How to be a Great Utility Boss
No matter what type of company you work for – utility or otherwise – you need to rely on employees to get things done. And when it comes to enhancing employee productivity, maximizing employee retention, or encouraging employees to go the extra mile, the difference between success and failure often comes down to being a great utility boss. Luckily, being great is easy.
How to be a Great Utility Boss
As I was preparing for this article, I did some research and found a terrific Yahoo Finance article outlining 5 things you can do each and every day to be a good boss (you can check out the article here). What follows is an abbreviated version of this list; most of the to-dos are common sense, but it’s always useful to see these types of lists in bullet form!
- First and foremost, say hello to your employees every morning – this is an incredibly easy thing that everyone should do, and it could take various forms such as informal walkups, more formal 5 minute daily huddles, or something completely different.
- Continuously remind employees about the company’s core mission and how they fit into the bigger picture
- Value employees’ time – simply put, get to meetings on time, especially 1-on-1 meetings, and avoid blowing off meetings with employees
- Own your mistakes – be accountable, and lead by example, as these attributes will help endear you to your employees
- Allow employees to step out of their comfort zones so they can grow both personally and professionally
The bottom line is that employees who are happy and feel appreciated are generally more motivated and are more likely to go the extra mile for you – both of which are critical, especially during an emergency outage restoration. So please, strive to be a great utility boss day in and day out!
