ontheedgeofeverything

The ideology of practicing what we preach is one that I try my best to apply to daily life. I feel as though it somewhat correlates with treating others the way you wish to be treated, which is another frame of mind I try to put into practice in life, and I figure the two of them, in combination, make for a rather solid foundation of what is required to be a decent human being.

I despise arrogance and entitlement, and the two life mantras I mentioned earlier most certainly do not apply to either trait. Sadly, however, there are enough people in this world who do not share the same mindset I do on the matter, and I doubt I need to provide any evidence to support my claim – we have all encountered some crappy folks in life.

The idea of setting the standard, or example, though, in anything we do in life, is a damn important one. If we can’t even hold ourselves accountable, it makes it pretty difficult to even attempt to do so for others. Furthermore, it is highly probable that if we do not show any sort of respect for ourselves, we won’t receive it from anyone else.

Setting the tone of what to expect and what is expected is absolutely applicable to a workplace, and furthermore, business. If you’re a business owner, you’re arguably already aware of the significance of how your own thoughts and actions influence your staff and customers; if you’re unprofessional or unaccountable on a regular basis, your business is going to suffer, as are your patrons. Hence why being firm and distinct in stipulating what you expect from yourself and others in a business setting is so important – without these standards, things will quickly go downhill.

Check out the following tips to avoid these sorts of happenings in business.

“The majority of business owners around the world don’t work on their own for long. If the business they’ve built is successful, expansion is the next step, bringing in new clients, new opportunities, and a lot more manpower. The latter is the thing we’re going to focus on here; building a team is a normal part of running a company, but not every business owner understands the weight of being a leader. 

“After all, the way you behave as the owner is going to impact everything your team gets up to. From the way they settle in to their ability to take initiative, and most of all, on the productive factor that keeps your workplace moving. If you want your team to do their best work and help you create a business that’s going to be successful for years to come, you need to watch your behavior as the person in charge! 

“What does that mean? It’s all about understanding your impact, and what setting a good example really means. 

“You’re There to Set an Example

“As we said above, a business owner is the biggest and brightest representative of their business. You’re the face of the company, and you’re going to be the one people look to when they’re interested in what you do. As such, make sure you’re setting a good example for the team below you. 

“A good example is in the way you work, the way you motivate yourself, and how you treat people in the professional world. If you choose healthy and productive methods for each of these things, your team is likely to make the same choices in their own careers – especially if you’re willing to help them develop themselves going forward! 

“A Lax Attitude Won’t Create Goodwill

“Do you let things slip and slide quite a lot? Maybe you miss a few deadlines or even forget they’re there entirely? In the professional world, this can be seen as having a lax attitude. If this is on display in front of your team, they may not be motivated to care about project deadlines and expectations themselves. 

“If you as the business owner don’t seem to care, why should they? Don’t let this impression become the one thing people know about you. It won’t create the goodwill amongst the team that you’re looking for, and it certainly won’t help you to be seen as the authority within your workplace. 

“Bad Timekeeping Can Set a Precedent

“Do you show up to your workplace on time? You might not think it’s important to do that – you’re the boss, after all – but your employees may see this in a negative light. They have to be on time every day, and there are serious consequences for tardiness. Why do you get a free pass? Trust us, this question is going to come up at some point! 

“Timekeeping is one of the most common shortfalls for leadership in the workplace. If you’re not on time, and you’re regularly not on time, it’s going to set a bad precedent. Your staff may not take their timekeeping so seriously, and they may come to think of you as someone who doesn’t really care about getting the job done. Being late here and there is unavoidable, but don’t let it become routine. 

“Non Constructive Feedback Will Negatively Affect Morale

“When giving feedback, do you take note of how actionable your words and phrases are? Or do you just complain and expect the person on the other end to change and act accordingly? The difference between these two kinds of feedback is that one is constructive and rather positive in nature, and the other is negative and simply unhelpful. While it may make you feel better, it’s not going to get your business anywhere! 

“Don’t let your employees be venting soundboards. Give them constructive feedback they can make use of, that improves their work and helps them rub along better with you. Look into examples of constructive feedback to better give your own, and always remember what you would want to hear if the manager in charge of you wanted to have a word! 

“Always Show Basic Respect

“Basic respect is saying hello, enquiring about someone’s day, and ensuring you always speak in a friendly and civil tone. However, some managers struggle to even manage that! Don’t fall into the trap of becoming so stressed and rushed at work that you have to resort to shouting, demanding, and forgetting to relay basic greetings and pleasantries. 

“Moderate your tone, be interested in your employees’ lives, and always have a smile for the people who walk in the door to clock in for their shift. It’ll make a big difference in their attitudes towards being productive in the workplace. 

“If You Don’t Follow the Rules, No One Else Will

“Rules are made to keep people safe and secure, both in the real world and in the workplace. If you’ve spent a lot of time and thought on creating a set of workplace rules, don’t just put up a poster and forget about them. Actively enforce them and ensure that your employees know what they are and why they’re in use. 

“If someone is to be productive, they need to feel safe while at work. They don’t want to be at risk of harassment, workplace bullying, or being ignored by their team leader. Go out of your way to prove that you’re serious about protecting both mental and physical health in the workplace. Let people know they can come to you if the rules are broken, and that they have a right to report something that’s making them uncomfortable. 

“Business owners should always watch the way they interact at work. Get it wrong and your employees may follow suit, which leads to a lower productivity level, a higher employee turnover, and generally a bad vibe within the workplace. Set the rules, create a welcoming atmosphere, and be the best leader you can be.”

Photo by Arlington Research on Unsplash