10 Things Only Exceptional Bosses Give Employees _ LinkedIn

7/1/2014 10 Things Only Exceptional Bosses Give Employees | LinkedIn

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Good bosses have strong organizational skills. Good bosses have solid decision-makingskills. Good bosses get important things done.

Exceptional bosses do all of the above -- and more. (And we remember them forever.) Sure,they care about their company and customers, their vendors and suppliers. But mostimportantly, they care to an exceptional degree about the people who work for them.

And that's why they're so rare.

Extraordinary bosses give every employee:

1. Autonomy and independence.

Great organizations are built on optimizing processes and procedures. Still, every taskdoesn't deserve a best practice or a micro-managed approach. (Here's looking at you,manufacturing industry.)

Engagement and satisfaction are largely based on autonomy and independence. I care whenit's "mine." I care when I'm in charge and feel empowered to do what's right.

Plus, freedom breeds innovation: Even heavily process-oriented positions have room fordifferent approaches. (Still looking at you, manufacturing.)

Whenever possible, give your employees the autonomy and independence to work the waythey work best. When you do, they almost always find ways to do their jobs better than youimagined possible.

2. Clear expectations.

While every job should include some degree of independence, every job does also needbasic expectations for how specific situations should be handled.

Criticize an employee for offering a discount to an irate customer today even thoughyesterday that was standard practice and you make that employee's job impossible. Fewthings are more stressful than not knowing what is expected from one day to the next.

When an exceptional boss changes a standard or guideline, she communicates thosechanges first -- and when that is not possible, she takes the time to explain why she made thedecision she made, and what she expects in the future.

3. Meaningful objectives.

Almost everyone is competitive; often the best employees are extremely competitive--especially with themselves. Meaningful targets can create a sense of purpose and add a little

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meaning to even the most repetitive tasks.

Plus, goals are fun. Without a meaningful goal to shoot for, work is just work.

No one likes work.

4. A true sense of purpose.

Everyone likes to feel a part of something bigger. Everyone loves to feel that sense ofteamwork and esprit de corps that turns a group of individuals into a real team.

The best missions involve making a real impact on the lives of the customers you serve. Letemployees know what you want to achieve for your business, for your customers, and evenyour community. And if you can, let them create a few missions of their own.

Feeling a true purpose starts with knowing what to care about and, more importantly, why tocare.

5. Opportunities to provide significant input.

Engaged employees have ideas; take away opportunities for them to make suggestions, orinstantly disregard their ideas without consideration, and they immediately disengage.

That's why exceptional bosses make it incredibly easy for employees to offer suggestions.They ask leading questions. They probe gently. They help employees feel comfortableproposing new ways to get things done. When an idea isn't feasible, they always take thetime to explain why.

Great bosses know that employees who make suggestions care about the company, so theyensure those employees know their input is valued -- and appreciated.

6. A real sense of connection.

Every employee works for a paycheck (otherwise they would do volunteer work), but everyemployee wants to work for more than a paycheck: They want to work with and for peoplethey respect and admire--and with and for people who respect and admire them.

That's why a kind word, a quick discussion about family, an informal conversation to ask if anemployee needs any help -- those moments are much more important than group meetings orformal evaluations.

A true sense of connection is personal. That's why exceptional bosses show they see andappreciate the person, not just the worker.

7. Reliable consistency.

Most people don't mind a boss who is strict, demanding, and quick to offer (not alwayspositive) feedback, as long as he or she treats every employee fairly.

(Great bosses treat each employee differently but they also treat every employee fairly.There's a big difference.)

Exceptional bosses know the key to showing employees they are consistent and fair iscommunication: The more employees understand why a decision was made, the less likelythey are to assume unfair treatment or favoritism.

8. Private criticism.

No employee is perfect. Every employee needs constructive feedback. Every employeedeserves constructive feedback. Good bosses give that feedback.

Great bosses always do it in private.

9. Public praise.

Every employee -- even a relatively poor performer -- does something well. Every employeedeserves praise and appreciation. It's easy to recognize some of your best employeesbecause they're consistently doing awesome things. (Maybe consistent recognition is areason they're your best employees? Something to think about.)

