Setting an example is important for any kind of business owner. It can make a huge difference to workplace moral and how people conduct themselves in the name of your business. It can sometimes be quite draining and you always have to remember that you’re under scrutiny, everything you do talked of. You’ll be the talk of your employees’ dinner table when you go home. But example is a tool you can wield to make your business great.
You can set a great example by being consistent and working hard. You’ll likely work hard anyway, it’s your business after all, yet your employees need to see you work hard. If they can see your work you’re putting in then they will match it otherwise they will feel left behind. You’ll see your employees start to check each other’s progress and get their heads down in a bid to catch you up. Setting the example in this method means you would expect no less than what you do yourself.
Attitude is another great asset in this vein. If you play the joker, and leave all the work to your employees then they are going to become complacent. If you don’t do work why should they? They will of course, you pay them to do a job. But you won’t get anything special from them. They won’t try their hardest. If you set an example of professionalism then they will follow suit. You don’t have to be a bore but be sure to put a focus on work and the others will do the same. Then, anyone slacking off will stand out from the rest.
Trying to continually better yourself also sets a great example. Training Connection offer some great training you could use to better your your knowledge or certain technology or software that could benefit your business. If you use it then you need to be trained up yourself first. If you just get your staff trained you won’t know how much can be completed and they, if so inclined, could run rings around you. Get trained with them, know what the new systems are capable of and then you can manage their performance.
Everything you do will be under the microscope. The amount of time you take for break for instance. If you often take long breaks far beyond the allotted time then you’ll see your employees start doing the same thing. It will affect productivity massively, as you’ll be paying people to relax instead of work. The same applies to time keeping. If you come in late all the time how are you going to keep a straight face when you have to tell someone off for doing the same thing? Yes, you’re the boss and you can. But you’ll lose all respect for doing so. You’ll soon hear whispers of “how can she/he tell me off for something they do themselves?”
Setting an example is a stellar way of getting the best out of your employees. If they like you and respect you, they’ll work hard, but if they see you doing the same as them and mucking in with them then they’ll work far harder.
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Masterhouse Media is an innovative digital consulting agency from Vancouver, BC specializing in web design, social media and digital strategy. Masterhouse is best known for launching the popular Internet portal Clubvibes.com in 1999, one of the first social media platforms on the Internet. The company is currently focused on building digital strategies and premium websites for clients. Find out more at masterhouse.net
