Leader vs boss: Quick management tips for a winning team

Every business has a boss, but very few have leaders. If you had to choose between being a boss and being a leader – titles aside, let’s just focus on the job at hand – you’re better off being regarded as a leader than a boss.

Anyone can be a boss, but leadership requires a more specific set of skills. Here are some quick tips on how to be an effective leader:

1. Handle challenges

They take full responsibility for shortcomings. They address solutions and avoid venting on employees.

2. Determined to offer high quality

Leaders focus on quality services and products while bosses observe business curves to at least meet the minimums.

3. Believe in the importance of people

Leaders believe that employees are their most valued assets while bosses chase numbers.

4. Inspire confidence

Good leaders make employees feel confident about their work and growth while bosses use passive-aggressive frustration on employees to get results.

5. Keenly observe managers

People follow as they are led. Managers can learn soft skills to be able to handle employees. Such skills include motivating different types of people, personality traits, conflict management, stress management and crisis management.

6. Be a charity-minded brand

Upcoming generations want every aspect of their lives to be part of a solution instead of a problem. Be a business known for the positives, known for your involvement in charities and helpful organizations, local community; issues such as environment, education, or equality, team-building and a family-like work environment.

Find a way that your business can fit such a reputation. For example, maybe you are an auto shop that donates to environmental activities or is known for your eco-friendly policies regarding your waste. Perhaps you run a restaurant that regularly provides food for a local soup kitchen.