Take a look at the most successful businesses around the world and leadership tops the list of the reasons why they are successful. And this applies to businesses of all sizes, including solopreneurs who are going at it alone. Whether you are responsible just for yourself or others, knowing what makes a great leader will serve you and the people that work for you well into the future. Paula Jenkins, founder and CEO of LFS Consulting, identifies the traits of good leadership and how you can achieve them. Who is the Best Kind of Leader? Jenkins says, “The best kind of leaders raise their hand and say, I need help. Let me just say that one more time. The best kind of leaders are the ones who raise their hands and say they need help.” And for some of us, it takes us a little bit longer to do that. And I think that’s really hard. But the moment you do and you start recognizing, wow, the help that comes is really helping me, that’s the game changer in your business. And it’s hard. How Does This Apply to Small Businesses? Shawn Hessinger: A lot of small business owners, and particularly solopreneurs may not think of themselves as leaders because they know their thing, they know their niche or whatever they’re getting into. So, I’m wondering, why is leadership important in small business? Like, why is it important for you to think about this initially? Paula Jenkins: Yeah, it’s a great question so often because we don’t think about it. We don’t understand the correlation between our success and how to sustain our business. And that’s where the leadership part comes in, is how you lead your business, how you lead the finances of your business, how you lead your social media. I think a lot of times we think of that leadership piece as a person. It’s a team, it’s a group, it’s an organization. The leadership piece is also just how you run the business, how you show up, how you lead your brand, and how you lead your product or your service. So that leadership piece is critical because you do want to make sure that you show up in a way that’s going to sustain your business and grow your business. Defining Leadership Shawn Hessinger: What would you say is a good definition of leadership? Paula Jenkins: Leadership is about influencing that’s what it’s about and whether that is guiding people or thoughts, whatever you want to call their actions, their behaviors. Leadership is truly about the influence that you have on someone, somebody, some team. That’s really what it comes down to. We could have lots of other words that we can add in, but at the end of the day, you are influencing somebody, period. And so, for me, leadership is influencing or guiding other people when it comes to their actions when it comes to their behaviors. That to me is leadership. What Does a Leader Look Like? Shawn Hessinger: When you think about leaders, maybe a lot of people have a vision in their head of what a leader is supposed to be like. When we talk about leadership there are different types and styles of leadership, aren’t there? Paula Jenkins: Yes, there are. I call myself a servant leader. That to me is who I am and how I show up. And it’s really important for me to show up as a servant leader when I am leading. It is not about me, it is about others. It’s about meeting people where they are. It is about really making sure that the work gets done. But it’s never about me, never has been about me. Then you also have other leaders where it may be very transactional, but it is about getting it done. And in some cases, you may need that. Figuring Out the Kind of Leader You Are Shawn Hessinger: I don’t know if it’s discovering the kind I am or if it’s deciding what I want to be. How do I go about doing that? I mean, how do I go about figuring out what kind of leader I am? Paula Jenkins: It will take time. I think it is the environment you are put in. I think it is the situation that you’re put in, the people that you are leaving and leading, the people that are surrounding you and what is needed. A lot of times what we don’t understand is depending upon the situation, the environment, and people’s personalities, you have to show up in a different way. And that doesn’t mean again, I’m always talking about it’s not about good, bad or indifferent. It is what is needed at the time. What are the Qualities of a Leader? Shawn Hessinger: You also see when you look up what are the elements of leadership, and people look at those lists and they say, gee, I don’t have those personality types, or I’m worried, I don’t have those personality types. But do we really know? What are some of the things that might indicate that you’re a good leader? Paula Jenkins: Well, here’s what I will tell you. For me, everything begins and ends with communication. So when I immediately think about leadership it is honestly we have to start with how we communicate. Now some of us are really great communicators, some of us have work to do and some of us are not as good. I recognize that. But communication is key. How we communicate with our teams, with our people, and with our investors, all that is important. That one to me is the most important element. But there are others. Yes, it’s how you care, it’s empathy. We have to be able to be empathetic. I’m also really big on emotional intelligence and understanding, our self-awareness and self-regulation, our motivation, all those types of things. But I will always say it absolutely starts with how we communicate. Biggest Takeaway Jenkins says, “I am really big on feedback and I think it’s really important to ask for it. I don’t shy away from it. I’ve said for years, probably decades, if you don’t tell me what I’m doing well I may not continue doing it, if you don’t tell me what I’m not doing so well, I might continue to do it.” So part of it is also understanding what’s working in the environment that you’re leaning, what’s working for the people that you’re leading. That is an important piece of leadership. And so how we find out who we are, we can ask. That’s not a bad thing. It’s not a bad thing. Source: https://smallbiztrends.com
