Don’t let poor leadership limit the success of your small business

As the head of your small business, you must learn how to lead.

By Sean Lockwood

An army without generals always fights an uphill battle. Companies that are not lead by capable and outstanding individuals face the same bitter odds. You could say that today the importance of business leadership has never been more apparent. Weak leaders cannot empower their organizations to get the operations off the ground, yet alone thrive in a competitive market. On the other hand, those who are on top of the game serve as gleaming beacons that cast light on the treacherous path ahead.

Leading the way

Together with the labor, capital, and hard assets, leadership has always constituted the core of any enterprise. In fact, it represents an overarching X factor, a catalyst that binds all the other elements together. There are different leadership styles that foster varying types of corporate culture, but some things never change. With the operational skills, strategic thinking, and managerial abilities, leaders are what holds companies back or propels them ahead of the curve.

Hence, depending on who heads a small business, leadership may either be a driving force behind the success or a major hurdle in its path. Without strong leadership, all other resources lie dormant or underused. After all, leaders serve a range of key functions. At the basic level of planning, they are responsible for formulating and communicating strategic decisions and moves. It is up to them to keep up to date with the developments that shape prospects of all businesses and pass on the acquired information.

Smooth operators

Furthermore, leaders play a decisive role when it comes to the execution of plans and strategies. They train employees to handle necessary tasks and give instructions, whether it is picking a domain name for the website or a channel to carry out the latest marketing campaign. At the same time, it is their obligation to monitor the performance across the board and keep everyone on the same page. This dimension also involves processes of rewarding individual and collective contributions and successfully motivating employees.

Likewise, what many people overlook is that delegation of tasks is an integral part of being a leader. You cannot achieve everything on your own, no matter how hard you try. For instance, you might have a general understanding of digital marketing, but do not know how to use advanced SEO tools and techniques to minimize bounce rates and maximize engagement. In case you are not versed in the field, it is preferable to invest your marketing department with a higher level of freedom, is it not?

Limits of control

This brings us to the point that leaders do not have to know it all. What they do have to realize, though, is that their own limitations and shortcomings can inhibit the growth of the whole company. This may include the act of surrendering some power for the sake of the collective. Sometimes, it is even prudent to delegate authority and nurture business champions that will have to rally the troops tomorrow. Assigning responsibility in this fashion is some next level managing that unfortunately remains out of grasp for numerous business owners.

Finally, some would-be leaders and top executives do more harm than good to their companies by failing to bring their leadership style in line with the needs of a good business culture. Just like any other employee, a leader should able to work hand in hand with others. Leaders provide guidance and give the whole organization a sense of purpose and directions. Whenever they are detached from reality, fail to connect with others emotionally, and nurture delusions of grandeur, they establish a pattern of steady, but inevitable decline.

One for all

In this day and age, not even the sky is the limit. Yet, many organizations remain stuck at the starting position or fall at the first hurdle due to lousy leadership. Namely, leaders, and the manpower they manage, have always been the glue that holds business organizations together. Without it, the whole organizational structure falls down like a house of cards. So, leaders must rise up to the challenge and harness the full power of resources at company’s disposal. They need to display the clarity of vision, sublime soft skills, as well as the courage to stand alone and the ability to play for the team.

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Sean Lockwood is a programmer with outstanding knowledge of special effects. He has years of experience in Internet business. With his free time he loves to spend with his dogs and traveling around the world. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mrseanlockwood.

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