Learning how to be a better boss can make us more successful in life, both in and out of the barn.
I always thought that “not being a very good boss” was an acceptable way to skim through life. Because I’m not.
I make a great employee; I am organized, focused, hardworking and detail-oriented (mostly). I’m nice to the people who help me and do my best to bring clarity on expectations to the table. But when things get tricky, or someone lets me down, I’m way more prone to just shake my head, dig in and do it myself, rather than try to train that person to do a better job the next time. I don’t squeeze the best out of people who fall short of what I want them to be.
But, as I’ve gotten older and more experienced, as our business has grown, and I spend more time around equine professionals, I realize that I can’t let myself be content being poor at managing others. Learning the skill set that makes a good “boss” trickles down to just about everything we do. It helps build up the folks who work for us directly, which in turn equals more success. It makes me stay more accountable to myself and what I do and don’t need to accomplish within a timeline. It even translates down to a better working relationship with our animals.
For those who run a horse-related business, having the right help on your team is a no-brainer for optimal success. Trainers, veterinary clinics, equine products, ranches, rehab centers, boarding facilities — shoot, we all need help. Some positions in the lineup are replaceable. A good worker is always appreciated, and the person in charge should invest as much as they can in training their hired help.
But after enough people come and go, as a boss, it’s easy to get passive. It’s sometimes less mental anguish to just work harder ourselves than to work within to be better at directing others. Of course, everyone appreciates the person (or people!) on the team who is dependable, trainable, easy to have around and skilled for the tasks at hand. They make being a boss easy. However, this person is often few and far between.
I’ve visited with friends who are successful in both business and managing others in their business, and they gave me some good points about how to improve working relationships with others. A couple of those hints hit hard for me.
- There needs to be a clear set of standards to accomplish what’s necessary within the job description.
- Being a good boss doesn’t mean you can’t be friends with who works for you. It doesn’t mean that you have to be mean or scary or someone you don’t want to be. It simply means that you establish expectations with clarity and are willing to help those on your team learn how to do what’s needed well.
- Taking it a step further, honing better boss skills makes our working relationship with our horses even better. Making our requests more “black and white” is a great mindset to have happier horses and better timing and feel on our part.
When we aren’t sure what we’re asking for, or how to do it, we should seek help from folks who are better at it than we are. We need to make our horses feel confident enough to strive for what’s requested, but disciplined enough as their teachers and clear enough with our expectations that they know what we are asking for. And it’s important for them to know when they’ve done well, too.
I’m not saying I’ll ever be a great boss, but it’s nice to know I should have the right stuff to be better buried somewhere inside of me. I love being around people and hope to continue to improve my working relationship with all the folks who can, will and do help us. Yes, I’m here to direct and conquer, but I appreciate the friendships and the learning process as well.
You know, it’s sort of the way I feel about my horses, too.
