Effective business leadership always comes with a purpose. Aside from the useful product, technology, or services, a company’s efforts to build its integrity shouldn’t be unaccounted for. These efforts not only elevate company morale but also resonate change in the community.
As an entrepreneur, you may have already established who you are and what you do as a brand. Part of starting a startup company is formulating a vision of where you see yourself in the future. Additionally, a mission statement accompanies that vision to pave a clear path.
However, in the long run, a question suddenly pops in your head of where you stand as a company. Apart from your products and services, you ask yourself, “What else can I do?” What can your business leadership contribute to improving the lives of your colleagues, customers, or community?
Whatever the circumstances, whether you are a small business or a large company, there’s always an avenue to improve. There is no bad timing to elevate morale and integrity as the leader of your company. But why is leadership important in business? Let’s find out.
Importance of Business Leadership
Effective leadership makes everything work. If a leader falls short of their responsibilities, all production efforts will be thrown into the bin. A company needs an effective leader that possesses both hard and soft skills.
Although there are different types of leaders, it’s always often the same goal: SUCCESS. For a business to be successful, the leader should be steadfast in performing this invaluable role.
Business leadership encompasses but are not limited to the following:
- Motivate employees. Great leaders motivate their employees to become better at doing their job. You must drive motivation to your employees, whether it’s inspiring them or pushing them to the best of their abilities.
- Delegate tasks and responsibilities. As a leader, you wish you could do everything. However, it is part of your job to delegate duties to available resources capable of doing them.
- Facilitate actions and decisions. One critical role of being a leader is to know what calls to make. With the right knowledge and judgment, a strong leader knows what actions to partake.
- Build company morale. Aside from driving motivation, leaders should also foster a positive environment for their employees. It helps improve the retention and productivity of employees.
- Fulfill company and employee needs. Aligning company needs with employee needs is a vital factor a leader should coordinate. Business leaders should be steadfast in steering the company towards success while meeting the demands.
While we can learn formulas and methodologies, emotional intelligence is more of an acquired aspect. More than the spearhead of decision-making and building directional strategies, a leader should also show heart at work.
Business Leadership Tips for Entrepreneurs
Conferences and academic programs can teach leaders how to handle businesses. There is a workflow in all operational aspects. Strategies and methods are obtainable for learning purposes. While those things still account for creating a well-rounded leader, it takes an extra effort to lead with impact and cause. A worthy effort, regardless.
So how do you become the leader everyone aspires to be? How do you master both the Yin and the Yang for business leadership? Take note of some of the following ways you can become an entrepreneur with impact and heart.
Understand your leadership style
The first step is understanding the way you lead your team. By carefully identifying the way you lead, you will take calculated steps moving forward.
There are authoritative and directive types of leaders. While both are effective, they can come off as outdated, especially in this new technological age. People are looking for leaders they can relate to. You should aspire to become a transformational leader.
By being a transformational leader, you aim to implement practices that help your employees become the best they can be. With the right balance of rational and emotional aspects, you’ll be able to establish yourself as such a leader.
Learn to Follow
Time and time again, we hear that a great leader is a great follower. And that remains true. As a leader, you should allow yourself to learn even more. Ever be restless trying new things out or learning from your colleagues.
When you know what it’s like to follow instructions, you’re putting yourself in different shoes. These shoes are the same ones that your employees wear. So take what you learn from being a follower and apply that to the type of leader you want your employees to see.
Lead by Example
Great leaders don’t just speak; they show. This is also true characteristics and dynamics you want to foster in your workplace. Be a role model for your employees. Moreover, remain consistent in enabling positive attitudes and behaviors inside and outside of work. Most importantly, become that person you wish to see in your employees.
Promote Inclusivity, Break Barriers
As we head straight into the future, great leaders should also learn to unlearn irrelevant social constructs. Leaders should see that everyone is given an equal opportunity to grow in the company; everyone receives equal treatment and voice regardless of gender, ethnicity, beliefs, or status. As a leader in the 21st century, you should dismantle the constructs that are not related to work.
Communicate effectively and authentically
Being a great communicator is a huge part of becoming a business leader. First, you need to communicate your ideas and decisions well to your employees. Strategic plans need to be presented with detail and research. Moreover, talk to people outside of the company. Whether you’re looking for startup investors or presenting a pitch deck, communication is key.
But more than that is the way a leader communicates. One should not only talk but also listen. Effective business leadership understands that communication is a two-way street. You must make sure that your people also feel heard and understood.
Give back
Not a lot of startups have already yielded enough budget to facilitate corporate social responsibility activities. However, there are many ways to give back to your community.
You may opt to source materials from small businesses or reduce your company’s carbon footprint to look after the environment. Another way is to help mobilize your industry’s community to leverage coexisting rather than competition.
Apart from the outside, you may also want to reward your employees for their hard work and effort. Your employees are your best assets, and you, as a leader, should be steadfast in taking care of them.
Full Scale leaders Matt DeCoursey and Matt Watson are no strangers to business leadership. Full Scale is now one of Kansas City’s top software development companies with their expertise and guidance.
Throughout Full Scales acceleration, the Matts have helped business leaders take their startup companies to the next level. Moreover, they have helped put startups in the spotlight through Startup Hustle, a podcast for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs.
With such experience and reach, Full Scale can guide you to become a better leader and set your business up for success. We’ll be happy to guide you through your startup journey.
Reach out to us for a FREE CONSULTATION and visit our website for more details.
