The world needs leaders, not bosses, especially amidst the pandemic. Employees need a person that understands where they are coming from. Truly, everything has been put in a standstill during the pandemic. This doesn’t warrant the leaders to just sit and watch. Here are the top 5 leadership tips for entrepreneurs.
Embrace Your Core Values
The success of a business lies in its ability to stick to its core values. These values serve as the guiding principle for each member of the team. All of the tasks and actions should be aligned to the set of core values you have established.
Show your teammates that you are human. This will set you apart from other bosses out there. Express yourself in ways that a normal person would. If you combine humanity and your core values, it is hard to turn a blind eye on your leadership potential. If you have no idea what core values you put a premium on, think about it now. List them down on a paper and reflect on whether those items reflect who you are as a leader.
Promote Awareness
Leadership stems from awareness. There are three types of awareness that you should take note of. Self-awareness is your ability to perceive which behavior from others serves your goals. Next is Interpersonal Awareness. This level of awareness allows you to look in between the words and find the things that were left unsaid. Lastly, situational awareness. This type of awareness allows you to go beyond what seems apparent. It lets you identify signals across the group.
These three types of awareness is a must for every leader. If you employ these, it will surely infect others in the organization. You will achieve a better working environment for everyone in your business.
Be Authentic
This is important. Gone are the days where you have to put on a persona every time you face your employees. Instead, let them know of your true emotions. Pretending your emotions cast a shadow of doubt on your employees. They will have a hard time responding to you because they wouldn’t know how to act around you.
It is time for you to be genuine in your words and actions. You will be surprised by productivity this brings to your organization.
Develop Your Ability To Respond
A leader must always be the first responder in all cases and issues surrounding the company. Every set of choices you are presented, you are given the opportunity to choose. It’s easy to play the victim whenever you make a wrong decision. This however, eliminates ownership of the decisions you make.
Focus on the spheres of direct control and indirect influence. These will guide you in traversing the path. Do not forget to scan the environment for external factors while running the operations of your business. This is where leaders set themselves apart from those who can’t lead.
Be Confident AND Curious
This just means that you need to recognize gaps in your knowledge. We challenge you nto list out names of people who know pretty much everything. None right? There are times where we will find things difficult for us. Do not worry. Embrace this time. You will commit mistakes and it’s all fine.
Embrace the uncertainty and the risk of mistakes. This is where you will learn a lot. Stay confident and on top of things while being open to new possibilities and breakthroughs. If you fail at this, you will alienate the people whom you trust the most. Mistakes are unavoidable.
We cannot stress enough the importance of effective leadership in these trying times. If you take note of these tips, we’re sure you’d become a better leader instantly. If you want more leadership articles, read here.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Shanae Brooks is a reporter covering leadership in the business world. She began her journalism career as a ghostwriter behind various successful books in the business realm.