Dynamic Happenings

7 Things Great Bosses Say

Little Words. Big Difference.

Whether you’re the big boss or the newest recruit, your words have tremendous
power. The words you choose and how you say them can brighten an employee’s
day, foster creativity and innovation, and make your team feel supported, respected
and valued.

Many times it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. Here are 7 little things great bosses say to make a big difference to their employees.

“Can you help me?”
Asking for help will level the playing field at the office, creating an environment of inclusion. Lowering your guard and admitting that you need help shows your employees that you’re human.  After all, everyone needs help from time-to-time.

By allowing yourself to be vulnerable, you’ll set a good example to those around you, and your employees will appreciate that you value their skills and trust their guidance.

“I need your input.”
Want a surefire way to boost your team’s talent and morale? Ask for their input on small beans business matters and the big stuff, too. You may be surprised by just how much they have to offer.

When you present opportunities for collaboration and promote individual ownership of ideas, it’s a win-win-situation. Your employees will be proud that you respect their initiative and you’ll gain ten-fold with what they contribute when given the freedom to take an idea and run.

“That’s a good idea.”
Everyone knows who’s boss, but many times the best ideas come from your employees. These great ideas (little or big) deserve some credit. When you find yourself thinking, “hmmm…that’s a good idea,” express it.

Compliments, even as simple as saying, “Wow, that’s a great idea.” go a long way with people. Plus, by giving your employee the verbal recognition he or she deserves, you’ll surely see them more willing to shell-out the good ideas in the future.

“That’s interesting.”
Asking for your employees’ input is always a good idea, but that doesn’t mean that you always have to agree with their suggestions. Bosses that quickly dismiss their employees’ ideas can be discouraging. Even if you’re not planning to follow their lead, be diplomatic in your response.

A better route is to say that an idea is “interesting” or that you “will consider it.” By responding in a more sensitive way, your employees won’t feel rejected and will be happy to know that in the very least, you listened to them.

“We’ll fix this.”
One advantage of being the boss is that few people are privy to the mistakes you make. But for those lower on the totem pole, it seems that everyone knows when they drop the ball. Next time an employee screws up, cut them some slack – everyone makes mistakes. Sure, you’re annoyed, but everyone hates messing up and most of the time the mistake itself was punishment enough.

Try saying, “We’ll fix this together.” Although your employee will likely clean up the mess on their own, implying that you’re going to fix the problem together shows that you’re a team player. Plus, the gesture of support and forgiveness won’t soon be forgotten and they’ll likely try harder to not screw up again in the future.

“Great job.”
You can have too much cake, too much wine and too much coffee, but you can never have too much praise. Try to remember to pat your employees on the back and do so often.

People love compliments and will work harder, faster and stronger when they’re happy. Recognizing their contributions to your business is vital to productivity. So, when someone does something great, no matter how small a task, don’t forget to say, “Great job.”

“Thank you.”
You know that time you put all that effort into that presentation and were super proud of the work you’d done and no one seemed to notice? Yah that sucked.

Saying “Thank you” isn’t just something that should happen around the holidays or review time. According to recent research, companies that excel at employee recognition on average are 12 times more likely to generate strong business results than their peers.

Rewarding your employees with praise is not only a great investment, but it’s free, so you’ll appreciate the high returns.