A few weeks ago, I wrote about the “Worst Boss Ever List”. This week I want to look at the flip side.  What it takes to be on the “Best Boss Ever” list.

The good news is the men and women that work for you don’t expect someone with a super-hero cape or gold plated resume.  If you follow these five steps, you will be well on your way to success.

5 Steps to the Best Boss Ever List

• Know the work you are engaged in.

It seems so basic. You would think that someone in leadership would be very knowledgeable of the work needing done.  However, many could tell stories of the boss that didn’t have the first clue about the work.  They were hired for other reasons, great interviewer, academic accomplishments, or some other reason that doesn’t relate to the work being done.

What a bad situation.

Most want a boss that is competent or has a plan to learn the work quickly.  This is the foundation that will propel you to the “Best Boss Ever” list.

• Respect the People that do the work.

Those on the “Best Boss Ever” list know the value of the work and the men and women doing the work.  They value people as crafters of value, not just automatons. A culture of respect creates an environment were good people can thrive.

It’s no wonder that respect leads to step three.

• Empower your people doing the work.

I have written on this several weeks ago.  Good people don’t like to be micro-managed.  Bosses that lack competency don’t trust, so they try to micro-manage those that work for them.

Great bosses empower people that work for them. They know the work and have respect for those doing the work.

They free up time and energy in the organization to empower their people, not choking off creativity with excessive rules on how to get a job done.

• Develop people for the future.

This may be the greatest value that “Best Bosses” bring to an organization.  They develop those from within. They help expand the skills and knowledge of others so they can have an expanded impact.

To develop leaders of the future, they must know the work. Respect the men and women doing the work, and empower them in their position.  All of this needs to be done in the context of having vision and leading with a focus on results.

• Provide vision and lead with purpose.

To make it on the “Best Boss List”, you have to have a vision for the organization and be able to communicate that vision in a compelling way.  Then make the compelling achievable.

To qualify for the “Best Boss List”,  you will need to lead your team in the right direction and achieve the results that are expected.  If you fail at either one of these, vision or results, you will negate the first four steps.

Room on the “Best Boss List”

It is my goal to be on this list for those that work for me.  Will you join me in this quest within your organization to have vision, be results oriented, develop future leaders, empower those that work for you, and develop a culture of respect?

Question of the Week:  What one item would you add to your list?

Quote of the Week: “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.” – John C. Maxwell

If you have been in business for any length of time, you know the pain of the “problem client”.  Once they are through the door, they cause nothing but aggravation.  They are complainers.  They complain about everything, from having too much information, too little information, the font size you use, and a myriad of other complaints.

Once you realize you have one of these you are faced with two choices: continue to have the abuse and aggravation … or fire the client.  I recommend that when you find you have one of these, cut ties, and move on. Hopefully this will be a small percent of your business. I know that I have very few problem clients any more.

There are several filters that help to reduce attracting “problem clients”.

• Boldly emphasize your core beliefs.

Many business advisors recommend keeping these generic. I think the only reason to keep your stated core beliefs generic is to be average, mediocre. State clearly what your core beliefs are and how they apply to your business practices.

• Charge premium prices.

Premium pricing, combined with high quality service or products, for your industry works great for driving away whiners and complainers.  If you don’t hide the fact that you are expensive you will attract better customers.  Premium pricing can take several forms. It may be that you don’t cut your rate, have a consistent result, or have a better guarantee.

• Clearly and consistently communicate your criteria for working with clients.

The first step is to make two lists: #1 “things I like about clients, #2 “things that drive you crazy about clients”.  Once you have written these two lists, the fun begins.

Putting these filters to Work for you.

Decide to start today.  Find natural ways of incorporating the criteria for your ideal customer list into your marketing and content. You will build a group of people, Seth Godin describes this as your Tribe, or a customer profile that you will work with. By incorporating these filters, you too will have fewer “problem clients”.

Question of the week: How do you deal with problem clients?
Quote of the week: “Permission marketing turns strangers into friends and friends into loyal customers. It’s not just about entertainment – it’s about education. Permission marketing is curriculum marketing.” – Seth Godin

If you want to be successful in business, take time to watch a kayak race. They have to go through gates, shoot the rapids, and turn around poles.

Five Lessons from a Kayak Race

• Anticipate the Current

A couple of years ago, when taking a white water raft trip, in Montana, there were several experienced kayakers on the river.  The water was tumbling over boulders, twisting, racing past in the narrows, and drawing boats in unexpected directions.  The kayakers especially had to anticipate the changes in the river current.

