What Is Small Business Leadership? What is a Leader?
October 19, 2008
Lately, I've been having an ongoing discussion regarding leadership and leaders in business, and I've been somewhat taken aback by the many fallacies and misconceptions I've encountered. In fact, I've found inaccurate thinking regarding leadership to be so widespread amongst small business owners and managers that I am going to set the record straight for you once and for all.
From my perspective, your role as a small business leader is threefold:
- Identify and articulate a vision for your organization.
- Identify personnel with the skills and desire to develop the necessary plans and systems required to execute the vision.
- Maintain harmony and accountability amongst the working groups by providing inspiration, resources, coaching, training, lines of communication, reward systems, and whatever else is reasonably needed to keep the team happily moving forward and on track.
Far too many would-be leaders think that leadership means having their fingers in the minutest details of their organizations and doing the lion's share of the work — nothing could be further from the truth. After articulating the vision, selecting and supporting key personnel is the most important role of a leader, and that's because the vast majority of the work effort will be delegated to these personnel, thus freeing the leader to lead.
Looked at another way, leadership is a support function. The job of leadership is to get everybody on the same page and then to provide everyone whatever it is that they need to succeed. Again, leadership isn't about technical expertise and personal workload — it's about coordination , communication, and inspiration vis-a-vis the personell actually doing the work.
To be a good leader, don't think that you have to know it all and do it all yourself. Understand that it is your people who will actually get the work done and it will be your role to support them in what they do. To be a good leader, simply find good people who share your vision and give them what they need to succeed.
John Michailidis is a recognized business consultant, attorney, success coach, and author of the WealthLoopTM Series of books and training materials for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors. Please use the contact form to get in touch with him regarding personal coaching and business consulting. Download the FREE, 40-page, .pdf "Wealth Creation Manual."