You might have to work hard to find reasons to recognize an employee who simply meetsstandards, but that's okay: A few words of recognition--especially public recognition--may bethe nudge an average performer needs to start becoming a great performer.

10. A chance for a meaningful future.

Every job should have the potential to lead to greater things. Exceptional bosses take the timeto develop employees for the job they someday hope to land, even if that job is with anothercompany.

How can you know what an employee hopes to do someday? Ask.

Employees will only care about your business after you first show you care about them. Oneof the best ways is to show that while you certainly have hopes for your company's future,you also have hopes for your employees' futures.



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Now it's your turn: What exceptional thing has a truly extraordinary boss done for you?

I also write for Inc.com:

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PRAMOD DAUNDKAROWNER at PRADA CONSULTANCYTRUE LEADERS CREATE LEADERS NOT JUST FOLLOWERS..Like(76) Reply(3) 17 hours ago

Jean Nancy, Bob Raymond Kars, Vinod. C., +73

3 Replies

Christopher FieldsIT professional seeking a new opportunity to excelPramod just wanted to make sure the message got through LOUD and clear. ;-)Like(1) 5 hours ago

Cheryl Mitchell

Dafne TorresFounder and Principal Consultant at www.DynamicTechTeam.comTom Peters said that. Credit when credit is due. Actually, that should be Item #11on the list!:)Like(7) 10 hours ago

Dinesh Balaji, Volker Janssen, Steve Peterson, +4

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Jason SnellingClient Services Manager for Healthcare at BigHandOne of my old bosses gave me a mantra that I try to live by from a management point of view:

"A good manager always steps into the background when their team are doing well and stepsforward when things are going wrong."

Unfortunately there are a lot of bosses who, unfortunately, step forwards and take the glory inthe good times for other peoples work and then blame it on their team when things go wrong.Like(77) Reply(6) 17 hours ago

Bob Raymond Kars, Mandeep Jain, Richa Jha, +74

6 Replies



Johan BastiaansenIn notice period at ConstrusoftThese must be very exceptional bosses indeed. The people I used to work for didjust the opposite.Like(3) 8 hours ago

Heidi Dunnett - DeMarco, PMI, Fiona Rose, and Sanjit Phookun

Lucy BrownHead of Business Development - Cloud/LoB - Middle and Eastern Europe atSAPI was going to say exactly that also Jason!A true leader also leads by mobilising those around them to want to believe anddeliver, not because they have to.Like(1) 10 hours ago

Fiona Rose

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Sam KishaishI write about leadership, technology and philosophy. If you like my comments, why notfollow me on LinkedIn?It's quite sad that things like "clear expectations" and "reliable consistency" is so rare thatmangers who can give it have to be considered exceptional. You wouldn't accept anaccountant that can't do basic maths or a driver who didn't know which pedal was the gas andwhich was the break. Why do companies accept (even promote) managers who can't providethese basic skills for their job?!?Like(45) Reply(12) 17 hours ago

Sharayu Kini, LaVasha Lobbins, M.Ed., PMP, CMP, Caitlin Kingston, +42

12 Replies

Rok GuliInter-Connect your clients, suppliers and employees. Support your businessecoystem with tailored solutions! Connect nowManaging 10 people or managing a big company with hundreds of people is not thesame and so are the skills for managing! Than again what is management andwhat is leadership, where is the line? At the end of the road YOU GOT TO KNOWYOUR BUSINESS....management skills help, but alone don't stand a chance.Like 8 hours ago

Larry OlsonChief Meteorologist at Double Down Weather ServiceThat would be 'brakes'. Broken brakes are a cause for concern. lolLike 8 hours ago

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Louisa ChanBusiness Coach Helping Coaches and Trainers Grow Heart-Centered Businesses ViaDigital Marketing and Social MediaGreat list. The common thread connecting these points - they have little to do with monetaryreward but are concerned with giving the team member the opportunity to bring her best andparticipate in something bigger and better.Like(17) Reply(1) 17 hours ago

