3 Qualities of Effective Leadership
From amateur accountant to copier repairman, the average small business owner wears enough hats to fit in with Alice and Dormouse at the famed Wonderland tea party.
Unfortunately, most entrepreneurs would agree that day-to-day operations can be just as chaotic as the Mad Hatter’s wacky get together. Of all these different roles, however, perhaps the most important is that of leader. Not a scatterbrained, Mad Hatter of a leader, but rather a solid, vision driven head who understands his/her limitations and can adapt to any situation.
So, how can you become a better leader? What qualities do the most successful CEOs have in common? Where does a budding entrepreneur begin to develop these skills?
Self Awareness
True leadership is neither innate nor ever “mastered.” Instead, it must be developed on a daily basis. Every unplanned stumble is an opportunity to learn, every success a base from which to grow. In many ways, leadership is a constant process of self assessment. Capitalizing on your individual strengths means little without a solid understanding of your weaknesses.
My high school English teacher used to say, “keep writing and you will eventually find your voice.” I would paraphrase to say, “keep leading and you will eventually find your leadership style.” Unfortunately, there is no great shortcut. Accept the fact that this will be a rocky road, in the knowledge that each bump is another lesson learned.
Building a team
As a small business owner, your biggest leadership decisions will have nothing to do with marketing, pricing, or strategic partnerships. Instead, they will likely involve staffing. As I mentioned earlier, part of being a leader is understanding where you need support. Successful entrepreneurs will often admit that their business is only as strong as the people around them. They will also tell you there is nothing more terrifying than putting the fate of your business into someone else’s hands.
The good news is that proper planning will go a long way towards making the hiring process run as smoothly as possible. Your self assessment should tell you where you add most value to the company and where a new employee could fit in. Are you a great networker but can’t wrap your head around search engine optimization? Bringing in someone with internet marketing experience will give you more time to work your networking magic. It’s natural to be protective over your business, but leading often means knowing when to give up control.
The Big Picture
Small business owners often feel their entire day is spent putting out one fire after another. Despite the daily chaos, one leadership task that cannot be ignored or outsourced is that of providing a clear vision for the business. Your team will naturally look to you for perspective on the “The Big Picture.” Not just what you say, but your every action, whether conscious or not, will be carefully studied by your team and will impact the culture of the business. Like it or not, being a leader means being constantly under the microscope.
Manuel Dominguez is the Director of the NYC Business Solutions Centers in Brooklyn. If you have a question or comment for Manuel, drop him a note below. And, please share this blog entry with your colleagues on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, and your favorite social media sites.