Becoming the Boss Everyone Wants: Ask yourself these 10 questions [Part 2]
Welcome back!
In Part 1, we discussed the first five ways to create a workplace where trust, respect, and genuine care thrive. If you missed it you can read it HERE.
Let’s quickly recap the key questions:
Are you trusting your team, or just pretending to?
Are you human or a robot?
Are you setting them up for success, or just setting them up?
Do you really care about work-life balance, or are you just saying it?
How well do you know your team?
These strategies are foundational for your team to feel valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
In Part 2, we’ll explore even more ways to show appreciation, including how to recognize your team’s contributions, give meaningful feedback, and build lasting loyalty.
Here are 5 more questions you need to ask yourself:
1. Does your team know you value them, or are they just guessing?
Like we’ve said before, recognition doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. A simple “great job” or “thanks for handling that” can do wonders.
Most times, Olivia will send us a client's response or reaction to the work we did, letting us know that we did a great job and keep it up. She shares the recognition and shows us the difference that we’re making.
Show your team they’re not just replaceable pawn pieces, and they’ll reward you with loyalty and effort.
2. Do you really need to remind them who’s boss?
Spoiler alert: they already know. Flexing your authority just makes you look insecure.
I am such a strong believer that as high as you climb that ladder and with all your success, you will only become the best boss if you NEVER forget where you came from.
Once upon a time, you worked for someone. You put in long hours, sacrificed a lot, wanted to be seen and heard. Things came up, life happened. It wasn’t always handled the way you wanted. You have people working for you now. You can be the difference you always wanted in a boss.
Lead by example and create a collaborative environment. When your team feels respected, they’re more likely to respect you right back and work harder because of it.
3. Are you actually listening?
Your team is a goldmine of ideas and feedback. Take the time to listen, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear.
Sometimes Olivia will request a meeting to work through something that is in an idea phase. She includes us and uses it to either figure out what is not going to work or takes what we say and turns it into a bigger plan.
Different perspectives can lead to innovation, better problem-solving, and, ultimately, a stronger business.
4. Are you celebrating enough?
Big wins are great, but small wins deserve some love too. Did someone nail a presentation? Meet a tight deadline? Survive a Monday? We celebrate surviving a day often. 😂😂😂
Not only does Olivia do it with us, she also shares her small wins too and we love to be included in them! We are truly treated as a team rather than a hierarchy.
Recognizing the little things keeps morale high and momentum strong. And hey, who doesn’t like a little shoutout?
5. When was the last time you gave real feedback?
Feedback isn’t just about patting people on the back or pointing out what went wrong. It’s about helping your team grow and improve.
This one wasn’t an easy one for me in the beginning. Because I’m used to only negative feedback in my other jobs, as soon as Olivia would tell me I did something wrong, I thought I was getting fired. I thought the worst.
After some time, Olivia realized what was happening and explained that the feedback was to help me learn and grow. It was always balanced with good and bad. It was something she helped me work on in having confidence within myself that receiving that feedback is what I need to excel in all that I do.
She was investing in me. Not just with money, but with time and patience. I appreciate that feedback so I can get to where I want, and she needs me to be!
Regular, constructive feedback shows you’re invested in their success, and when they succeed, your business does too.
Why it’s worth it
Here’s the bottom line: appreciated teams and staff work harder, stay longer, and care more.
I don’t dread going into work. I don’t cringe at seeing my boss' number come up on my phone or in my inbox. I look forward to our chats and meetings.
When you create a culture of trust, recognition, and respect, your team will go above and beyond to help your business thrive.
You may not have had the privilege to have a boss like Olivia, but there is good news: you can BE a boss like Olivia.
Be the change. Make the difference. Be the boss you have always dreamt of having!
