I was asked this question by my students recently. "How does one become an effective leader?" My answer is that there are two ways - learn or teach. If you want to lead, then you have to know what's going on around you. You should understand things from different perspectives before making any decision. If you don't know anything about your business environment, it would be difficult for you to make correct decisions. It takes time to gain knowledge and experience. In addition, we all need help from others. We may not be able to handle everything alone. So if you're interested in becoming a leader, it'd better to ask people with more knowledge than yourself. However, even leaders must also take responsibility for their own actions. They will never succeed without taking action themselves. The following are some tips to guide us through these trying times.
Good management requires excellent leadership skills. Leaders always strive to achieve organizational objectives while working toward long-term goals. A leader has vision and foresight. He/she has strong communication skills. Leadership involves motivating employees, inspiring them, developing teamwork among colleagues, building relationships, etc. All these require lots of energy. Managers play critical roles in improving productivity and profitability. Good managers are those who are capable of managing both up and down sides of an organization. Their key responsibilities include:
Planning strategies and tactics (both short term & long term)
Managing human resources effectively
Setting priorities and targets
Keeping track of progress towards achieving set goals
Controlling expenses
Maintaining discipline and motivation among staff members
Ensuring compliance with regulations
Building positive relations with suppliers
Recognizing opportunities and threats
Monitoring market conditions
Communicating regularly
Developing new ideas and creative thinking
Being open to suggestions of other departments
Identifying problems early and solving them quickly
Encouraging innovation and creativity
Providing feedbacks to improve processes and products
Preventing unnecessary delays in production schedules
Helping co-workers solve issues together
Making sure everyone understands his / her role and responsibilities
Focusing effort on areas which bring maximum profits
Using team meetings to get input from all parties involved
Delegating tasks as appropriate
Getting support when needed
Giving credit where due
Holding individuals accountable for results
Taking personal accountability for mistakes made
Having clear policies and procedures
Leading change initiatives
Establishing systems, controls and checks to ensure quality control
Conducting regular reviews to assess effectiveness and efficiency
Analyzing information to identify trends and changes
Working closely with external experts such as consultants and advisors
Leaders possess the ability to motivate workers and enable them to work together to accomplish common goals. There are many books written about leadership principles but no book could cover every aspect of leadership. Therefore, each individual needs to develop the best way to lead himself/herself. No matter whether you consider yourself a visionary or a tactical person, you'll find useful guidance here.
Successful managers are usually equipped with certain talents. Here are five basic qualifications of top performers:
Be willing to listen to differing opinions
Work hard at understanding customers' requirements first hand
Keep abreast of changing customer preferences
Know how to build rapport with potential buyers
Have patience and persistence
Take initiative and seek advice when necessary
Make timely decisions
Ask questions to clarify doubts
Set reasonable deadlines and communicate clearly
Think creatively and use innovative approaches
Get rid of obsolete items and maintain cleanliness
Give sincere compliments
Be prepared to admit errors
Be honest and fair in dealings with clients
Build trust with stakeholders
Be consistent regardless of whatever challenges come along the way
Learn from experience
Stay focused on the overall goal
Never lose sight of the big picture
There are several characteristics which distinguish great managers from average ones. According to Stephen R. Covey, author of '7 Habits Of Highly Effective People', they are listed below:
Self-control. This means having self-discipline. When faced with obstacles, you shouldn't give up easily. Great achievers stay calm under pressure. That's why they perform so well and overcome difficulties successfully. Otherwise, they might start panicking and act hastily. Success isn't achieved overnight. It takes years of practice.
Integrity. Honesty is considered integral to success. It helps you avoid being deceived by dishonest competitors. To be trusted, you must demonstrate integrity. Your words and deeds must match perfectly. People value honesty above all else. As Winston Churchill once said, "If you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas."
Empathy. Understand other people's feelings. Put yourself into their shoes. Considerate gestures show empathy. For example, you wouldn't like your colleague to interrupt you during a meeting just because she had something urgent to attend to. Likewise, you should treat your subordinates kindly. After all, they are doing jobs they enjoy and they appreciate it too. Treat them fairly and honestly.
