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BE CONSISTENT: The consummate professional never unnerves staff by being moody. It's not fair on the rest of the staff if you're constantly up and down; they'll be terrified of coming to work in case you're in a bad mood. Try to deal with issues in a cool, balanced and rational way.
RECOGNISE THE BENEFIT OF BAD NEWS: The ability to stomach bad news is crucial to survive in management. Those who bawl out at staff who deliver bad news could be setting themselves up for an almighty fall. You should welcome the details. The news might be a setback, but it will be nothing like the setback you could suffer, if that news is kept from you.
LEARN TO LISTEN: Listening well means going beyond what is said by asking questions. This is 'active' listening. Those who don't listen come across as uncaring and that makes staff less communicative.
STEP OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT: You may be tempted to take the credit for your employees' work but it's bad practice. A boss's role is to motivate staff in order to improve their performance. Giving credit when it's due is a very important part of motivating staff.
ENCOURAGE TEAMWORK: It may be tempting to bark orders, but research reveals that the happiest and most efficient workplaces are those where bosses and staff work together to solve problems. Managers who enable staff to take responsibility get better results.
RECOGNISE SUCCESSES: Employees respond better to praise than to criticism. And they need a lot of it. To improve a person's performance, you need to praise them eight times more than you criticise them. You can be critical, but say something positive first.
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