Can You Become An Approachable Boss?

When you run a company and hold a title like CEO, it's natural for employees, especially junior and younger ones, to find you scary. Being more approachable lets you tone down the scary factor. It’s essential that all employees feel comfortable knocking on your door. If they have no fear to tell you, “Hey, I saw a potential problem, and we need to shift course,” you can avoid a disaster.

For some employees, speaking up takes a lot of courage. If there is even a hint of anxiety, they won’t speak up at all. These are the seven actions you can take to be a more approachable leader:

1. Do not pull rank​.

For example, if you’re in a conference room and someone else has it reserved, it's better to apologise and leave the room. Similarly, apologise if you interrupt a meeting. Be genuine and authentic. People know if you're faking an apology.

Sure, there are perks that come along with being the boss but don’t abuse your position by pulling rank. That’s a surefire way to kill the company culture.

2. Park where the staff do.

Some executives have access to reserved parking closer to the office, but farther from the employees. If you park your vehicle just like your employees, you will have the chance to say hi to your employees as you make your way to your office. Introduce yourself to those you don’t already know, and always say hello to the people you​ do​ know.

Even if you’re not extroverted by nature, it's better to push yourself to do this. Embrace relationships with your people as they’re your most precious asset. Set a quota to talk to 5 non-executive staff per day. Add it to your personal development plan. Remember, only you can hold yourself accountable. 

3. Spend more time with your employees.

Try to spend more time with your employees. Spend 30-minutes to chat with employees who are early in their career over coffee one-on-one whenever possible.

Ask them about their passions and what’s important to them. Listen actively and be engaged in their answers. Expose them to topics they might find helpful, even if those topics are above their pay grade. For instance, explain a project you’re working on and what the implications might be for the business.

Ask how you can help them, then do something (for instance, sharing an article or provide feedback the next time they present).

Don't forget your remote staff. Grab a virtual coffee to let your staff know they are valuable.

Employees will always need a leader they can trust, not just through competency but also emotionally.

4. Teach an employee something.

You can offer to teach an employee (not a direct report) something that will help them, even if it’s barely related to their job. ​Don’t tell the employee to put 30 minutes on your calendar, instead, you can​ book it for them. Employees might be afraid to schedule since you're the boss, you might have a lot of things to attend to.

Again, it would be best if you don't mind spending your time with others. As a leader, you probably enjoy knowing how you can positively impact others. Try to think of the ripple effect you make when you change an employee's mindset by training or teaching them.

If your company has a ​workplace book club, you can show up and contribute to the conversation by sharing your thoughts and knowledge. Try to resist any urges you might have to dominate the conversation. When others talk, listen carefully.

5. Be vulnerable​ to your people.

Vulnerability is critical if you’re trying to build a ​fail-fast culture​ that encourages innovation. Fail-fast culture is a culture where the team has the freedom to fail but can learn something from each failure that helps the team succeed faster the next time.

You can tell your employees that “Errors of action are better than errors of inaction,” but if you don’t set an example, it could feel like lip service to some. At the next all-company meeting, admit a blunder you made or something you’re worried about.

The next time something goes wrong, praise the effort, not just results.

6. Give truthful, specific and positive feedback.

This​ is a must when giving feedback to employees at all levels. ​Know your audience and treat them as individuals. Tailor your feedback according to your employees' preferences. Does this employee prefer public recognition? Shout out their success on a public channel and describe what they did in detail while tying their actions to a core value or a strategic objective.

Do not give feedback out of anger or disappointment. Do not discipline or fire an employee when angry. More importantly, never lose your cool. One mad moment will hang in the air long after the day is done.

7. Show appreciation with gifts.

Thoughtful small presents go a long way. Do you know an employee who’s always talking about their favourite band? Gift them the band's keychain. Does one of your programmers love to read? Pick up a funny bookmark.

Though rewards should be substantial, for instance, a cash bonus or a promotion, gifts should be inexpensive. After all, it is a simple token of appreciation. It’s these smaller gifts that show you’re human.

Have you earned your employees’ emotional trust?

Gallup​ studied 2.5 million teams and found a correlation between being able to “approach [one’s] manager with any question” and engagement levels.

Your employees need to trust that you care about them, and they need to trust that you’re leading them to the right place. You might have their trust in your competence, but not their emotional trust.

If that’s the case, becoming more approachable is your step in the right direction.

What is AJobThing? Click to find out more about us!

Source: Greenhouse.io

Articles you might be interested in

HR Guide: Procedure and Templates for Leave Administration
What is Emergency Leave and How Does it Work in Malaysia?
Which Employees are Covered under the Employment Act?