What It Takes To Be A Leader
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?
Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of people to influence and guide followers or members of an organization, society, or team. An effective leader is driven, motivated, and resilient. Being a leader comes with a lot of responsibilities, they have a big job to fulfill.
Leadership is one of the key features of success, especially in the world of business. It has the power to enhance your business both behind the scenes in the workplace and also in the spotlight through marketing efforts. Leadership is important in the workplace because it motivates and inspires you and your team to produce work to the best of the business’s ability. Your employees are a reflection of your business. Your job is to ensure everyone involved in your business has the knowledge to guarantee everything runs smoothly. In marketing efforts, your small business can benefit from highlighting your brand as a leadership-friendly business, thus helping to build the trust of potential clients. Taking steps toward leadership in your business will help you stand out from competitors and will also allow your brand to be noticed by the public eye.
Incorporating your leadership skills is essential when wanting to grow your small business. You may ask yourself, how do I become an effective leader? Here is where you begin.
LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS & VALUES
Characteristics are the way a person thinks, acts, and feels. Leadership characteristics include being determined, accountable, ethical, and authentic. Authenticity is acting according to one’s true self and behaving congruently with values, beliefs, motives, and personality disposition. Being authentic gives your team a sense of security. You respect them and their beliefs, they will reciprocate it right back. You should always strive to be honest and appreciative of those around you, helping you achieve your goals.
Along with characteristics, values are fundamental ideas and beliefs that guide a person’s motivations and decisions. The core values associated with leadership include intelligence, creativity, compassion, and integrity. Integrity is knowing to do what is right. This is the most important value that is associated with being an astonishing leader.
WHY DO I NEED TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS?
Leadership serves as the foundation of your business. Without the proper leadership skills, your small business will not succeed. These skills help create an established and well-developed business environment.
Collaboration in the workplace can be defined as working together with one or more people to complete a project or task. In doing so, you will develop ideas or processes in a collaborative setting. Another key to collaboration in the workplace is employee motivation. Employee motivation is a necessity in the efforts of collaboration, for together, employees can uplift one another and share ideas to help create a final product. Having motivationally driven employees will enhance your business in meeting the goals of the company, for employees will work diligently and productively to complete the necessary tasks of the day. In a collaborative and motivated setting, your business’s employees will bounce ideas off one another to create new ideas as well as further develop pre-existing ideas that have been established by team members.
HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE LEADERSHIP SKILLS?
The first step you need to take to obtain these leadership skills is to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Create two lists to reflect on your successes and areas where you need improvement. Talk to people you trust. Ask them for advice! Incorporating different perspectives will help you see that balance. You’re not only looking to improve yourself for your own benefit but for your team’s as well.
A leader needs to be constantly aware of what they’re saying and how they’re acting. Your actions reflect on your team. In times of stress, your employees will look at you wondering what to do. You’re their leader, they follow your commands. You have the power and authority of your employees.
HOW DO I APPLY THESE SKILLS TO MY SMALL BUSINESS?
Without effective leadership, your business will never grow to its full potential. Small business leadership should be strategic. You need to make sure your business is as stable as possible. Be a good listener to your employees, and have that strong connection between them. Honesty is the best policy, don’t promise anything you can’t deliver. Effective leaders keep their teams in the loop.
There is also the importance of a positive work environment. A positive work environment increases employee happiness by as much as 33%. When employees work in a positive work environment that encourages collaborative projects and teamwork. Motivate your team, and push them to strive for better things for the business.
The many tips regarding the role of leadership can be quite beneficial to you and your small business. When depending on leadership as a business strategy, you will have the opportunity to grow and expand your brand to its full potential. For more information regarding the importance of leadership in your small business, be sure to look into all we have to offer at the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women.