If you’re like most bosses, you do most of the talking. Frankly, this one-way-street behavior needs to change. Your job is to ensure that the dialogue is 80/20, where your direct report is doing 80% of the talking and you’re talking only 20% of the time. The only way to make that happen is to ask questions instead of making statements.
Here’s a guiding principle that will separate you from the pack of not-so-good bosses: A great boss creates a work environment where people are fully engaged and highly accountable.
How would you rate the level of accountability in your organization, on a scale of 1–10? If you’re like most bosses, you’d rate accountability low—maybe a 4. It’s one of the many people issues that frustrate you. You assign jobs to your people, only to be frustrated when they don’t follow through and accomplish them.
There are four truths that you must embrace if you truly desire to be a great boss. If you don’t embrace them, no amount of reading, teaching, coaching, or effort will make you great.
Consider this for a minute—no matter what title is on your business card, be it foreman, supervisor, manager, president or chief executive officer—the people who report to you call you their boss.
The word “boss” comes from the Dutch word “baas,” originally a term of respect used to address a person in charge. When you consider the original meaning, being called a boss feels pretty good doesn’t it? Accept the title “boss” with pride. You’re in charge. Be in charge. Take pride in the responsibility but don’t become arrogant or take the title “boss” for granted.
Some of the best meetings that I’ve been in lately are the ones where members of the leadership team challenge each other. There’s debate and pushback and the discussions are heated. Each person is actively engaged putting the greater good of the organization ahead of personal agendas. Sometimes the feedback they give each other stings a little. But, when the dust settles there’s clarity around the root cause. Conflict creates clarity.
After a recent EOS session, the owner made a comment about the importance of repetition in mastering a skill. Specifically, he was talking about the weekly Level 10 meeting and, after just six meetings, how much better his team was becoming at identifying, discussing and solving issues, getting things done, improving communication and team health. He told his team, “Imagine how much better we’ll be after 52 weekly Level 10 meetings?”
In the 19th Century, anthropologists believed that Polynesia was settled by people who migrated there from Southeast Asia. This became the conventional view until a young Thor Hyerdahl challenged the experts. His contention, based on evidence gathered while living with the natives, was that Polynesia was settled by people from the east, specifically South America. In 1947, despite much criticism, he built the raft KonTiki and sailed 4300 miles across the vast Pacific Ocean from Peru to Polynesia, proving beyond a doubt that it was possible. In 1970, he dispelled another long held view that Columbus discovered America. He believed that the ancients had made the voyage centuries before Columbus and proved it by building and sailing Ra II across the Atlantic Ocean from Morocco to Barbados, a journey of 3270 miles.
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