As a business owner, you wear a lot of hats. But your leadership role is probably one of the most important for your company. But what makes for a good leader?
There are thousands of books on the topic, but one of my favorites is ‘The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do’, by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller. Worth the read!
According to Blanchard and Miller, good leaders possess and continue to develop leadership skills. But great leaders consistently look for ways to SERVE their teams and organizations. In other words, great leaders are serving, not self-serving.
5 Ways Leaders Serve
S = See the Future
A compelling vision tells everyone who you are, where you are going and what core values drive the behavior of those in your company. Do your people know where you are headed and why?
E = Engage and Develop Others
While it starts with choosing the right people, you can accomplish great things when you allow them to fully participate. Developing others involves creating an expectation for learning and personal growth, providing development opportunities and mentoring your team.
R = Reinvent Continuously
How can we do things better, with fewer errors, faster or for less? Instill the desire for improvement into the people doing the day-to-day work.
V = Value Results and Relationships
This is not an either or option. Profit and financial strength is the reward for excellence in entrepreneurship. How much emphasis do you place on getting results? How much time do you invest with your team to make a difference in their lives? What do you do, on a consistent basis, to express appreciation for a job well done? Great leaders value both – and you should too.
E = Embody the Values
What core values are important to you and your company? As the leader, you must establish, articulate and enforce them. Embody the values in what you do – and integrate them into what your team does.
So what are some of the ways you can integrate the SERVE method into your small business – and be the leader you were meant to be?
More Ways to Grow Your Business
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