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Do you need a college degree to become successful in business? 1. College isn't necessary, but it can teach useful skills "College isn't necessary for a successful future in terms of credentials and training. However, the real benefit comes from making industry connections and having a prestigious institution on your resume. College won't necessarily make you a more competent professional—that's almost entirely up to you. 2. The internet has brought education to the masse "I'm a college dropout and have become successful in programming. With the rise of the internet, college is no longer the only place to learn valuable life skills. You can follow courses from prestigious universities in places like Coursera. Not only are these courses free, but they're probably better than what you'd be getting at your local college. 3. A successful future requires education, not college "As an educator and community builder, I teach at several universities, where I add my experience and stories to the curriculum, hoping to encourage, inspire, and motivate my students. I've noticed that as students reach higher, discover related disciplines, and learn, they define and achieve short and long-term dreams of success. These successes build on one another, creating fulfilling futures. 4. College may not be necessary if you have high potential "While many folks will agree you should go to college for a better future, college is not necessary to succeed. We have many successful folks in our society who have dropped out or did not bother attending college. An example is Paul Allen, a college dropout who later became a billion-dollar NFL owner. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs also dropped out of college and ended up becoming successful business and media moguls. 5. Securing a trade is a fine choice "I work with teams and leaders, so I often hear from employees that a high school counselor steered them away from seeking a career in the trades. They were people smart and got good grades, so counselors assumed they were college material. And now they want to earn licenses in the trades with union protections and perhaps lead their own construction, plumbing, electric car, and wind generator repair companies as general contractors. Desk jobs ultimately bored them and were not life-affirming. These trades come with licenses and certifications that often serve people better than a four-year college generalist degree—and at perhaps a tenth of the cost or more." 6. College improves your earning potential and networking "I firmly believe that college is essential for a prosperous future. According to the APLU (Association of Public & Land Grant Universities), a college education improves a person's job prospects and earning potential. Bachelor's degree holders are half as likely as to be unemployed as high school diploma holders, and they earn $1.2 million more over their lifetime. 7. Employers view college as a wise investment "The chance to impact your community and boost professional stability and satisfaction are just two of the many benefits of attending college. It's also normal to find 'bachelor's degree required' or mentioned as a recommended qualification on job descriptions. According to the Association of American Colleges, employers value a college degree; 87% of employers polled said college was "definitely" or "probably" worth the investment of time and money. 8. Only certain career paths require a degree today "It's no secret there has been a significant shift in how higher education is viewed. When evaluating the ROI for college, prospective students must believe they will end up with a bigger salary or increased professional opportunities if they commit to attending and earning a degree. 9. College makes you competitive "Yes, college is important in a very competitive job market. A college degree significantly improves a candidate's chances of getting a job. Having a degree can mean the difference between a good paying and a bad paying job. And many employers now require a master’s degree for associate degree-level jobs. Having a college degree will give you an advantage in the job market over a candidate who does not have a degree." Source: https://www.allbusiness.com
When we "grow up" in the business world, we are taught the importance of hitting goals within a timeline: Close the sale this week! Call 25 new prospects! Get a yes today! And yet this is a very masculine approach to business. I'm not talking gender here, but rather energy. Masculine energy in the workplace looks like:
But as we see more of a spiritual approach to business, we are also seeing the feminine aspect come in, which often involves:
It's when we allow this feminine aspect in that we invite flow in. What is flow in business? When you try to force something, how often do you actually achieve what you wanted? Maybe you're trying to close a deal. The potential client hasn't given you an answer. So you call her. And email her. And tweet her. As a result, she never responds and you lose the sale. What might have happened if you just allowed things to take their natural course? Maybe she didn't respond because she was ill. Maybe she just takes longer to make a decision. In that case, you forcing the issue will not convince her to buy your product. Sales experts try to convince us that if you let a lead get cold, you'll never make the sale. That's a masculine point of view. Certainly, follow up. But then back off. Realize that you likely aren't the center of this potential customer's world, and by bugging them too much, you may lose the opportunity. Yes, it takes a shift to move from that assertive/aggressive approach to sales we've all been taught to simply sitting back and waiting, but in my mind, the latter is a better way to succeed in business. When things don't go according to plan If you have a business plan, I invite you to take it out and look at it. Depending on the last time you updated it, the goals you have in your plan may no longer align with where your business is. And that's okay. Businesses are living, breathing entities. They are meant to change and adapt to