As a boss, you are the leader of your team. It’s up to you to motivate and guide your employees so that you deliver the best possible results as a unit. However, at the end of the day we’re only human. It’s not always easy to be perfect, especially when you have so much pressure as the boss. 

Whether you’ve been the boss for decades, or you’re new to management, here are some of the best tips for being the best possible boss you can be.

Practice Patience

It’s easy to get frustrated with your team when they aren’t delivering the kind of results that you need them to. However, patience is a critical part of leadership. There will be moments when you want to tear your hair out or shout at members of your team because they’re not performing the way that you’d like them too. 

This is why it’s critical that you set yourself up for patience. The best way to start is by getting plenty of rest. You may find yourself in your bedroom at the end of the long day stressing about deadlines or pressure in the office. 

However, keeping yourself up at night isn’t going to do you or your team any favors. Rest as much as possible so that the next day you’re fresh and ready to take on the challenges of the workplace. The more tired you are, the more irritable you will be and the more susceptible you’ll be to making poor decisions.

Praise

Don’t be one of those bosses that only gives feedback when it’s negative. Your employees thrive on praise just as much as you do. It’s important that you tell them when they’re doing a good job so that they will feel encouraged to continue the good work. 

If your employees don’t feel like they’re being recognized for their hard work, then it’s only a matter of time until they’re going to start slacking off. Praise can come in many different forms, from verbal recognition to bonuses and raises. The idea is to use positive reinforcement to motivate them which will get you much better results then constant criticism.

Set The Example

One of the biggest mistakes that leaders can make is forgetting to lead by example. You can’t tell your employees to be one way and then act differently yourself. “Practice what you preach” as they say, and your team will learn to respect you. 

Whether you’re the president of the United States or the manager of a shoe store, the same rules apply. Don’t only tell your employees how you would like them to be— show them and they will follow.