Local businesses are the backbone of America, and we need strong leaders now more than ever to help keep our businesses afloat. Uncertainty has filled the lives of millions with the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, as we begin to reopen, uncertainty continues to linger in the minds of many employees who are preparing to learn our country’s new “normal.”
Developing a solid mitigation plan to ensure the safety of your team is a top priority right now, but being a strong and supportive leader is equally as important. Whether you realize it or not, as a leader your day-to-day actions and attitude can set the tone for the rest of your business. During this period of change and adaptation, your team will be looking to you, the business owner, to help them navigate through the uncertainty.
Adopt the Qualities of Successful Leaders.
The goal for all business owners is to guide their team to success. Below are six qualities that can help you become an even better leader and help to build an even stronger team.
1. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
2. PROACTIVE
3. ANALYTICAL
4. MOTIVATIONAL
5. DELEGATE
6. TIME MANAGEMENT
Leaders effectively communicate. One of the most important aspects of any relationship is communication. As the leader, your team looks up to you for guidance and support. Having strong communication skills can help to ease a lot of worries that may be present in the workplace right now. Having clear communication between leadership and their respective teams can aid in a smooth transition back to normal working hours and can create even more trust within your team.
Leaders understand the importance of being proactive. Staying one step ahead can do a lot to increase the trust your employees have in you. Being proactive could mean a lot of things considering our world today – whether it be staying on top of changing legislation or communicating company mitigation plans – being transparent with all employees and clients builds an extra layer of trust. As our world continues to change, it is important as leaders to stay informed of this new information. This will allow you to appropriately handle the situation as well as ease the worries of employees or clients.
Leaders are analytical. As the leader of the company, you are tasked with finding solutions to various problems that arise. In essence, being analytical means, you are a problem solver. Finding the best possible solution for your business may involve research into viable options, being detailed oriented, as well as being able to understand things from different viewpoints. The ability to analyze and then make decisions for the betterment of your company will help you stand out as a leader and can also lead to your company reaching its goals quicker.
Leaders know how to motivate their team. Good days and bad days are bound to happen, but as a leader, you must be the encouragement and inspiration to your team through both of these times. By expressing positivity to your team, you reassure them that their work is important and continues to make a difference. This optimism can lead to increased teamwork and efficiency within your team, even when things may not be going as planned. By motivating your employees, you are refocusing them on the company’s goals and objectives
Leaders understand that they must delegate to be successful. It is important to understand that as a leader, you cannot do everything by yourself. By handing off tasks to others you are showcasing that you have trust that they will succeed in that task. This allows your employees to feel appreciated and gives them a feeling of importance. Additionally, it can free your time up and allow you to focus on new goals and objectives for the business as a whole.
Leaders know how to manage their time. Everyone knows the saying “time is money”, but as a business leader it couldn’t be truer! For a leader, free time can lead to more learning opportunities, it can lower your stress levels, and most importantly allow you to refocus on the success of your business. Try to find ways that help you manage your time and stay on track, whether it be creating a checklist, minimizing interruptions, or limiting multitasking. Being able to manage your tasks and stay organized allows everyone to accomplish more in a shorter period of time.
Improving Leadership
These six qualities are a glimpse of what many businesses need in a time that has brought so much uncertainty. As a leader, you have the ability to ease a lot of your employee’s stress and bring a sense of stability to your team. These are times where you can really stand out to your team and go above and beyond their expectation which will lead to more trust and productivity for your business down the line. Take time to reevaluate your company’s goals and how these six qualities could help push you even closer to meeting them.
Iowans Helping Iowans
Even the best leaders can benefit from outsourcing to a Professional Employer Organization. At Focus OneSource, we put the needs of our clients first. Our mission is to help local businesses increase productivity and profitability.
The Focus OneSource Advantage
Focus OneSource is Iowa’s premier Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Our dedicated team has been helping local growing businesses succeed for over a decade. As a PEO, we help business owners gain access to a rich suite of benefits at an attainable price point, manage and process payroll, and monitor compliance with human resource practices.
Business owners who have Focus OneSource working in their “back office” are statistically 50% less likely to fail and have 10 – 14% lower employee turnover.
Are you ready to increase the productivity and profitability of your business? Contact us today for a free quote of your business!
Head over to our Cost Savings Calculator to see your potential cost savings with Focus OneSource.
