Great Work Relationships – What’s Missing?

Honesty – Is such a lonely word. The information explosion on the internet has launched 10,000 experts writing on the complex relationship between employer and employee. Why is it so important to be a “good boss?” Because it costs too much to get it wrong. Even a small difference between being an acceptable boss and a good boss can mean the difference between getting 110% of productivity and 100% from your employees. Multiply that by 10, 20 or 30 employees and the dollar amount of being a good boss becomes substantial. It’s worth repeating, it costs too much to get wrong! After reading hundreds of these well written articles (and books) the theme of achieving that great employer/employee relationship suggests having these qualities front and center. A)     Ability to praise B)      Lead by example C)      Be a good listener /accept suggestions D)     Offer incentives E)      Be authoritative While the above qualities do make for being a good boss, none of them will hold any weight without Honesty. Truth is, just as most relationships between couples self-destruct due to the lack of honesty, relationships between employer and employee will take the same unproductive course. Much about the rules of love applies to the employer/employee relationships. The next time you find yourself at the crossroad of not knowing what course of action to take with a difficult employee/employer, take a step back and listen to Billy Joel’s classic song, “Honesty”. “Honesty is such a lonely word Everyone is so untrue Honesty is hardly ever heard And mostly what I need from you.” Add it to your repertoire and you will begin to see a dramatic improvement with your relationships, honestly!