Jrgen Lund, Karent Camarena, Jessica Liu, CSP, CSM, +14

1 Reply

Elizabeth FollowsExperienced Account ManagerThat is the key sometimes. Monetary reward is a great thing, but to be able tobring your best to the position with the help and assistance and guidance of seniormanagement means more to me.Like(2) 14 hours ago

Louisa Chan and Robin Couch



Tomislav CiceliHead of NSDI Division at State Geodetic AdministrationVery nice and true. I would add only one thing that can be read between the lines: Exceptional bossbelieves its employees and does not feel afraid of their knowledge.Like(5) Reply(2) 17 hours ago

Patty Weisdorf, Lilian Tao, Amy Andres, +2

2 Replies

Lilian TaoBusiness Analyst at Ford Motor CompanySo true! But very sad that there are managers who not only did not have the skills andknowledge as the employees, but micro managed the employees purely out of their insecurity orfear that they could be cut out in the projects. It's hard to understand how these people werepromoted to manager positions. A good indicator of such an "incompetent"manager is the highturnover in his/her team. Watch how soon a newly hired (highly skillful employee) quit, and howoften this happens a year. It pretty much tells you where the problem is.Like(2) 11 hours ago

Sanjit Phookun and Patty Weisdorf

Perry CaroExperienced Engineering Manager & Software EngineerHear, hear. If every one of my team members isn't smarter or more skilled than me in someway, I'm doing something wrong.Like(3) 14 hours ago

Binal Bhavsar, Angela Muriuki, and Amy Andres

Michelle DaviesClient Services Director at Bright Blue Day LtdThis is fantastic and something every manager should be aspiring to achieve. It's something Ifeel very strongly about. Exceptional leaders are never forgotten. They, like the amazingPrimary (Elementary) school teacher you had that made such an impression on you in yourinformative years, help shape your career and your attitude to your professional life. If as amanager you don't care about those who work with/for/alongside you - my opinion is that youshould consider finding a role that will allow you to achieve your desired professional goals, butwill not impact negatively on anyone else. Leadership is not for everyone, and admitting this ishard, but a step back or to the side can have a really positive impact on business and people.Like(10) Reply 17 hours ago

Cathy Perraud, Jrgen Lund, Patty Weisdorf, +7

Julie AllongueA Builder of Enduring Product Lines, specializing in Identifying Opportunities &Pragmatic Foundation Buildingexpounding upon #5... exceptional bosses actively listen. When they hear an interesting idea,they're willing to risk a change in priorities to investigate, and empower the employee to proveout the concept.Like(6) Reply(1) 17 hours ago

Virginia McClellan, CMD, Robin Couch, Catherine Finogenova, +3

1 Reply

Elizabeth BeckGroup Product Manager at U.S. BankI agree Julie. In addition, for me an exceptional boss allows me to have an honestdialog with them. They are not fearful about hearing the bad news, or why theirsuggestion might not be the best fit for the situation.Like(3) 15 hours ago

Virginia McClellan, CMD, Robin Couch, and Perry Caro

Rhoda NavarroVolunteer EngagementExtraordinary bosses give every employee: the opportunity to succeed and helps to step to theladder!Like(8) Reply 17 hours ago

Sinta Heriyanti, SH., MM, Sanjit Phookun, Margaux Damain, +5



David V.Staff Sr. Specialist (IrysChip) @ BioNano Genomics Inc. - Altogether Better!How about respect.Like(3) Reply(2) 17 hours ago

Ravishankar Palaniappan, Daniel Baxter, and Julie Wray

2 Replies

Pieter HaasbroekExpatriate Accountant, Controller, Finance Manager available for expat roleOne, some or all of the points raised in the article implies some level of respect towards youremployees. The level of respect can be expected to decrease the fewer of the above points areobserved.Like(1) 11 hours ago

David V.

Perry CaroExperienced Engineering Manager & Software EngineerWhat aspect of respect? I read "Opportunities to provide significant input" as a way to respectthe experience and creativity of team members. I read "public praise" as a way to respect theaccomplishments of a contributor. I think respect is embodied in some of the concrete actionsin the list.

