Article

Become a great boss

This column is for everyone in the propane industry who has been offered a management position for the first time. Congratulations! Your company has seen positive qualities it values in you, along with your leadership potential.

What to expect
First, you need to understand two relational phenomena that occur as you become “the boss” over your peers. One is how you perceive and act toward the people for whom you are responsible; the other is how your new subordinates will perceive and interact with you. This new relationship with your subordinates can often be awkward at first, but that is common and even expected, yet often overlooked. If ignored completely and not understood, you can get off to a terrible start in your new role.

Understand that managers have a tendency to see the world only from their perspective. Once you become elevated to your new position, there is a new sense of power and control, and it is easy to lose perspective about the other employees. A peer elevated to manager may believe employees treat him or her differently, when part of what is happening is “the fallacy of centrality.” This is a feeling they are more valuable simply because they are in a position of power. You will incorrectly think you know more than others simply because you are the boss, which of course is not true. You should attempt to overcompensate for this weakness by including others in decision-making.

Also, you should understand that attention focuses upward. People pay attention to those who control their outcome. This falls under the theory that, if they understand what is important to that person, they can control the result. So expect that your employees are watching your every move. They may incorrectly interpret each small action or comment as if it has special meaning. Remember that doing something ambiguous or without logic will be perceived as negative.

What employees want
As a new manager, expect the well-worn words of wisdom like “don’t ask your employees to do anything that you would not do” or “always work harder than your employees, be the first to work.” Presumably you could be an ax murderer and still be “boss of the month.” Let’s instead focus on what all employees want and expect.

• Predictability – We all want to remove uncertainty in our lives. The most unsettling thing a boss can do is to create an atmosphere of uncertainty. Does the boss give consistent directions or do directives change with his or her mood and the flavor of the day? Employees will do most any difficult task when the company has created a clear sense of purpose and predictability. Unpredictability creates fear, which creates more defensive actions by employees. Predictability reduces fear and creates confidence. Let employees know what’s going on. Communicate the bad news and good news.

• Understanding – Employees will have much more comfort and confidence if they believe the boss truly understands their issues. If you can understand the fears and motivations of your employees, you can better lead them. Employees can do tough tasks when properly equipped.

• Control – It’s a top psychological need for all of us to have control over our lives. Because the bulk of our waking hours are at work, it is our desire to have more decision-making ability than not. That is about our tasks, our environment and most any matter we deal with at work. Provide your new employees with as much control over their roles as possible.

• Value their needs – I cannot recall any manager held in high esteem who did not have some level of authentic concern for others. Some level of authentic compassion for your staff and their personal lives adds considerable value to your relationships and your team’s success.