How to Become an Effective Leader in Business

Being an effective leader is key to the success of your business.  In fact, it can mean the difference between success and failure.  While we would all like to believe we are strong leaders, not all are.  Leadership is a learned skill and takes time to craft and grow and it needs be constantly readjusted and updated to make your business run smoothly.  To be an effective leader you must first learn who you are and identify your strengths and weaknesses to understand how to operate effectively.  Here are some steps to becoming an effective leader.

First off, always maintain a positive attitude.  Be self-confident and decisive and believe in your business and its potential growth and success.  Self-confidence leads to certainty and the ability to have faith in your judgment and take risks.  Always be determined and resilient and persistent.  Don’t dwell on the past; learn from your mistakes and move forward.  Constantly be thinking ahead.

Love what you do and be passionate about it.  Even though starting up a new venture is hard and you can have setbacks, always enjoy your work and the challenges it provides.  Remember work shouldn’t be a drone; it should be fun and that’s likely why most entrepreneurs start up their own companies to get out of the mundane and boring corporate world.  Enthusiasm generates a strong work ethic which then becomes part of the culture of your business.

Delegate and trust others.  Don’t be a micromanager.  It’s impossible to do everything yourself and it’s OK to ask for help.  In fact, it’s a must.  Don’t think of the business as solely your own.  Think of it as a team effort.  Delegating responsibility takes unnecessary tasks off your plate and allows you to focus on more pressing matters.  The ability to get your employees to work as a team is a great starting point for any business.  Recruit high-quality staff and utilize their brain power and ability.  Most importantly, trust them to get the job done without constantly looking over their shoulders. 

 

Focus on what you do best.  Be a specialty and niche business.  You can’t do everything at once or please every consumer if your target reach is too broad.  Start by focusing on one industry and one or merely a handful of products.  Always maintain your core business model.  It’s better to dominate a niche market than attempt to serve multiple markets before you are fully established and up and running.  At least stick to one idea for the first few years of your business.  Trying to do too much can lead to failure and you obviously don’t want that; you want to succeed.

Have systems in place especially in case of emergency.  Have an offsite backup for your work.  Hire an outside tech company to run your computer needs.  Try to outsource when you can but look for cheaper ways to do it as cost savings is huge when just beginning a business.

Work smart.  Don’t become so consumed by your business that you burn out.  Make time for outside interests and family and friends.  Continue to pursue your outside interests and hobbies.  Take time during the day for a break.  You always need to recuperate mentally and recharge your battery in order to work more effectively and efficiently.

Supply yourself with a good support base.  Find a mentor and network.  Attend seminars and speeches.  Constantly be making connections.  Lean on friends and family when the going gets tough.  Seek out advice when necessary.

Listen.  To your gut, to your employees, to the marketplace and to your customers.  Any great leader listens to what people need from them or takes suggestions or constructive criticism.  Listen to your colleagues who might have new and promising ideas.  You can’t be the entire brain trust of your organization or success won’t follow.

Be a storyteller.  Show your colleagues and others in the industry that you are in the know.  Do your homework about happenings in your industry and the greater marketplace.  Start a blog or write guest articles for well-known publications.  Get on the radio or create a YouTube channel.  Jump on the social media train and tell your stories to the broadest audience reach you can get your hands on.

Be authentic and transparent.  Great leaders are who they say they are.  They have integrity and humility.  They create positivity and attract strong energy.  Being authentic and transparent leads to trust – trust from your colleagues, trust from your consumers and trust from your industry.  True leaders are transparent especially as there’s nowhere to hide anymore.  If you keep secrets, you’ll eventually be exposed.  Openness and honesty lead to better business values and your community of customers will most definitely pick up on that.

Always be responsive to customers, staff and investors alike.  A culture of responsiveness makes a winning leader.  Get back to people quickly.  Follow-up.  Send thank you cards or gifts when necessary.  Let the world know that you are available to them for whatever they need.

Lastly and most importantly, be flexible.  Adaptability is key to being a successful leader.  Don’t get stuck in your ways or shut others or their ideas out.  While you always want to stand behind your convictions, don’t be so bull-headed that you lose sight of the bigger picture.  Stubbornness can only harm you in business so avoid it at all costs.  Humility and the willingness to adapt and be flexible are the cornerstones of being a great and effective leader.

So what have we learned here today?  Have you found these tips useful or have you used other methods to become an effective leader?  What do you think are the most important traits and qualities that make a good leader?  Leave a comment and let me know.  Opinions are always welcome!

Here are some articles you might want to check out on being an effective leader in business:

“Top 10 Qualities That Make a Great Leader”: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaprive/2012/12/19/top-10-qualities-that-make-a-great-leader/

“The One Thing You Need to Know to Be a Great Leader”: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-be-a-great-leader-2013-8

“Be seen as a Leader”: http://hbr.org/2013/12/be-seen-as-a-leader/ar/1

“How to Be a Great Leader”: http://www.stylist.co.uk/stylist-network/how-to-be-a-great-leader

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Until next time…