Leadership is about having a vision and communicating it to those around with enough conviction to inspire and motivate. To start a business and grow it successfully, you must know how to lead your team and above all, how to manage yourself. Here are five things every good leader should know if she wants to become great:
Practice self-awareness
Your company is only as strong as you are yourself. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is crucial in improving your own skills and capabilities, which will aid in growing your business. You can practice self-awareness by studying the way you react to and communicate with others, solve problems when they arise or even keeping a journal.
Share your work
You might find yourself in a situation where the task at hand will be best done by you. However, doing everything by yourself only takes up your valuable time and it prevents your team from learning. Delegate your tasks with purpose, trust your team members they will be able to handle the workload and let them make mistakes.
Communicate clearly
No one is born a master communicator. Effective communication is a skill we acquire over time and it’s a skill we all need to keep practicing. This is especially true in leadership. Be clear with your colleagues about what you expect from them and why. Communicating your vision with clarity will ensure that the whole team will work towards a common goal and thus, increases your chances for success. In addition, honesty can become a value for your company only when it is a value you hold yourself. Making honest, ethical decisions in business gives your employees an example to follow and sets the basis for the future.
Be confident
Not everything is always going to go according to plan with your startup. That’s a fact. The trick is, however, not losing confidence in the vision you have for your business. Assuring your people and above all – yourself, that everything is going to be ok is key in maintain team morale. Keep a positive attitude and nourish this type of thinking within the company. The most important thing after all is moving forward.
Embrace uncertainty
Starting out a new business means going into the unknown. No startup founder knows in advance what she (or he) is getting herself (himself) into. At times when not all facts and hard data is available, using intuition in making decisions with confidence and speed will help the business progress. Trust your gut and don’t be afraid to talk to others, reach out to mentors or to brainstorm new creative solutions with your team to tackle the challenges at hand. Uncertainty is what makes challenges us and makes us grow.
Being an inspiring leader, others choose to follow, takes practice and a conscious commitment to develop yourself as a human being. The people in your company are your most valuable asset and a crucial factor in the success of your business.
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