Respectfulness. Show respect for others. Remember, you were once a subordinate. Don't forget that you started out with nothing and worked your way up. Others deserve the same kind of courtesy. Do unto others doesn't mean treating them unfairly. Rather, it calls upon us to be respectful of others.
Courage. Great leaders aren't afraid of risk. They take calculated risks instead of recklessly jumping into unknown waters. Without courage, no breakthroughs ever happen. You won't feel confident until you've conquered fear. Then you'll realize how much easier it is to go ahead despite hurdles, rather than waiting for obstacles to pass.
Commitment. Great achievers devote their entire lives to serving others. They commit themselves wholeheartedly to the task at hand. They accept full responsibility for the outcome. They believe that success depends largely on their efforts. Nothing happens unless you put forth your very best. So, it makes sense to prepare thoroughly and work smartly.
Focus. Concentrate totally on accomplishing specific goals. Avoid distractions. Stop daydreaming. Go back to basics. Concentrate only on what really matters. Once you decide on your course of action, stick to it! Decide what you want and focus on getting it.
Here are seven essential competencies required for leading organizations and guiding teams:
Knowledge of industry. Management deals precisely with facts. So, you need to keep updated with current affairs. Moreover, you have to know how the market functions and reacts. By knowing how things work, you'll be better positioned to deal with unexpected developments.
Communication Skills. Most businesses today depend heavily on marketing and sales activities. Hence, you need to master public speaking techniques. You must be able to create excitement among audiences. Besides, you have to persuade people to buy or join your product line. How often have you heard someone say, "He sold me!" Salespeople sell everyday. But how many of them are truly skilled communicators?
Teamwork. Today, companies increasingly rely on partnerships between various divisions, functional groups and branches. Accordingly, you need to foster cooperation within the group. You need to collaborate with peers to share expertise, reduce duplication of costs and increase output. Furthermore, you must encourage coordination among different levels of hierarchy. Also, you need to cooperate with outside entities to fulfill corporate missions.
Negotiation. Business deals involve compromise and negotiation. Sometimes, negotiations are unavoidable. Yet, poor negotiators leave money on the table. On the contrary, experienced executives can extract most favorable terms from vendors and partners alike. Thus, negotiating skill stands out as one of the crucial capabilities of successful businessmen.
Time Management. Every minute counts. If you waste valuable time, you miss opportunities to earn profits. Therefore, you must schedule your days carefully. You must maximize available resources by using multi-tasking abilities.
Financial Management. Many small firms face difficulty in handling cash flow cycles. You need to organize payment transactions properly. At the end of the month, accounts payable reports should ideally reflect actual balances. Similarly, fixed assets should remain liquid enough to meet operating demands. Accounting records should be readily accessible.
Organizational Planning. Strategic plans are developed over months or sometimes years. These plans dictate how your firm operates now and in future. The purpose of strategic planning is to determine directions and establish guidelines for operations. Such plans serve as blueprints for implementing operational projects and programs.
Risk Control. Uncertainties arise constantly. Therefore, it's imperative to plan for contingencies. You have to anticipate events that may affect the bottom line. While dealing with uncertainties, you should weigh pros and cons objectively. Also, you should devise contingency plans for adverse situations.
In conclusion, there are numerous books written on management principles. Each reader must choose the one he finds suitable. Since no single volume covers all aspects of management, readers should try to acquire practical knowledge from multiple sources. Following these points, however, will certainly equip anyone with sound managerial skills to survive these challenging financial times.
In order for you to know what is needed from you, there must first be an understanding about yourself. What do I mean by this statement? It means that if we wish to succeed at something new or different, it is imperative that we understand ourselves better before taking on such tasks. If one wishes to have success with any type of endeavor, then he/she should take time to discover themselves. How does one go about doing so? One way is through self-development courses. Self development programs will help individuals grow into more successful people and businesses as they learn skills that will enable them to become leaders. Some companies also offer these types of training sessions because they want their employees to improve their leadership abilities and overall competence within their organization. A key component of effective management includes having the right attitude. The right attitude involves knowing oneself and being able to recognize when things aren't going according to plan. This requires that managers constantly evaluate where problems occur and why they happen. Managers need to identify areas where improvement could be made while maintaining high levels of quality control. In addition, managers need to ensure that everyone understands his job responsibilities and has adequate resources to complete those duties effectively. Therefore, it's essential to develop a positive working environment where team members feel comfortable asking questions and expressing concerns without fear of retaliation. Here are some tips on managing employees successfully.
