, you’ll become the thing you’ve always wanted to be—the boss. And guess what? The boss has employees. And you’ll learn sooner rather than later that your employees are your most vital asset. If treated well, they’ll work hard on your behalf. They’ll represent your company brand. And they’ll propel you to the profitability necessary to flourish. But they can’t do it on their own. In this edition of FranNet’s blog, we’re going to provide you with some simple, yet effective, tips for developing outstanding employees.
A Valued Employee
Think back to when you, yourself, were an employee. What motivated you? Why did you work hard? How were you shown appreciation? A valued employee is a commodity. Numerous studies have proved that employees that feel valued by both their company and management are more productive than their counterparts who did not feel valued. It may sound simple, but actually taking the time to value and motivate your employees is something you’ll have to account for in your busy schedule. Be a consensus builder, giving compliments openly and often. Praise productivity and never demean or debase an employee in front of others. What it comes down to is setting the right example of positive leadership.
Encourage Development through Goal-Setting
Each of your employees has something special to offer, or you wouldn’t have hired them in the first place. Workplace development doesn’t end with the interview, but rather should be a continuous process. Your employees should be ambitious and you should work with them to set goals for achievement—and more importantly, advancement. All motivated employees want this chance and it’s up to you to provide the road map.
Provide Challenges
What gives a particular employee motivation to exceed expectations? If you don’t know, find out quickly. Then, use that information to provide unique challenges to them. If you have a salesperson with a particular quota, see if they can surpass their numbers by a certain percentage. Work with them to create an achievable goal which goes above and beyond the status quo. If met, reward your employee handsomely. When others see the example you’ve set, they’ll understand that your management style is one where success is recognized.
The Review Process
As a boss, you should take steps to ensure that your employees are regularly reviewed on performance. First and foremost, it shows you actually care about them personally and professionally. If you take an interest in them, they’re more likely to respond in kind with respect to your business. Reviews are a chance for open dialogue between boss and employee. Many insightful details will likely emerge about your operation, the employee, their co-workers and ways in which everyone can improve. You do desire continual improvement, correct?
As a boss with several employees, your primary directive is to lead by example. What you need is to have employees who feel engaged with the processes that drive the profitability of your business. Management is a skill set and one that takes patience and proactivity. If you become the kind of boss you always wanted as an employee, your employees will have the kind of boss they hope to be some day.
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