But if by respect you mean integrity and accountability, I'm with you. If your team makes amistake, take responsibility for it. If you make a mistake, don't shift the blame to them. Ifnobody makes a mistake, but your boss needs to blame someone, don't throw your team (oryour colleagues) under the bus. Don't make a binding commitment and then silently reneg on it.Don't make promises you can't keep.Like(2) 13 hours ago

Barbara J McAdoo and David V.

Chitraxee MunjalAssociate Account Executive at Adfactors PRAbsolutely true. It is truly a pleasure working with such people. Not only does it keep youhappy, it also inspires you to do better work.Like(6) Reply 17 hours ago

Cheryl Mitchell, AGNE ZAMUISKAITE, Timo Kebel, +3

Claire SteadHead of Marketing & Communications at Netpremacy Global Services | GoogleEnterprise Premier PartnerThe greatest boss I had was one who respected the fact that I had an opinion, gave me theopportunity to vocalise it, and the freedom to run with it. He outlined goals for me in terms ofmy career and gave me the tools I needed to be able to meet them and progress. He gaveconstructive criticism when it was due but also gave praise in equal measure when it wasdeserved, which made me feel valued.Like(3) Reply(1) 16 hours ago

Sandra Jones, Kim Ioannides, and Tony Romano

1 Reply

Perry CaroExperienced Engineering Manager & Software EngineerI really like your point about constructive criticism balanced by praise resulting inyour feeling valued. That's the feedback I've received as well. The upshot for me isthat criticism is like making a withdrawal from the good-will bank account. Therehad better be a positive balance of public recognition of earned accomplishments,or else you'll be overdrawn at the bank when it comes time to give some privatecorrective feedback.Like(1) 13 hours ago

Delisha C. Jackson

Shorayi TicharevaChanging Lives through Talent AcquisitionWell said. Ultimately people leave Managers not jobs!!!!Like(4) Reply 10 hours ago

Priyankar Sen, Sanjit Phookun, Debbie Ashcraft, RN, +1



Joseph M. SeatonCEO at Hawk Navigation Combat-Proven Leadership & Talent Consultant QualifiedUS Army RangerMangers Manage. LEADERS LEAD.Like(3) Reply(1) 15 hours ago

Priyankar Sen, Susan Sanford, and Ami-Marie Perry

1 Reply

Susan SanfordLicensed Realtor at Re/Max Coast 2 CoastRLTWLike(1) 11 hours ago

Joseph M. Seaton

Fernando MaggiSupply Chain Specialist, Strategic SourcingThat is simple......REAL LEADER. Question: How should an employee react when your boss isthe quite opposite?Like(2) Reply(1) 17 hours ago

James Kelly and Audrey Lui

1 Reply

Audrey LuiExperienced assistant administration manager looking for new chanceGood suggestion for Jeff! I would like to read that also~Like 16 hours ago

Sean DennisCarrier Compliance Analyst at Walmartone word WOW! Hit it right on the headLike(2) Reply 17 hours ago

Dafne Torres and Daniel Baxter

Jackie FotiMarketing Assistant at Marquardt Village | Senior LivingThank you for sharing this. Extraordinary bosses who nourish employees with thesephilosophies probably have the highest success for their department and company, as well. AsI work on my leadership skills I will most definitely be keeping this article close for reference!Like(2) Reply 12 hours ago

Dafne Torres and Lawrence Lyle PMP, CSSGB

David HorsewoodOwner, Fire by Light LLCWe expect alot of our leaders, and rightly so. They took the job. Sometimes they were thrustinto the job, but occupying the slot brings responsibility. Most of us occupy multiple slots(professional and personal) and own the corresponding responsibilities.Like(2) Reply 17 hours ago

Jen VonHagel and Daniel Baxter

Shweta TayadeResearch Scholar, MIS InchargeA chance for a meaningful future!! Absolutely the most motivating one!!Like(1) Reply 17 hours ago

Kianti S.

spring wangRD DirectorThanks for your sharing !!Like(1) Reply 18 hours ago

Daniel Baxter



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Alma DakajManagement ConsultantPoint 10: As I call it, where General and Personal purpose meet! Beautiful Jeff HadenLike(1) Reply 18 hours ago

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10 Things Only Exceptional Bosses Give Employees _ LinkedIn