| Ok, so you want to be an effective leader. You're | | | | establish yourself as a niche provider of that product |
| working hard, and focused on accomplishing THAT | | | | or service. You need to exercise patience for the |
| goal. You're focused on your dream of carving a path | | | | two to three years that it will take to see the fruits |
| for yourself in the world. Many of you have had a | | | | of your labor. |
| taste of working the nine to five, and you know is | | | | Most new businesses lose money or are not very |
| just not for you. You don't want to report to | | | | profitable the first few years. They don't have a |
| someone. You don't want to punch someone else's | | | | steady stream of customers, market themselves |
| clock. You don't want to be stuck in a box. You want | | | | properly or put enough time into the business. They |
| to control your life. You have a vision. You want to | | | | have too many other competing priorities; and don't |
| create the thing of you dream of doing, and you | | | | know how to attract and retain a loyal customer |
| want to make money doing it...lots of it. | | | | base. I made the same mistakes. After a few years |
| So, where do you start? Well, of course there are | | | | of not getting anywhere, in 2007, I became more |
| lots of manuals, magazine, articles and scores of | | | | focused on achieving my businesses goals. I |
| scholarly text written on this topic, but, newsflash... | | | | researched the market, began to network, advertise |
| it's not rocket science. Each of us knows what it | | | | and position myself more strategically. In FY 2007, |
| takes to lead. That knowledge is innate within us. If | | | | Q1, I began to see results. I met and exceeded my |
| you don't readily know what it takes to be a leader, | | | | financial goals. |
| you can easily recognize these traits in others. Read | | | | Valuing Your Team. You need to value your |
| on to see if you've got what it takes. | | | | employees. This is how you will motivate them. |
| Vision. Vision is the ability to "see" what you want | | | | Employees feel motivated not only by getting a |
| and where you want to go. Great leaders also have | | | | paycheck; they tend to be more loyal and committed |
| the ability to en-"vision" something people want and | | | | when they know their employer cares. Learn who |
| more importantly, create a solution to solve that | | | | they are and the things that are important to them. |
| problem. Some leaders are even able to create a | | | | Learn the names of the people in their families and |
| need for something where there was no need | | | | the friends that are important. Take time out to go |
| before. Contrary to what most people think, great | | | | and sit with them and chat. Go out to lunch or get |
| leaders are dreamers. At the same time, they are | | | | some coffee together. I find that creating a ritual |
| able to formulate a concrete plan to execute the | | | | with your employees is a great way to bond. Some |
| necessary steps to turn that dream into a reality. | | | | successful teams do things like have a dinners |
| When you think of being a leader, first think of these | | | | occasionally, where each person attends with their |
| questions - what do you dream of? What do you | | | | significant team member. Some teams play paintball, |
| want to do with your life if you could do whatever | | | | others take a class together or have potlucks every |
| you wanted? What brings you joy? What are you | | | | few months. Find what works for your budget and |
| good at? | | | | your team, and just do it. |
| The answer lies therein. The thing that you dream of | | | | Be the Best You. As you grow in life and venture out |
| could create an innovation. The answer to what you | | | | into its various tributaries, one of the single most |
| want to do with your life could be something no one | | | | important ways you can be a great leader is to |
| has thought of before. When you think of what | | | | cultivate your best self. A good leader knows his or |
| brings you joy, you get excited. When you think of | | | | her strengths and weaknesses and is implementing |
| what you good at, it stirs up your creative juices; | | | | continuous improvement at all times. |
| you feel a certain sense of sureness about that thing. | | | | Know yourself, and work to be the example you |
| If you can truthfully answer the questions above, | | | | seek in the world. Look at other successful leaders |
| then you are on your way to creating your vision. | | | | and learn from their failures and successes. Drink in |
| Either way, this is good, you've passed step one. | | | | the knowledge of those that came before you and |
| Knowing Your Business. Having a vision is important, | | | | that are succeeding in their various industries today. |
| but not everything. You have to be both a dreamer | | | | Make it your daily study to implement strategies that |
| and have the technical know-how to get where you | | | | they employed in their personal lives that impacted |
| need to go with your business. This means that you | | | | them financially. Were they focused and determined? |
| have to know the trends. Does your industry have | | | | Were they organized and great time planners? Did |
| cycles? Is the product in demand at certain times? | | | | they value the people in their lives? Did they surround |
| When should you purchase materials? Do people | | | | themselves with like-minded people, ones who were |
| want to buy what you want to sell...now? Will they | | | | creating their best lives and positive? Did they value |
| want to in the future? How adaptable is your | | | | themselves and work to continuously improve who |
| business to market, globalization, cultural and | | | | they were? Did they take time to play, knowing that |
| technological trends? Do you know everything there | | | | they were where they needed to be and would get |
| is to know about your business? Are you | | | | where they were going when they got there? |
| knowledgeable? Will people want to hear what you | | | | You will find that as you grow, you will value yourself |
| want to say? Are you an innovator or are you just | | | | more. In turn, you will respect, honor and value |
| jumping on a popular bandwagon? | | | | others - and your employees more. They, then, will |
| Commitment to Achieving Your Mission. Do you have | | | | respect you more as a leader and as a person. |
| what it takes to make it in the long haul? Do you | | | | Some leaders have the approach that they are |
| have that stick-to-it-ive-ness? Can you weather the | | | | always right. They have a heavy hand when making |
| challenges ahead? Are you going give up when the | | | | decisions. They judge, criticize, are unforgiving, don't |
| going gets tough or will you prepare for that time by | | | | motivate and isolate themselves from other people. |
| having Plan A, B and C? Will you turn challenges into | | | | What kind of person are you? The person that you |
| solutions? | | | | are creates the leader you will be. Be the example |
| Often times, with a new business, it takes years to | | | | that you seek. In turn, you will encounter and achieve |
| see profitability. You will need to be patient as you | | | | great success. |
| garner customers, their trust, market share and | | | | |