A Good Boss Will Make Employees Better

The word boss tends to generate within us a certain nervousness. When we think about this concept what may come to mind is the image of a man with a jacket and tie, grouchy, a punisher who can get angry with us at any moment we do not behave perfectly or according to his expectations. Especially, if we have only ever had bosses who fit this description.

Traditionally, this threatening and demanding manner of dealing with employees was the optimal way of making sure they do their work correctly. 

That is to say, fear was used as a tool to achieve greater results and productivity. Obviously, that does not happen, and prior studies will confirm this.

If we think about it, fear will never make a worker be more productive, especially if we are talking about sustained performance over a long period of time. By pressuring, threatening, or only pointing out their mistakes, the only thing we will achieve is unhappy employees with a low perception of self-efficiency. People who can do repetitive tasks, but have difficulty being innovators, cannot relate to the company.

This person might lose interest in their work due to a feeling of learned helplessness, since they do not know how to make their boss happy. Or they may quit because they are bored, lack motivation, or feel anger towards the company.

High expectations promote anxiety and anxiety impedes performance in any individual, which can lead to a significant decrease in the employee’s self-esteem.

Being a Boss is not the same as Being a Leader

As we have already stated, a boss is supposed to have authority over the employees which is granted by the hierarchy of the company and whose mission is to lead the employees in a way that will make them more productive. On the other hand, in order to be a boss, not only does the company have to recognize that authority, but also his boss (the boss of the boss) as well as the employees under his supervision.

However, a leader is someone who spearheads a group, political or work, and who maintains certain attitudes that are beneficial to the work. His role encompasses more than just giving orders or protecting his position, it is to motivate the employees as well as to cooperate with them to reach the common objective.

If you are reading this article and you own a company that has employees, the best thing for you and your company is for you to learn how to display the attitude of a leader. If you do, then you will achieve two things: your business will grow as all your employees will be more productive, and most importantly, you will maintain healthy relationships with your employees which will ensure that all are in sync and there will be an air of well-being in the work place.

To begin, a leader is different from a boss because they do not want to wield their authority just because they can, nor do they view it as a privilege with the ability to order others around. A leader organizes the group and guides them as a democracy. 

Furthermore, a leader listens to his employees knowing that everyone is capable of contributing something new or having good ideas. He does not try to impose his own thoughts, but rather, maintains an open dialogue with the employees or tries to convince them using examples and sound arguments.

A boss instills fear in his employees: when he is near everyone obeys, but when he leaves is harshly criticized. On the other hand, a leader is a source of confidence and generates enthusiasm and excitement in his employees. 

A good leader does not seek out mistakes just to issue punishment or look for someone to blame. A boss, on the other hand, operates this way. They look for mistakes, they reprimand, embarrass the employee, and even threatens to fire them. A leader prefers to award what they have done right, and if a mistake has been made, they work with the employee to find a solution.

A leader also is someone who is interested in their employees as people. What their lives are like, whether or not they are happy, their well-being. He does not view them simply as a number nor does he depersonalize them. Instead, he understands that one of his more important obligations is to be available for anything the employee may need.

The Greater the Happiness, the Greater the Productivity

A company will not get very far if it is owned by a tyrannical boss instead of a leader. Scared employees end up leaving their jobs to go to another that will make them feel more useful, calmer, and definitely happier.

It has been proven that happiness in the work place will make us want to work more, to excel, and reach more goals. 

On the contrary, bad work relations, whether it is with our boss or with coworkers, salaries not commensurate with our position or responsibilities, policies that seem to favor the company, and injustices, can make us victims of exhaustion and work stress. 

The employee will begin to lose his self-esteem and maintain a steady self-talk such as, “there is nothing I can do to be valued,” “perhaps I am not good enough for this job,” “I’m afraid to tell the boss my idea,” etc.

This loss of confidence in themselves as employees and in the boss promotes a general discontent, a feeling of blame, definitely a loss of motivation so big that it contributes to the worker limiting themselves to just doing the minimum of what they are asked.