Owning your own business comes with a medley of perks and advantages. Being in control is one of them. Nobody knows your business better than you do and that can give you a great deal of authority. It’s your responsibility to lead and motivate your team to continue developing your business. But if you’ve never been a leader before or aren’t practical in your approach, this can be challenging. Your staff won’t give you the respect you desire and accomplishing your future goals will seem impossible. To start being a better leader and to reinvigorate your workforce, use this guide.
Connect with your employees
The best business leaders are the ones who know their team inside out. This gives them valuable insight into each of their employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Which can then be used to their advantage as they can assign tasks more appropriately and keep each member of their team happy. This, in turn, boost productivity and motivation. So it’s wise to start building personal connections. Show an interest in their lives outside of work or find ways to make their job easier. Showing appreciation for their good work and being genuinely interested when they talk is also effective. The key is finding a balance between being a boss and a friend.
Encourage ideas
Instead of making business related decisions by yourself, get your employees involved in the process too. The saying ‘two heads are better than one’ strongly applies with this leadership method. Having an entire team involved in the ideas stage can bring unique ideas to light. It will also let your team know that you value their input rather than just dictating what needs to be done. Create opportunities where you and your staff can brainstorm ideas. You might want ideas on how to attract customers to your business or for your next marketing campaign. While not every suggestion will work, your staff will love the freedom to create and explore possibilities. It’s bound to fill them with an eagerness to develop their ideas and work further.
Ask for feedback
An employer should be regularly assessing their staff to make sure they are on track and happy with their work. But a good leader will also ask for feedback in return. Leading your own team is a continual learning process and can take time to master. Especially if you haven’t had experience with it in the past. Ask your staff to give you constructive feedback to pinpoint areas where you might need to develop. You can create an anonymous feedback form or suggestions box and leave it somewhere in your workplace. This can be an informative and eye-opening activity. Listen to their suggestions and make an effort to improve yourself. This will show your staff that you respect their thoughts and opinions.
Implement the methods in this guide and start becoming the leader you’ve always wanted to be. It might take some of your employees time to get used to the change you are introducing. Be consistent, firm and patient and it shouldn’t take long for them to adjust.
