by Megan Brown, @thatgirlmegan
An effective leader can accomplish just about anything, but being a good leader isn't just about telling employees what to do and when to do it.
Being a good leader is about knowing how to connect with people, leading by example and spending just as much time listening as you do speaking. A friend of mine recently started her own restaurant, a difficult and risky undertaking, especially in our current economy. She's learned a lot already: what works and what doesn't, how to reach people and how not to, when to move forward and when to pause.
Most importantly, she's shared with me what she calls her "Recipe For Leadership".
1. SERVING
Though I'd often heard about the importance of leading by serving, or leading by example, I never knew how effective this strategy could be. A good leader has a strong vision of what he or she wants done, how to do it and what the outcome could be. Much of the problem with poor leadership is that many leaders are not able to transfer this vision to others. Leading by serving, by being an example of the end you want to achieve, helps others see your vision. In a restaurant, leading by serving could mean you wait tables to show your employees the best practices in action. In an office, leading by serving could mean that you work different jobs, take on small tasks and spend time engaging with employees on all levels. The best leaders know that they would be nothing without their best people, and that keeping them on board sometimes means going the extra mile.
2. RESPONSIBILITY
Being a leader means taking responsibility for pretty much everything, even circumstances that are outside of your control. Learning how to properly to deal with and take responsibility for people, situations, tasks and change, all without making excuses, teaches you how to manage the unpredictable while retaining your team’s confidence.
3. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Staying ahead of the game is essential for being a good leader. You have to know your industry or market, target audience, thought leaders, prior successes and definitely the failures. Every decision should be informed. From ordering office supplies to restaurant equipment or even taking on new clients, you're responsible for making sure you're taking steps in the right direction before you make any decisions. Be sure to spend time researching your market and developing strategies for the future, even if it seems laborious and time consuming when you have so many problems to solve that are already in front of you.
4. MANAGEMENT
Knowing how to properly manage your employees, clients or customers, resources, opportunities and money can make all the difference between success and failure. Take a firm stance when it comes to managing every aspect of your business. While you should definitely learn to delegate and rely on the help of others, you should also stay up to task on high-level management. If anything does go wrong, everyone will look to the leader for guidance and you'll need to be well versed in how to fix the problem.
Everyone remembers a good leader. With this recipe for leadership, you'll be ready to lead your own start-up to success.
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Megan Brown is a social media networker at Slingshot SEO. When not nerding out over startup culture & tech gadgets, she spends her time cycling, cheering on her favorite sports teams, & blogging. Check her out on twitter (@thatgirlmegan) or on her website: www.thatgirlmegan.com
