Managing people is rarely one of the primary skills of a new business owner. It’s a means to an end and something they must do to the best of their ability to reach their goals.
Some business owners are undoubtedly better natural people managers than others, but it’s essential everyone is willing to learn new strategies and develop their skills to drive the business on. When the business is further along in its development, you can employ specialists to manage the people for you, but in the early days, it’s all down to you.
To discover some of the secrets of successful people management in new businesses, we spoke to Vasco de Castro, the co-founder of office fruit delivery service Fruitful Office, a company he grew from startup to one that now operates in five countries across Europe. These are his top tips.
- Be the sidekick
Some entrepreneurs believe they should lead from the front and drive their team forward, but many leaders find they have much more success playing the supporting role and putting everything in place for their employees to succeed.
In his business, Vasco de Castro found that delegating important tasks and decisions was essential as the business grew. Giving employees the autonomy and freedom to make decisions played a key part in creating a successful team.
- Make employees your priority
No part of the business is more important than your employees. Getting them onside, winning their trust and making them believe in your vision is the route to success. To do this, you need to be available whenever an employee needs to speak to you. That does not mean talking to them while flicking through the latest management reports. Instead, really listen to their problems and give them your full attention. Employee well-being is a factor you need to take extremely seriously, so taking the time to really listen to your employees is an important step.
- Celebrate success
Research from Leadership IQ has found that only 45 percent of employees frequently or always know whether they are doing a good job. Why? Because their bosses don’t tell them. This is a very easy problem to solve. If someone has done a good job, tell them. It takes about five seconds of your time. Engaged employees don’t need a monetary reward or an elaborate show of recognition. Simply taking the time to acknowledge their work is enough.
- Don’t become the boss you always hated
Running a company can be stressful and it will certainly be hard work, but that’s no excuse to become the type of boss you hated working for in the past. There’s nothing like working for a business where employees are happy, comfortable and engaged. Taking the time to get your know your employees on a personal level and having a laugh or two is a simple way to create a loyal and productive workforce.
While these are the four tips that helped Vasco de Castro make his business an international success, the same does not apply for everyone, so we’d love it if you could share your experiences and tips for success in the comments below.
