Leadership in small businesses.
As an entrepreneur and small business owner, you need to be a good leader.
But, who’s a leader?
Norge Matos once said, “When everybody is fainting, the leader is the one that keeps trying harder, even when he is also fainting.”
First, let’s define what a leader is:
A real leader
- is a team player.
- is collaborative, inclusive, and team-oriented.
- exercises leadership wherever he or she is.
- is always learning new skills.
- is open to feedback and criticism and uses it to grow.
- demonstrates a firm understanding of client needs.
- has a clear understanding of what needs to be done and why.
- speaks truthfully and accurately — rather than emotionally.
- takes action and makes recommendations for the good of the organization.
- has a vision and thinks globally and strategically.
- motivates people to see the bigger picture and be part of something bigger than themselves.
- will inspire action by asking the right questions.
- cares about people and adds value to those around him/her.
- will solve short-term problems based on its long-term goals, but values and goals are paramount.
A leader is defined by capabilities and not by position. Everyone knows what leadership is, but few people can articulate what it truly means. Leadership is not an administrative position.
“What’s the most important leadership characteristic of a small business owner?”
I asked this question, and for these business owners, these are essential characteristics a leader must possess.
“Understanding that emptying the bins is just as important as landing the next big contract, and the person doing it is contributing to your success every bit as much.” Del Vincent www.davince.net
“Adaptability. To survive long term, you’ve got to adapt to the times (Netflix is a prime example) and adapt to changes within your business, which could look like outsourcing, hiring employees, or offering a new or different product. Continue to keep up with the times, and you’ll continue to thrive.” Meghann Grah
“Grit.” Tessa Love
“Having an irrefutable mindset to keep going after your goals while finding space to rest and recharge.” Krissy Johnson
“This is tough! There are so many leadership characteristics you need to have while running a small business both from an internal and external perspective. Something I’ve learned recently is that if you’re interested in growing, you need to be able to delegate. With that delegation comes effective communication, trust, empathy, and honesty. From an internal perspective, being a good leader means knowing when it’s time to be at the front of the line and knowing when to step back, let other people on your team shine. From an external perspective and working with customers, integrity is most important. In the photography industry, especially, it’s so important to put our best foot forward at all times. Treating peoples’ experiences with care and as one-of-a-kind (especially weddings) is everything.”– Kayla Powell.
“Self-care is just as important for your business as grit and determination. Go after your goals, absolutely, but give yourself lots of opportunities to live outside of work. Work with endurance, but rest easy, too. You’ll lose your drive if you seek only success without rest.”– Courtney Kammers
Final words about leadership in small businesses.
Great leaders must develop crucial skills to become great decision-makers.
They understand and manage their emotions to make decisions that positively impact themselves, their employees, and their customers. They accept uncertainty and focus their time, energy, and money on making the best decisions in the face of an uncertain outcome. C’mon. It’s 2020 and the year has been a rollercoaster. We need to adapt and pivot. Leadership in small businesses is crucial.
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