What makes a strong leader?
This is simple: Passion and Responsibility.
As your business grows, as does your team. This can sometimes happen at lightening speed; as your business takes off and you struggle to keep up with demands, you need more resources, you need a team to support, deliver and be part of your brand. It can become overwhelming as a business owner to suddenly have a team of people behind you. It may feel like you are losing control of the original objectives, that you find yourself micro-managing your team, dealing with conflict and performance. In the early stages of your business, it is vital for you to become a strong leader so that you can build a high performance team, who work FOR you.
Is there a difference between a manager and a leader?
Absolutely.
This is often a debate in our Business Group Coaching sessions. The roles are very different and you can be both at the same time.
The role of a manger is to ensure that all tasks are completed on time. A manager is more about the technical and operations side of the business. They ensure that tasks are completed efficiently, to budget and to the quality that is expected by the company and the customer. It is about managing the resources to ensure that things happen.
A leader’s role is to enrol and inspire. A leader links a team members personal goals to the company’s goal, such as security of a job, purpose, growth and development, being part of a team and ultimately having a great life. A leader finds the common goals which inspires the team and leads to complete ‘buy in’ of the company goals and vision.
Remember it like this: “Be a leader of people and a manager of resources!”
A great leader will lead with emotional intelligence rather than their IQ. This means that they will have empathy, flexibility, self-control, self-awareness, self-reliance, assertiveness and above all, they will want to serve with their heart and spirit, which leads to passion and responsibility.
A strong leader is decisive and confident in decision making. They follow through with their actions and ultimately take responsibility for the team and company.
The act of delegating as your business grows can be daunting but a strong leader will trust and let go – supporting new team members to deliver delegated tasks.
The ActionCOACH Process of Great Leadership:
1. Inspire a shared vision – Enrol and inspire in a way that resonates with your team. Their goals link to the company goals and vision.
2. Challenge the process – Constantly look for the ways to improve and challenge, involving the team in that process to allow them to ‘own’ part of the decision making.
3. Enable others to act – Sometimes team members are willing and wanting to do more, they have the ideas, the passion and the ability to do more- they just need to be trusted to do so and give then authority to act.
4. Model the way – Lead by example and be an inspiration. Leaders are willing to get their hands dirty and to put themselves on the line. Employees will respect you more if they see you ‘do’ rather than hear what you ‘say’.
What else makes a strong leader?
- The willingness and drive to for self-improvement. To know who you need to BE before you know what you need to DO.
- To genuinely care for your team and to look out for their well-being. Do not expect them to do anything that you are not prepared to do yourself.
- Communicate with your team and ensure there is a consistent flow of communication from the top and to the top. Let their voices be heard.
- Take responsibility for your actions and never place blame. IT is about working and operating above the point of power where you place ownership (as in you OWN/YOUR/SHIP.. or SH**), you are accountable and you are responsible.
- Focus on team development and training – don’t let any of your team become stagnant in their roles.
Business Coaching is self-improvement. The practices that ActionCOACH teach develop business owners into great, strong leaders which take their team and company to new heights.
Are you ready to be a strong leader?
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