When looking at the players in any industry, there are usually a
handful of businesses that stand out ahead of the pack. So what exactly
goes into making some more successful than others? More often than not,
it comes down to the kind of leadership they have steering their
efforts. Being a strong small business owner is an elusive enterprise,
there is no one secret recipe to achieve. If there was a sure-fire way to be a dynamite small business leader, it would undoubtedly include the following 7 components:
1. They take care of themselves
Smart small business owners recognize that having a sharp mind
requires having a healthy body. Attention is paid to eating healthy and
making time for physical exercise. What lesser business owners might see
as overly indulgent behavior is seen by truly astute managers as
necessary maintenance of their most crucial tool: their brain.
2. They have lives outside their business
Spending too much time focused on any single interest will almost
always lead to hitting mental walls. Leading a balanced life – taking
time for interests outside of work – means exposing yourself to a
diverse range of mental stimuli (you never know what might trigger a
great idea), and giving your work brain the rest it needs to be focused.
3. They look forward
Being a great small business owner means being a great leader. Being a
great leader is all about being bold and forward thinking enough to go
beyond simply following proven business and market trends. The best
small business managers are pioneers, even in small ways, and always
keep their eyes open for new ways to accomplish things. This means
taking chances, but if anything is a critical part of running a small
business successfully, it’s a willingness to do just that.
4. They are organized
Sometimes having a head full of innovative business ideas can lead to
being a bit scattered. The difference between a smart person who
remains an ineffectual business owner and someone who takes command of
their industry falls on having an ability to not just have good ideas,
but to be organized enough to follow through with them. Keeping your
meetings, deadlines, and business plan on a highly organized schedule,
and sticking to it, will be what sets you apart from other small
businesses that fumble in disorganization.
5. They nurture relationships
When you’re overseeing the management of a company, it can be easy
enough to get caught up in the day-to-day work and forget to look up
from your desk. The importance of taking time to stay in touch and have
thoughtful, generous interactions with clients and professional
associates cannot be undervalued.
6. They make decisions
Small business owners have to be decisive. It’s simply not optional.
From daily operations to broad directional choices, your job is to lead
your company, which means waffling with indecision just will not work.
The ability to make decisions is directly related to your sense of
confidence, so if you find yourself not knowing which choice to make,
remind yourself that you are an expert at what you’re doing and trust
your gut. If the particular decision on the table involves a part of
your business that you aren’t a total expert about, deciding to consult someone more informed is still a valid decision.
7. They cut the fat
Proactive small business owners are constantly evaluating and
re-evaluating which parts of their company can be more streamlined,
including which vendors and suppliers could possibly be swapped out for
better sources and how work is divided. Knowing how your company’s time,
man power, and financial resources are distributed – and paying steady
attention to keeping that distribution as efficient as possible – is how
small business owners keep their company thriving ahead of the
competition.
Check out this article and others from Forbes online.
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