Being The Boss

Filed in archive management on February 8, 2010

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What's the difference between being your own boss and having a boss?

Well, actually there are a lot of differences. You probably let yourself sleep in or have snacks at your desk. Also, you don't have to ask yourself permission to go to lunch. However, there are certain boss stereotypes that might be worth copying.

Responsibility: You can't let your boss take the blame any more. If deadlines aren't met, if you don't perform like you should, that's your problem.

Communication: If you went from a corporate job to a work from home situation you might not have realized how much communication happens in a company. If you have employees now, or work directly with multiple clients you'll learn how important communication can be. If you're more apt to just talk to people when you need to, you might want to learn some basic updating skills so your customers or staff feel connected.

Structure: It doesn't matter how you schedule your day, but a boss creates structure. Be hard on yourself about focusing when you work and sticking to your goals. Since no one else is around to tell you what to do you need to stand up and do it for yourself.

Presence: Ever notice how you can spot management level people from across the room? Or when the boss walks in the room goes silent? That's presence. Some people have natural presence (its one of those difficult to explain traits, like charisma.) But you can learn to have presence too. It helps when working with clients, employees and even other business professionals. The easiest way is to feel confident about what you do. Make sure that comes across with whoever you're talking to.

What steps did you take to become your own boss?