Listen - The Key To Being a Good Boss

I am way behind in my reading and so today decided to read a few articles I'd set aside that had previously caught my eye. In the BusinessMonday section of the Plain Dealer on Monday February 20, there was a front page article entitled, "ABCs of Taking Charge" written by Janet H. Cho. In the article it listed the Dos and Don'ts of a good manager.

One of the Dos that caught my eye was "Listen to employees and learn from them."

The article goes on to say that being humble is a good thing. Especially in the beginning when you are learning the lay of the job, the department and the people in it. However, I would add that established managers need to take note of this tip as well.

Too often, we become engrained in the role we play at work (this actually goes for our home life as well) and we forget to ask for advice, opinions or suggestions.

The articles reminded readers about the Major of New York City, Ed Koch, and his "How'm I doin'?" question that he asked residents.

Do we know how our employees, vendors and customers think we are doing? Have we asked them lately?