Knowledge - Knowledge allows us to make informed decisions. When making critical decision, knowledge helps us avoid mistakes and come up with creative ideas. Without proper information, chances are higher that our decisions may not lead us toward the best outcome. Learning is beneficial even after retirement since it keeps our minds sharp. Education doesn't end once college ends but continues throughout life as long as we keep learning. We don't stop learning just because we retire and begin spending our free time. There isn't anything wrong with getting older! But it is true that age brings wisdom. Wisdom comes with age. So never let anyone tell you that education stops when you graduate from college or get married. Once you've reached adulthood, educate yourself continuously. Learn new things every day, whether its reading books, listening to lectures online, attending seminars, or watching educational videos. Even though it may seem difficult to find time to read all the materials that interest you, remember that it won't take much longer than 30 minutes per week. You'll soon realize how easy it was to spend several hours each day digesting information that would otherwise require days and weeks to consume. For example, instead of wasting your precious leisure time playing video games or surfing the web aimlessly, use it constructively by educating yourself. Take advantage of technology tools like eBooks which allow you to download information quickly and easily. Another option is using audio CDs / MP3s that provide instant access to informative content. These devices can fit nicely onto your car stereo or mp3 player allowing you to listen to your favorite CD while driving.
Teamwork - Having the ability to work comfortably with others is very vital. Teamwork provides opportunities for brainstorming that result in innovative ideas. Your creativity benefits greatly from teamwork. Creativity cannot thrive alone. Collaboration stimulates innovation, improves productivity, and creates stronger relationships among co-workers. Although individual differences exist among team members, collaboration promotes open communication which fosters harmony among colleagues. By fostering cooperation and collaboration with other workers, teams can achieve greater results while reducing stress levels and increasing productivity. Effective teams share responsibility for the outcomes achieved. They work together towards mutual goals. As a leader, you need to establish clear expectations and objectives. Teams that focus on specific targets create short term wins rather than vague generalities. Short term wins motivate team members to continue improving. While striving toward a common goal, teams strive to achieve excellence. Excellence motivates team members to perform beyond expectation. The bottom line is that when you set clear direction and objectives, teams produce outstanding results.
Communication - Communication is the cornerstone of human interaction and relationship. Communication plays a major role in building trust between teammates. Trust builds credibility and loyalty. Lack of communication causes mistrust and suspicion which leads to resentment and frustration. To build strong interpersonal relations, communicate clearly with your coworkers. Find out what matters to them and give feedback accordingly. Listen attentively to your subordinates' suggestions and opinions. Communicate regularly with your staff. Make sure that you're accessible to your team members. Provide regular updates regarding projects in progress. Don't overload your team with too many details. Share only relevant information that impacts their daily activities. Keep them updated on events that impact corporate policies. Letting them know about changes early reduces possible confusion later on. Help them see connections between various pieces of information. Discuss future plans with them. Ask for their input and thoughts during meetings. Encourage healthy discussions during workplace conversations. Employees enjoy communicating openly with one another. However, try to minimize confrontations. Avoid arguments whenever possible. Be careful not to criticize or demean someone else's personality. Remember that no matter how smart you think you are, there are smarter ones out there.
