Four Factors to Becoming a Super Boss

You're at the top of your game. As "boss," you have control over so much of your business. Between the phone calls, orders, hiring, bills, and day-to-day grind, your employees may not see the best of you as much as you wish they could.

Being the boss is more than signing paychecks and snagging the highly-coveted corner office. It means being a shining example for your staff. Showing them the ropes and maturely mentoring. Encouraging innovation and teamwork. It will feel great knowing you've taken your role as boss to the highest level. Work will be more productive and employees will stick around for years to come. Here's how to be a super boss and have a staff brimming with admiration and pride.

Have Some Humor

Being in charge is serious business, but without some comic relief every now and then, stress and frustration will creep in and start to make things far from fun. It's important for even the most business-like boss to take it easy now and then to show the team that life is only full when all parts of the spectrum are taken in.

As per Inc., "Time and experience usually teaches us lessons in our own limitations and fallibility. That tends to infuse a sense of humor, humility, and empathy, at least in some well-balanced adults who just so happen to make great bosses."

Exhibiting a keen sense of humor shows that you are approachable and humble and you know that enjoying your time at work is part of a company's overall success. All work and no play makes for a pretty dull existence. Laughter and comradery are part of a tight-knit workforce. You'll burn out quickly without the light of a beaming smile.

Take Responsibility

A super boss has integrity and while he may dole out tasks to his team, he understands that he's the one ultimately responsible for the company's success. When things go well, it's easy to take credit, but a good boss takes the heat when things aren't up to par just the same.

Inc. notes, "There are no absolutes in business. You make commitments, put your butt on the line, then see how you did. Unless you complete that feedback loop and hold everyone's feet to the fire, nothing really counts."

Bosses who know how to manage appropriately and make smart choices understand that even with the best intentions and planning, things don't always go swimmingly. A responsible boss won't ignore the obvious and will lead the team in a fresh direction. There's no time for putting on a pair of rose colored glasses when things are already crystal clear.

As Salary explains, "Does the boss help employees recover from mistakes, or does he blow a gasket?" If the latter is evident, it's a sign that the boss isn't taking responsibility for himself or his staff.

Be Honest

To be a successful boss, honesty is the only policy. Sugarcoating and exaggerating only sets a company back. An honest boss gets what's working, what needs more gas, and what to let go of.

Bosses must be honest with themselves, their customers, and most importantly, their staff. As per Salary, "If the boss is telling you things about your future with the company that just aren't true, like there is room for growth when no one has been promoted from within for years, you're in trouble. You want someone who will tell it like it is, pull no punches and be realistic about what the future holds."

It's easy for employees to gather the honesty level of their boss – as Entrepreneur notes, "They wear their emotions on their sleeves. They show sincere excitement when things go well. They show sincere appreciation for hard work and extra effort. They show sincere disappointment -- not in others, but in themselves."

An honest boss will try to help his team better themselves, not brush sub-par work under the rug. That will only snowball into a bigger issue for the company at large. Kindness and honesty are not the same thing.

Take Charge

Just try to find a boss who's shy or a wallflower of any sort. If you can, he's a rare bird. Most super bosses are the take charge type, who thrive on running the show and making the needle move with vigor.

According to Entrepreneur, "Memorable bosses lead because their employees want them to lead. Their employees are motivated and inspired by the person, not the title." Just because someone's "boss" doesn't make him great. It's his attitude and sense of authority that makes him special.

A take charge boss doesn't sit idly by and wait for change to come. He's a get-the-job-done type who will take any reasonable avenue to make that happen. Inc. notes, "They're like machines that are programmed to do whatever it takes to get things done. And they'll find a way, no matter what. Those are the kind of people you want running things."

And just because a boss is a take charge person doesn't mean he does all the work. Being in charge means being confident, making smart decisions, allocating tasks, and problem solving. They must know all key elements of the business but be smart enough to hire the right people to make the business soar.

Be a super boss. Success starts at the top!

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Landscaping Options to Increase Your Home's Curb Appeal

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As anyone who has ever sold a house will tell you, you must prioritize curb appeal. Before a potential buyer even considers looking inside your house, they notice the outside first. Does it attract the right kind of attention? Does it take away from the feel you're going for? If you plan to sell sometime soon, you must think about these things. Here are some landscaping options to increase your home's curb appeal, so you can get the best price on your home.

Extensive Plants and Greenery

A barren front yard won't get you the price you want on your home. So, invest in at least a little bit of greenery to keep the surrounding area from looking too dead. Shrubs and bushes tie the house to the lawn that precedes it, and flower beds bring a pop of color to an otherwise drab structure. You can also strategically plant some trees to improve the overall feel of your home's exterior.

Lawn Care

As we mentioned, your lawn is one of the most prominent features of your home's exterior. A patchy, dried-up lawn will quickly drive your home's price way down. Some of the best landscaping options for your home's curb appeal involve improving your lawn for the next inhabitant. Overall fertilization, ground aeration, underbrush removal, proper mowing—all of these lawn care tasks contribute to a greener and more lively area that invites people to see your house, rather than stay away from it.