Sometimes, inexperienced business leaders underestimate the force of the business currents.  Veteran leaders don’t make those mistakes.  They respect the force of competition and the pace of business.

• Identify the Gates

In kayaking competition, the paddlers navigate a series of gates, turn against the current, and paddle upstream back through the gates.  Inexperienced competitors get swept past their gate and are penalized.

In every business there are gates that must be navigated.  Each gate requires skills, agility, and fortitude.

• Avoid Crashing

Skilled kayakers avoid crashing on rocks, getting trapped underwater, and know how to get out of trouble.  They maintain a healthy respect for the dangers.

Any business can die. Disaster can roll over a company, demolish decades of wealth, and destroy future opportunities.  Those that succeed look down stream, identify potential danger, and work to avoid disaster.

• Train to Endure

The things experienced kayakers do are amazing.  The answer of how they are able to do what they do is the kayakers have trained for years.

Those that don’t prepare for business are like the inexperienced kayaker.  The end up in the river, broken, bloodied, battered, or worse.  If a leader doesn’t train that leader won’t endure.

• Race and Repeat

Those that compete in kayaking know that their lives are a series of races. They race, improve, and race again. The courses are different but they are the same types of challenges.

In business every day is different.  However, it is also the same.  Problems come, problems require work, and solutions are found.  The next day a new problem is presented. That is the thrill of business, solving the new problem.

Those who thrive in business leadership show up every day, fully prepare, are proactive, yet can alter plans as required. Just like the kayaker that trains for hours, great leaders train to lead.

Question of the Week:  What are you doing to fully prepare for the next decade?

Quote of the Week:   “Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place.” – Marcus Aurelius

If you are leading today, or are preparing to lead at some point, you will experience “Underwater Leadership”.   The feeling that the waves of the demands of the job are breaking over you and you can’t catch your breath. Don’t panic.  Prepare to work through the situation.

Five Steps to Live Through “Underwater Leadership”

• Why asking for help increases your leadership credibility.

Don’t be afraid to ask for others for help. Avoid the attitude of arrogance. By asking for assistance creates the environment that no one person has all the answers.  Yes you are the leader, but the first rule of leadership is to know that you don’t know everything.  It also allows your other team members be creative.

• What to tell people that ask “How is it Going”.

When you start something new, people will often ask “How is it Going”?  You can respond like you have it all under control or you can be honest.  At the beginning, you will have a lot to learn.  Don’t be afraid to admit that your new organization has a lot going on and you have some thing’s to learn. Also reassure them that you will learn what is going on quickly.

• How to avoid the feeling of panic when things come quickly.

When you are in a new environment problem or opportunities can come quickly. You have to remember that each time you always have, to some extent, those feelings of anxiety.  With experience those feeling are managed and directed to the situation. Those feelings isn’t unexpected.  It’s like breaking out of a wave and finally getting your breath even if you go underwater again.

• What to do when you are called on to make tough leadership decisions.

Don’t tell yourself a lie. Don’t tell yourself that you may not be able to figure it out.  Don’t let that voice from the dark side of your brain win out. You will figure out the right decision.  You are in place as a leader because either you or the hiring team has confidence in you.

Always remember a spineless leader is an oxymoron. A strong leader makes a decision and communicates the why often.

• How you can use those “Underwater Experiences” to develop leaders on your team.

Your experience with those times when the waves pull you under and it is hard to catch your breath is exactly why you can develop others.  You have been to the valley and faced the mountain. You have road the wave, crashed, and lived to fight another day.  Because you have the experience of feeling panic, being unsure, and still made the right decision is why you can develop others.

You may start your first day and not even know where your office is. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When those underwater feelings creep in, know that you have the tools because of experience to make good decisions.

Question of the Week: What underwater experience have you had at work?

Quote of the Week:  “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

We’ve all had them.  The boss we hate to work for.  But what qualities define someone that is good to work for versus someone that you dread dealing with?

As entrepreneurs, we, by our very nature, like control. However, by empowering those that work for us with the tools to succeed and then get out of their way.  That will produce great results.

Interestingly, the same qualities, either negative or positive, define whether we are a boss by position or a leader.

What Great Bosses Practice

• Avoid Micromanaging People

Most people like to exercise the freedom to be creative and use their skill. They don’t like their boss to be involved in every detail of their work.  They like to know the goal and direction and then be let loose.  If you provide them with those guidelines and let your employees be creative on how to achieve those goals, they will be most productive. Also, the main reason people leave a position is lack of ability to be creative.

