Anyone can be a leader, whether you’re positioned at the top or the bottom of a company, department, or team.
There’s no degree needed to be a leader. There’s just you and an attitude to seek constant improvement from yourself and those around you.
You can lead those above you, those equal to you, or those below you. But the best leaders don’t acknowledge these differences, as the best teams seek mutual goals and bring their best to each project – making everyone equal.
Good leaders choose to lead in everything they do. Through their words, their actions, and their attitude. This may not always involve leading from the front, but instead good leaders can recognise when other team members need to take the reins.
This blog will discuss some of the traits of a good business leader and how you can apply these to your next endeavour, no matter what your role.
Recognise Your Own Strengths and Weaknesses
Nobody is good at everything.
Albert Einstein wasn’t a prolific athlete and Usain Bolt doesn’t have a degree in physics. These two personalities became leaders in their field by perfecting their personal strengths, and left their weaknesses for others to pursue – much like a good leader does.
In business, this recognition may require some humility, as you concede that someone else may be better equipped for a task. But humility is simply another trait that effective business leaders portray in spades.
By recognising your own strengths and weaknesses, you can delegate (if you have the power) tasks to those who will suit them best, while focussing your skills on the tasks you excel at.
Overall, this will help the company run at its most efficient, while improving employee satisfaction as they’re made to feel competent, acknowledged and understood.
Stay Positive
It won’t be all sunshine and roses as you lead your business to success, but an air of optimism will go a long way keeping your teammates productive and engaged.
One job of an effective business leader is to inspire the team to keep improving, innovating and working towards that next goal. Without their leaders expressing some general positivity, team members may start to question how well things are truly going.
Actions as simple as smiling and greeting your colleagues in a positive manner can set the tone for tenacity, while acknowledging good work and offering help in difficult times are more proactive measures to keep teams ticking.
These actions need to be genuine because disingenuous positivity will become obvious and only hurt your team’s morale in the long run.
Be a Part of the Team
This may seem like an obvious trait to some and a confusing one to others. “How could I lead a team without being a part of it?” you may think.
Some managers place themselves in positions of power over their colleagues a little too often and this hierarchy can work against them in some cases.
Managers who place themselves in the thick of their team’s work and make an effort to keep in touch with each project will be seen as more relatable, approachable and likeable. This can make the difference between a manager and a leader.
It’s easy to dislike a boss who is isolated from their team all day and hardly shows their face. Without any genuine in-person interaction, this kind of manager is simply a name on a screen asking for work to be done.
Not only will a hands-on manager be more liked, they’ll have a greater understanding of how each project is progressing and the work that each team member is contributing to the company.
Continue Learning
There are so many ways to be a business leader, it may take a little bit of experience to understand them all.
One way to invest in yourself is to attend the many industry events that are available to us these days, such as SME&E in Auckland.
Grab your tickets today or risk missing out on this flashpoint of entrepreneurial expertise.