Paved Pathways

There's nothing like a broken and disheveled pathway to make someone think twice about buying a property. Just as you want the entryway in your house to be welcoming, so too should the pathway leading up to the house be inviting. The pathway from the street to your front door provides plenty of real estate to get creative with. You don't have to settle for a boring concrete pathway. Consider something more eye catching, like a cobblestone path or intermittent brick patterns, as a way to better welcome potential buyers.

Usable Outdoor Furniture

Landscaping doesn't just involve the ground you walk on; also included are the items you use as extras to the overall look. Outdoor furniture is one such extra that you don't necessarily need but can look quite attractive if done correctly. Staging is important with outdoor furniture. Old, broken-down pieces will only look like more work to the potential buyer. A few comfortable chairs, a bench, or a table with an umbrella really go a long way to improving your outdoor aesthetics.

A good tip for deciding on curb appeal items is to decide what you personally would want to see as a part of a welcoming home's exterior. You don't need to go overboard, but a little bit of forethought could net you quite a lot of extra cash in the sale.

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Common Mistakes Made When Giving to Charity

Unfortunately, giving back can sometimes go haywire. If you're ready to make a donation, first consider common mistakes made when giving back.

Many people strive to support their community by donating their time or their money. When you find a meaningful cause, you might be quick to cut a donation check. Though it's admirable to be quick to act charitably, you should be wary of several common mistakes made when giving to charity. Being mindful of these mistakes and learning tips for making informed charitable choices can help you make the most out of your generous check.

Acting Quickly Out of Emotion

Mission statements are meant to be compelling. If you're an emotionally driven individual, it's natural to pull out your wallet at the sight of a sad puppy on TV or when informed about food insecurity over the phone. Unfortunately, not all charities are as effective or official as they may seem.

Take your passion for helping others one step further by making sure your chosen charity is legit. Speaking with a representative, reviewing their website and social media accounts, and looking at testaments online can give you a better idea of whether the organization is worth your donation.

Forgetting to Keep Record of the Donation

Don't forget that you can reap some financial perks from giving back! With the proper documentation of your donation, you can acquire a better tax deductible.

If you donate more than $12,400 as a single filer or $24,800 as one of two joint filers, you're eligible to deduct that amount from your taxes. So, when a charity asks if you'd like a receipt of donation, always answer yes.

Donating Unusable Materials

Most charities can utilize a monetary donation—it's the physical donations that usually cause some issues. Providing a local nonprofit with irrelevant materials or gifting them with unusable products are surprisingly common mistakes made when giving to charity.

Always check your intended charity's website for a list of things they do and do not accept. The majority of places will provide a guideline to donating or offer contact information to clarify any questions.

Strictly Giving at Year's End

As more and more people get into the holiday spirit at the end of the year, nonprofit organizations see an influx of donations. While it's great to spread holiday cheer via a monetary donation, it's important to keep that spirit going year-round.

With regular donations, charities can more effectively allocate their annual budget. Setting up an automatic monthly donation with the charity of your choosing can maximize your impact. You can account for a monthly donation by foregoing a costly coffee every once in a while.

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How Much You Should Spend on Home Maintenance

Knowing how much you should spend on home maintenance each year is hard to figure out and may be preventing you from buying your first home. The types of costs you'll incur depend on the house you buy and its location. The one certainty is that you should start saving now. Read on to figure out how much to start setting aside based on the home you own.

The Age of Your House

Consider several factors when budgeting for home repairs. If you've purchased a new home, your house likely won't require as much maintenance for a few years. Homes built 20 or more years ago are likely to require more maintenance, including replacing and keeping your windows clean. Further, depending on your home's location, weather can cause additional strain over time, so you may need to budget for more repairs.

The One-Percent Rule

An easy way to budget for home repairs is to follow the one-percent rule. Set aside one percent of your home's purchase price each year to cover maintenance costs. For instance, if you paid $200,000 for your home, you would set aside $2,000 each year. This plan is not foolproof. If you bought your home for a good deal during a buyer's market, your home could require more repairs than you've budgeted for.

The Square-Foot Rule

Easy to calculate, you can also budget for home maintenance by saving one dollar for every square foot of your home. This pricing method is more consistent than pricing it by how much you paid because the rate relies on the objective size of your home. Unfortunately, it does not consider inflation for the area where you live, so make sure you also budget for increased taxes and labor costs if you live in or near a city.

The Mix and Match Method

Since there is no infallible rule for how much you should spend on home maintenance, you can combine both methods to get an idea for a budget. Average your results from the square-foot rule and the one-percent rule to arrive at a budget that works for you. You should also increase your savings by 10 percent for each risk factor that affects your home, such as weather and age.

Holding on to savings is easier in theory than practice. Once you know how much you should spend on home maintenance, you'll know what to aim for and be more prepared for an emergency. If you are having trouble securing funds for home repairs, consider taking out a home equity loan, borrowing money from friends or family, or applying for funds through a home repair program through your local government for low-income individuals.

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