The above mentioned points will surely enhance your capability to run a business efficiently. Successful businessmen always seek professional advice and counsel from experts who possess experience in running similar business ventures. Running a business calls for expert guidance that can benefit your business tremendously. Businesses often hire consultants to assist them in setting strategic directions and reaching their target market potentials. Consultants usually charge fees based on hourly rates or fixed prices depending on the nature of services provided. Consulting firms play crucial roles in helping organizations maximize profits and meet customer demands. Many consulting firms employ experienced personnel whose sole function is to advise clients on strategies available to them. Other firms simply provide assistance with marketing and product design, etc. Whatever the case maybe, consultancies often aid in developing efficient operations and streamlining processes. Moreover, entrepreneurs can leverage expertise of consultants to save money and improve profitability. With the advent of technological advancements, consultants now utilize modern software applications to store data and conduct research. Hence, small and medium sized enterprises can invest wisely in hiring competent professionals to serve them. Entrepreneurs should know exactly what they need to do to run their enterprise smoothly. Hiring talented people to handle certain task minimizes errors and enhances productivity. Outsourcing functions that involve highly technical aspects increases profit margins significantly. Small business owners should consider outsourcing if they lack sufficient capital to purchase equipment necessary to operate a business. Professionals usually specialize in providing unique services that may include financial planning, sales & marketing, finance, accounting, legal issues, IT support, website designing, graphic design, database programming, etc. Professional service providers generally maintain confidentiality and security standards required by law. They also guarantee client satisfaction and follow strict industry ethical guidelines.
Outsourced consultants usually charge reasonable fees for their services. Their charges vary widely depending upon the number of hours worked. Depending on your budget, choose a consultant that suits your needs and requirements. Before choosing a firm, find reviews posted by past customers. Customer testimonials prove useful in selecting reliable outsourcers. Choose a consultancy that offers competitive pricing along with exceptional services. Also check references and review previous works submitted by the firm. Lastly, ask around and search for reputable firms offering excellent services. After evaluating multiple options, select the best agency that satisfies your requirements. Look for agencies that uphold the highest standards of ethics and practice transparency in dealings. Use discretion and prudence when dealing with outside vendors. Always insist on thorough background checks prior to signing contracts.
Running a business requires great dedication and commitment. Being a manager or owner of a business entails significant responsibilities. Managing a large group of employees may prove challenging especially when faced with conflicting interests of the workforce. Management of conflicts and disagreements among employees is very important. Since we live in uncertain times, being prepared for crisis situations makes sense. Taking steps to prepare for emergencies gives employees peace of mind. Crisis management refers to the process of handling unexpected occurrences in an organizational context. Crisis response begins with defining a problem followed by identifying root causes. Next comes preparation, mitigation, and recovery phases. During the preparation phase, stakeholders determine alternatives and contingency plans. Mitigation efforts involve implementing measures designed to prevent further damage until emergency conditions subside. Recovery follows immediately after resolution of the crisis. Finally, post disaster evaluation assesses the effectiveness of crisis management procedures.
For any entrepreneur, running a successful business is not an easy task. It requires hard work, dedication, and lots of creativity. You need to stay focused on what's important for your company while avoiding distractions that may sabotage its success.
One way to minimize these obstacles is to become better at managing other people. With this skill set, anyone can run their own profitable business without going bankrupt or being replaced by someone else.
If you're wondering about how to effectively manage others so they'll perform as expected, keep reading! We will discuss four key areas where every manager needs help.
1) The ability to motivate your team
2) To lead them towards goals
3) To ensure that everyone works together harmoniously
4) To inspire employees through positive feedback
This list describes four basic skills needed to run any kind of organization. Knowing how to use each one properly will increase your chances of achieving all sorts of results. However, it's worth mentioning that there is no single "right" way to accomplish everything. Everyone has his/her unique personality traits, talents, and preferences. These should be taken into account when developing strategies.
Let's start with motivation. This is probably the most challenging aspect of becoming a leader. If you don't have enough energy left after completing all tasks, then you won't feel like motivating yourself either. But if you find joy in doing things even when exhausted, you'll soon get used to it. Here are some tips to help you achieve this goal:
Be open-minded and optimistic. Don't allow negative thoughts to cloud your judgment. Make sure you give your best shot regardless of whether you succeed or fail. Remember that having fun is more important than winning.
Have faith in yourself and believe in your ideas. Do whatever possible to make your ideas come true. Never lose hope and always try new approaches until something works out.
Focus on the result rather than the process itself. Focus only on your end goal and forget about failures along the way. Instead of worrying about making mistakes, think about why you want to take action in the first place. Think about what makes you happy instead of dwelling on the negatives.