their surroundings (how many of us had to adapt because of the pandemic? Show of hands?). A business plan should be only a loose guide for where you want to take your business in the immediate future. It should be updated to reflect where you currently are. You might need to change your target audience, the products you offer, your price point, or your marketing plan. I've learned the hard way not to expect things to go according to plan. Clients abruptly end contracts. Project scopes shift and creep. Clients pay late. Rather than get bent out of shape that things aren't going the way you expected them to, just let go of expectations and go with the flow in business. To go with the flow, see the big picture When I used to lose a client, my mind would immediately go into panic mode, thinking about the loss of income. That no longer happens because time and again, I have seen that gap in income replaced by an even bigger client. It's often hard to see beyond the moment you're in, especially if you have no idea how the problem will be rectified. Just remember: this is temporary, and there's a reason for everything. You may have had a client leave to make room for an even bigger and better one a few months down the road. Just try to be present and know that good things are coming. An exercise for allowing the flow If you're Type A, the idea of going with the flow in business probably is stressing you out. You have trouble letting go of expectations. Let me ask you: what good does having those expectations do if they always fall short? Humor me by trying out this meditation and visualization. Get comfortable and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Envision a stream, with water flowing in one direction. Simply observe the water for a while. Now imagine the issue that is bothering you. If it's a demanding client, see that person. If it's a stack of unpaid bills, see the bills. Whatever the thing is, see it flowing down the stream away from you. Let it drift away. You might even snicker a little to see your demanding client flailing as he flows down the stream. Humor is healing. Now see something positive replacing that first stressful thing you sent away. See clients you love working with. See piles of money. This you can envision flowing toward you from upstream. See yourself standing in the water, accepting this gift. Feel gratitude for the gift. Take three more breaths. Open your eyes. You can do this visualization any time you feel blocked or stressed by a situation. You might even write down what you see so you can look back to see how you overcame those obstacles later. Source: https://www.allbusiness.com
There is a right way and a wrong way to solve a sales problem. Do it the right way, and you keep your customer; do it the wrong way, and you may not only lose a customer, but you might lose other business as well. Here is the best way to solve a sales problem and keep your customers. First, the wrong way to solve a sales problem If you're hoping that prospects or customers won't notice when there's a problem, or that you can ignore a problem, think again. The truth is that problems usually don't just go away. There’s a big difference between waiting for something good to come out of a situation and ignoring something bad that needs to be corrected. Also, responding slowly and without a sense of urgency to solve a serious problem can be just as bad as ignoring it. It's likely that customers will get angry when they realize you could have acted and solved their problem sooner. The right way to solve a sales problem Connect with your customer in the best way possible To solve a sales problem, you will want to contact your customer directly. The best ways to connect are by phone or face-to-face; the worst way is by email. Email presents many barriers to effective communication. Your email message could be misconstrued so that you come off as lacking empathy or cause a misunderstanding that leaves people thinking a problem is worse than it is. Meeting with your customer in person is one of your most effective options; however, a face-to-face meeting is not always realistic. Your next best option is to get on the phone. Over the phone, customers can hear your voice and tone, and you can use your listening skills to figure out how they are feeling or thinking. Louder volume or an increased speaking pace might be a sign of anger. A pause before answering could mean they are processing your message or not understanding what you’re saying. Make sure the person understands what you are saying; misunderstandings only make a sales problem more complex. Apologize and acknowledge the problem Offer an apology for mistakes, and in your apology state what you know to be the problem and include how it happened. Here’s an example: You sent a proposal with a quote to a prospect and you realize the quote is wrong. In your apology, explain to your prospect that you made a mistake because you failed to include some costs, and be as specific about what the additional costs are. Whatever you do, don’t blame someone else, even if that’s the case. You are responsible for the work you send to prospects and customers. You missed the error in the first place—you are now responsible. Come up with some options for what you can do to rectify the problem. You might decide to honor the original quote that you offered, but could ask if your prospect is willing to accept it for a shorter period of time. Consider all your options and then present the three (if you have more than three) best ones. Realize that a prospect or customer may still be unhappy with the options you offer and end the relationship—be prepared for the worst. However, I have found that many customers will accept mistakes if there’s a sincere apology and the alternatives are reasonable. Deal with your sales problems Malcolm Forbes once said, “If you have a job without aggravation then you don’t have a job.” In sales, you will have aggravation. The key is learning how to deal with sales problems, and keep your job and customers. Source: https://www.allbusiness.com
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