Becoming a Good Leader

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A small business owner is a leader.  He has to make decisions about his business and lead the business and the employees in the direction that he wants them to go.  Some people believe that good leaders are born so.  Others believe one must be molded into a good leader, while some believe it’s a little bit of both.

Whether you want to learn what it takes to be a good leader in preparation for opening your own business or you want to hone your leadership skills in order to improve your business’s success, the following key points can be very helpful.

Flexibility

As an entrepreneur and a leader, you must wear many hats.  Effective leaders will be able to adapt to all of these different, yet equally important roles.  “In any given business day, you might serve the role of creative business thinker trying to inspire employees to embrace your vision then morph into an industry sage role helping to advance not only your company but your entire industry,” wrote Patty Vogan, in “The Five Roles of a Great Leader.”

Honesty

“Honest leaders easily build trust and confidence. Their employees are more apt to work harder, ask questions and respect leaders who come across as honest,” wrote employee management expert, David Javitch.

Encouragement

As a leader, you must make the people whom you are leading feel that they are capable of reaching their goals.  However, it is not only important that they feel they are capable, it also important that they know you feel they are capable.  Here are some tips on creating an encouraging environment, offered by David Javitch.

• Ask people their opinions rather than telling them yours.
• Provide positive feedback when employees voice their opinions.
• Ask questions, even when you don’t know the answer.

More Info. on Leadership

101 Comon Sense Rules for Leaders

The Entrepreneur as Leader