As the owner of a small business, you’re a leader to your employees. You also impact your society and your economy in small ways that add up. As a small business leader, developing your leadership skills is necessary to motivate your employees and grow your business. There are several leadership traits that any business leader must have to drive success. Let’s explore some of the key traits that matter for small business owners.
Be Proactive
Small businesses often lack the resources of larger firms. For a business owner, this means there’s a need to be proactive and creative in dealing with business concerns.
Whether you want to grow your business by creating a blog or aim to build your social media strategy, you can be proactive by gathering information and taking action.
A proactive leader anticipates problems in advance. You can do this by forecasting seasonal changes and an increase or decrease in sales. Another way to be proactive is to train employees and document key company information in case of turnovers.
A good leader doesn’t wait for problems to crop up. They listen, gather information, and take action when issues do appear. This is especially useful in small businesses where minor problems can have larger negative outcomes.
Active Listening
Small businesses that don’t have large marketing spend can still make an impact on their customers. They can build relationships and offer customized products and experiences that big businesses may struggle with. A powerful way to connect with customers is through listening. As a business leader, you can become an active listener in the following ways.
Pay full attention: When you are dealing with a customer or even your own employee, remember to listen with your full attention. By paying close attention, you’ll receive information better and understand how to reach people.
Use open body language: An ‘open’ body language can help others feel more comfortable. You can have an open body language by facing people directly and keeping your arms or legs uncrossed. You can also maintain eye contact and nod to show you’re paying attention.
Don’t interrupt: when listening, the most you ought to do is say ‘I see’ or some other phrase that indicates you empathize. Avoid diving in and giving your own opinion. You won’t have all the information you need to make an informed response.
Another way to listen to customers to ask for surveys and feedback. You can use email marketing to ask customers to fill a survey form. This makes people feel heard and gives you valuable information you can use.
Share your Vision
Having a small business means that you have the opportunity to truly develop your business vision in your people. Create a powerful vision that talks about your over-arching business goals. Try to embody your company values in the way you run your business.
You can also share your vision with your customers. Today, a business’s values, mission, and vision matter to customers. People are more conscious about ethical activities and will support businesses that operate sustainably. Your vision will shape customers’ perception of your brand and make them identify with you.
One way to share your vision is to add it as a significant piece of content when you create your website. It’s will make people more aware of your vision, which can help your business stand out from the competition.
Lead Your Small Business to Success
These are three ways in which you can be an effective leader for your small business. Small businesses mean smaller resources. But it also means that there’s a great ability to be flexible and agile.
You can offer customized services and build a community around your brand. Create a membership platform that allows people to voice their ideas and suggestions. You can also use social media to interact with people and listen to them. When you connect with people, you can build strong relationships and a powerful brand community. You’ll also lead in your domain by creating a hub for discussions around your industry.
By using these ideas, you can develop your small business and get the best out of your people. Ensure that you keep developing your skills as a leader and you’ll guide your business through difficult times.