Take care of your health. A tired body doesn't produce the right hormones necessary for productivity. Proper nutrition, restful sleep, physical exercise, meditation, etc., can improve many aspects of your life. So treat yourself just as you would your favorite employee.
Don't compare yourself to others. There is no point comparing yourself to those who already achieved great results—you can never live up to their standards anyway. Instead, focus on reaching higher goals and improving your weaknesses. Be proud of what you've accomplished so far.
Once you decide which direction to go, stick to it and avoid backtracking. Once you realize your vision, embrace it completely. Try not to second guess yourself because this might cause unnecessary delays and setbacks. Keep moving forward until you reach your destination.
The next step is leading your team members towards certain objectives. When you know exactly what you expect from them, you can assign clear roles to everyone involved, including yourself. Your job is to create a roadmap that shows your plan of attack for accomplishing specific goals within a given timeframe.
Here are some useful tips that could really boost your leadership capabilities:
Set clear expectations. Ask your colleagues to meet weekly with you to review progress reports. Set deadlines to track their achievements. Clarify rules and establish consequences for violating them. Stick to the schedule religiously.
Communicate clearly and frequently. Letting your teammates see what's happening helps them understand the importance of timely communication. They also appreciate knowing what steps are currently underway. Also, let them know about changes ahead.
Listen carefully to what your subordinates tell you. Their comments often contain valuable information. After hearing them out, ask questions to clarify details and gain deeper insight. Find ways to encourage constructive criticism and advice. This practice boosts teamwork and collaboration among coworkers.
Never criticize publicly. Criticism isn't effective unless it comes from a trusted source. Only share criticisms privately with individuals. Showing weakness in front of others leads to resentment and loss of respect.
Help team members solve problems independently. Encourage them to develop creative solutions that fit their personalities and styles. Allow them to explore various options and choose the solution that suits them best.
Lastly, we move onto ensuring that everyone performs their jobs efficiently. Managers must constantly monitor their teams' activities to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures. By doing this, workers feel appreciated and respected.
You can easily turn your attention to these crucial duties once you've completed planning meetings and strategic plans. Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind:
Learn about your field thoroughly before taking over. Know industry trends, competitors' products and services, target markets, and clientele demographics. This knowledge gives you power over decisions that affect your bottom line positively.
Know your limits. Understand what you can handle personally and professionally. Avoid trying to do too much and delegate responsibilities accordingly.
Keep records of past successes and challenges encountered during projects. Use this data to prevent future pitfalls and mistakes.
Examine potential threats early. Anticipate issues and address them immediately. For instance, if you suspect fraud or embezzlement, notify law enforcement officials immediately.
Stay informed about current events that directly impact your customers, clients, suppliers, staff, and finances. Read relevant news articles and follow social media accounts related to your field. Being prepared means staying vigilant against scams, market fluctuations, and legal regulations.
Finally, managers must inspire their teams to achieve greater heights. Motivation plays a vital role in keeping employees motivated and engaged in their work. Positive reinforcement goes hand in hand with providing guidance and support. And both factors influence their overall contribution and output.
To sum up, here are five essential elements that drive high-performance levels:
Trustworthiness: Always put the interests of your firm above anything else. Respect confidentiality agreements, comply with laws and regulations, and maintain proper accounting practices.
Openness to change: Accept ongoing improvements, adapt quickly to technological advances, and adopt innovative concepts. Learn about emerging technologies and implement them whenever feasible.
Teamwork: Work alongside your peers and strive to maximize efficiency and productivity. Take advantage of shared resources and leverage collective intelligence. Promote cooperation between departments and across different functions.
Commitment: Commit wholeheartedly and consistently apply oneself fully to the task at hand. Treat your position as a long-term career opportunity and aim for excellence. Put quality first and deliver consistent service to customers and partners.
Leadership abilities: Lead by example. Share your knowledge and expertise with confidence and authority. Inspire others to excel by encouraging competition and supporting growth.
Now that we've gone through several topics concerning essential managerial skills, you hopefully gained practical insights. Apply these tools wisely and watch your small business flourish.
We'd love to hear from you! What strategies do you rely upon to manage your small business? Please leave us your opinion using the comment section below.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.