• Be Consistent

Don’t respond erratically.  No one likes to work for someone that responds inconsistently. You never know how that person is going to respond.  Working for someone who is always reactionary wears on people.  It becomes difficult for your employees to do their best. Don’t be Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

• Be Realistic in Your Expectations

An easy way to end up on the worst boss list is to not clearly communicate why you need certain things done and when.  Just giving tasks and deadlines won’t cut it. The only thing worse than working for someone with unrealistic expectations is working for someone that provides no expectations. Your employees find out they missed the mark after the fact. Over communicate the what and the why to effectively accomplish a task.

• Don’t Spread the Blame, Share Success.

Good leaders don’t “throw people under the bus” when things don’t go right. A good leader accepts that it is their responsibility to ensure good results. A great leader shares the glory when things do go well. They make sure others receive the recognition and don’t just soak up praise.

• Create a Motivating Work Environment.

A leader creates a positive work environment.  They don’t gossip, do things that are unethical, run others down, and create destructive internal competition. They also don’t allow these things in the work place.  A leader also doesn’t sanction incompetence, they deal with problems. If workers have to wear a gas mask to work, good employees won’t stay.

A good leader understands what it takes to motivate people. They allow for creativity. They don’t sanction incompetence, even if it’s family.  They don’t throw people under the bus. They have high levels of communication. They share the glory and absorb the blame.  They understand that leadership takes work and rarely use positional power.

Questing of the week:  “Without naming names, what are three words that describe the worst and best boss you have ever had?”

Quote of the week: “In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people… they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.” – Ken Blanchard

The level of success of anyone in business is greatly determined by five (5) characteristics.  Successful business owners place an inordinate focus on pathways to succeed. They think differently, develop networks differently, view relationships differently, and view working differently than average people.

Thomas Stanley, author of The Millionaire Next Door and the Millionaire Mind, has identified the top five qualities that determine success.  The top five (5) character qualities are:  integrity, discipline, social skills, a supportive spouse, and hard work.

Five Character Qualities That Increase Success

• Integrity – Being Honest With All People

This is a grade of pass or fail.  You don’t get a B or C grade. B or C is failing on the integrity scale. There is no gray area.

• Discipline – Applying Self-control

Discipline can be seen in many areas. Do we get up at the same time constantly? Do we control our schedules or do they control use? Do we take time to exercise and eat right?

• Social Skills – Getting Along With People

Interacting with people is an absolute to success. The ability to sell your ideas and implement them is crucial.  Convincing others that your ideas are worth implementing and putting into action are critical for leaders.

• A Supportive Spouse

The most successful have a spouse that is onboard and working toward a common goal.   Your success starts at home. Your spouse and by extension your family have many more opportunities to observe who you are.

• Hard Work – More Than Most People

Working hard will put you ahead of 80% of your competition.  This also assumes that you manage your time, work smarter not more, and delegate whenever appropriate.

Leaders have these five qualities.  Leaders tend to be more successful.  Leaders work to develop and improve themselves every day.  If you improve in these five areas it will improve your success.

Question of the Week:  Which of these areas can you improve to increase your success?

Quote of the Week:  “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” – Mario Andretti

Successful entrepreneurs view the world from a different perspective.  They are optimistic about the future.  They are passionate about making a difference.  Most view every day as Friday.  They also don’t do some things that cause them to be successful.

• Don’t Fear Risk

Successful entrepreneurs may take risks but don’t let the risk of a project stop them from moving forward.  They determine why they can move ahead, not why they can’t.

• Don’t Blame Other for Failures

If failure happens successful entrepreneurs own it and move forward.  They don’t fear failure.  The book QBQ by John Miller is a must read about personal responsibility.

• They Don’t Give Up

Like Edison perfecting the light bulb, successful entrepreneurs persevere until they get it right.

• Expect Others to Understand

Successful entrepreneurs don’t expect their family or friends to understand what drives them.  They are willing to take risks that others think are crazy.

• Think the World Owes Them

Successful entrepreneurs believe that the only way to be paid is to serve someone else.  Zig Ziegler always said: “If you help enough people get what they want, you will have what you want.”

Question of the week:  What is on your list of things successful entrepreneurs don’t do?

Quote of the week:  “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi

Do you have the squirrel syndrome?  You know what happens.  A squirrel runs out in front of your car.  It has a split second of indecision.  It runs right, then left, then right…then thump, thump.  Make a decision one way or the other, and then go.  The squirrel never made a decision one way or the other, and the results are disastrous.

There are two types of fear.

