So, What 9 Things SHOULD A Boss Say To An Employee?

Someone shared this article on LinkedIn, and it happened to catch my eye. You can read the article here. I thought that the nine things NOT to say to your employees were a good reminder for bosses. Then I thought that they ought to be complemented by 9 things Bosses OUGHT to say to their employees to make a complete picture. Here they are.

 #1 Say - "Your dependability really makes you worth what we pay you!" Your employees are there because you hired them to work for you, and you of course expect fair value from them. Praising employees for bringing stability and reliability to your operations should be high on your agenda.

#2 Say - "This bonus expresses our deep appreciation for your obvious diligence all this year". Industrious employees are worth their weight in gold. Think about all the cries from employers who have to put up with nincompoops who aren't stupid, just calculative. Who have to face staff who are determined to just "get by", those that are GOOD ENOUGH NOT TO BE NOTICED AS BAD (GENTBNAB).

#3 Say - "I happened to be here over the weekend, and I noticed that you've been making improvements to the office layout!" This makes employees feel that their small efforts are noticed and appreciated. The tone of the workplace ought to be "Just you wait - I'm going to catch you doing something GOOD!"

#4 Say - "We love how you always help us have a well-rounded perspective of things." Regardless of race, language, religion or gender, diversity brings treasures that we often do not recognize. Our workplace ought to embrace and integrate diversity, it is analogous to cross-pollination.

#5 Say - "We so appreciate your loyalty in standing with us as we reduce benefits all round. Top management has already reduced overseas meetings by 50% and we have made arrangements to stay at more cost-effective hotels." When belt-tightening becomes necessary, top management leads the way. Frontline staff benefits should be maintained as much as possible.

#6 Say - "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will definitely take a closer look at the issue. What is one thing we can do to improve the situation immediately?" Complaints will be turned into valuable feedback when received in the right spirit. Remember the Johari Window!

#7 Say - "That was an astute observation! Do you have any suggestions as to how we can streamline the process?" You may have spent a whole lot of time and effort getting your processes in place, but that doesn't mean that they're perfect. Even if they were perfect, they might not be perfect now!

#8 Say - "Your efforts don't seem to be producing the expected results. Let's review what you need to be doing and how you're going about the job." An employee may be underperforming because of any of a few issues. He might not be a good fit for the job. His immediate supervisor might not have briefed him properly. Or he might not have been equipped with the necessary tools. Find out what is happening before taking any necessary disciplinary action.

#9 Say - "How can things around here be better for you?" An employee may be performing at such dismal levels that he may need to be dismissed. Before that happens, make sure that all avenues toward a mutually beneficial relationship have been fully attempted or at least explored.

What, how and when we say what we say gives clear indications about who we really are. Use those signs to develop yourself with regard to your leadership competencies!

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