In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship there is one defining characteristic of companies that are highly successful versus those companies that merely operate at average levels. That defining characteristic is leadership. It’s impossible to achieve any positive results in business without displaying a high level of leadership ability.
Even if you’re a solopreneur it takes great leadership to convince your ideal clients to buy your product or services, and quite honestly, it’s the most lacking skill I’ve seen in businesses I’ve worked with. If you think about giant organizations that have 1,000, or even 100,000 employees you may wonder how they ever get all those people to support the same mission, and it all comes down to a high level of leadership.
Leadership starts with one thing, responsibility. Leaders must decide in the beginning that they are willing to take full responsibility for the outcome if it’s bad and give away all the credit for outcomes that are good. Great leaders empower their subordinates to be better than they are, and congratulate them when they hit greatness!
Providing leadership comes down to remembering these three keys to leadership
Provide Purpose:
Purpose is defined as an intention or aim; a reason for doing something or for allowing something to happen. Basically, it defines the reasons for doing whatever it is your company does. This purpose is based on the values and beliefs of the leaders in the organization, and an easy way to keep them top of mind is to make sure you have company core values.
Provide Direction:
Providing direction is such a key component to leadership, as it leaves no room for interpretation in the operations of your company. When employees have a clear direction , they know which way to run, and more importantly will be able to define success the same way the leadership of the company defines it. After all, if you haven’t shared what success looks like in your company, it’s hard for anyone to achieve it.
Provide Motivation:
One of the biggest problems that have plagued business owners for centuries is how to keep their teams motivated. In fact, in a recent Gallup study the study found that 74% of employees are what they called “Actively Disengaged” with engagement especially low in areas of recognition, development, connection to the organization’s mission, and clarity of expectations. This is a direct reflection of a lack of leadership in the organizations around the country. The reality is we as leaders are responsible for the employees we bring into our companies, and if they aren’t aligned with our purposes and missions, they probably shouldn’t be a part of our companies. This then begs the question; did we express the company’s mission/vision correctly in order to attract the right people? See everyone is motivated by something. The Motivation key to leadership is really to find people to put on your team that are motivated by YOUR mission, and then provide more reasons to be motivated as they build their career with your company. Although money is a standard motivator, it’s less important than many leaders of companies think. Things like time off, awards and recognition, and even just getting promoted can be major motivators.
Even if you have no employees, finding your prospects motivations for buying is also an essential display of leadership. Even when someone is buying a TV, they often take the lead of the salesperson at the store to know which one they should buy. And even if you think you don’t sell stuff, trust me you do. It may only be you selling yourself, and that’s ok. We all sell, every day.
Employ these leadership keys and you will change the trajectory of your business!
Are you ready to take your entrepreneurial journey to the next level? Join us for Entrepreneur Forward, a dynamic event hosted by Mission43, featuring inspiring talks from industry leaders.
Date: December 12th
Time: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse
Hear from renowned speakers:
Isaac Belden: Founding Executive Director of the Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance
Nick Willey: Founder and President of Mammoth Training Solutions
Gain valuable insights, connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, and discover actionable strategies to propel your business forward.
Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired and empowered. More information to come!
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