• The type of fear based on false reasons. This type of fear causes you to be paralyzed for no real reason. It is just stuff that is made up in your mind. This could be fear of what someone is going to think.
• Fear can also be based on wisdom. We pause to make a decision to evaluate further and gather more information.

When you, shuck down to the cob, fear is the only thing that makes us indecisive.  Maybe you will make an enemy? Good. You are doing something.  The only way of not being criticized is to not do anything.

Fear Takes the Form of Resistance

In the book “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield, he identifies what resistance is.

• Resistance is Internal
• Resistance is Insidious
• Resistance is Impersonal
• Resistance is Universal
• Resistance never Sleeps
• Resistance Plays for Keeps
• Resistance is Fueled by Fear
• Resistance is Most Powerful at the Finish Line

When making big decisions in your business know that fear, taking the form of resistance, will be there.  Accept that fear is present and press forward.  Fear only wins if we let the squirrel syndrome take over.

Question of the week:  What big decisions do you need to make in 2015?

Quote of the Week: “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” – Henry Ford

One of the biggest mistakes that small business owners make is in hiring.  Too often they don’t have a clear process to add people to their team.  If the right person is hired they can be a great asset.  If the wrong person is added, or is placed in the wrong position, it can be extremely disruptive to the organization.

Putting in place a clear process for adding team members is essential to grow your business and grow your profits.

Five D’s to Making The Right Hire

• Define what your business culture is.

What are the attitudes that you want in your business? What actions are you looking for? What is the level of competency that your business needs?

• Determine the type of employee your are looking for.

Know the type of person that you what in your business. Several qualities that I look for are: are they humble, are they honest, are they learners, and are they smart?

• Describe the job in detail.

This is an area that small businesses often overlook. I know you can describe the position to the potential team member but having it written provides both you and the applicant with clarity. Using KRA’s (Key Results Areas) is a great way to clearly define if a team member is winning in their job.

• Due Diligence

When you ask for a reference check with the person listed.  In today’s world most people won’t give you a bad reference.  What you need to hear is if the reference is enthusiastic about the person.  Try to find out if this person has Linchpin qualities.

• Dinner

A great way to get to know if this is the type of person you can spend a lot of time with is over a relaxing meal.  Involve your spouse in this time.  They can have some good insights into their character.

Hiring the right person for the right position may take longer but will lower the risk of needing to remove them from your team later.

Question of the Week: What would you add to making a great hire?

Quote of the Week: “Great vision without great people is Irrelevant.” – Jim Collins

Culture is making the invisible qualities of your business visible. Choosing the right areas to focus on can cement what you want your business to stand for.

Business culture blends beliefs, values, symbols, and myths that make up the way your business operates.  These core beliefs affect the way your business conducts business every day, using standard operating procedures.

5 Core Values to Build Your Business Culture

• Integrity

Are you a trust brand?  Is your business known for getting results?  If you tell a customer something, do you follow through? Is part of your core principle integrity?  If integrity isn’t part of your core value you will not have a business very long.  The number one quality of successful people is they have fanatical integrity.

• Competency

Malcom Gladwell ( author of Outliers, The Tipping Point, David and Goliath) has through years of research, demonstrated that to be proficient in your career you need to spend at least 10,000 hours on your craft.  Competency is gained by the experience of dealing with the difficult.  The easy sale doesn’t increase your ability to negotiate.

• Unity

Share in depth goals, that are common within the organization produces unity.  Recognition of your employee’s accomplishments helps to promote unity.  Having a no gossip policy produces a positive work place.  Sanctioned incompetence reduces overall moral and will lead to an overall decrease in productivity. As a leader incompetence has to be addressed.

• Leader in Your Profession

Working towards being the very best in your profession is a lofty goal.  Always be a learner about your profession.  Learn what works; learn better ways to apply your trade.  Stay up on the latest trends. Become the best technician in your field that you can be.  Being active in professional organizations can also move you toward being a leader in your profession.

• Mission and Goals

In Lisa McLeod’s book “Selling With Noble Purpose” she identifies what sets top sales people from average sales people.  It is having a greater purpose than just to make money.  Making money is important.  It’s what makes a business have a long-term place in the market. Ironically, those that have a focus on the why will have a higher level of success and make more.  This holds true in business as well.

A clearly communicated business mission with focused goals isn’t something to just hang on the wall.  A clear mission statement is why a business is in business.

Question of the week:  “What is in your Mission Statement?”

Quote of the Week:  “I think there is something more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren’t enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision”. – W. Clement Stone