Improving Your Business Leadership Skills

Great leadership skills lead to greater success

"The leader leads, and the boss drives" —Theodore Roosevelt. Those telling words describe the complex traits it takes to be a good leader. The goal is personifying your values so that you can lead through example. Motivating and guiding employees is your main job. And the journey never ends as you grow and learn.

Leadership qualities to nurture include:

1. Integrity
2. Understanding and compassion
3. Keeping your word
4. Harnessing your strengths
5. Accentuating the positive

Know the difference between managing and leading

Many managers and owners confuse the tasks of managing with leading. Leadership is more than implementing tactics, planning schedules and handing out assignments. Leadership includes inspiring team members, sharing a vision with employees and nurturing staff.

Determine your leadership aptitude

Not everyone is a born leader. However, even if leadership doesn't come naturally to you, it can be developed. To improve your leadership skills, you must be motivated to become an effective leader and you must make it a priority.

Uncover your convictions

Start by listing your values, beliefs and ethics. For more clarity, talk to customers and suppliers. Or tape record yourself during staff meetings to hear how you present yourself.

Create goals and timelines

See where you're willing to change your behavior. Set a do-able timeline with specific goals by starting at the end of your life and working backwards to today. Next, create an action plan that outlines where you want to be in a set number of years. Don't forget to include improving communication skills, the bedrock trait of great leaders.

Ask for input from employees

Note how your beliefs are woven into your company. See where they fit and where they're disconnected. Open the lines of communication by talking to employees, holding weekly staff meetings or holding recognition contests. The upshot: building a collaborative culture.

Seek assistance

Don't hesitate to hire a coach or mentor if you need ongoing support. Your coach can help you assess your skills and set achievable benchmarks. Leadership learning programs are another useful tool. Don't be afraid to go through the leadership goal-creating and achieving process several times. Include regular check-ins to assess how you're doing.

• Be receptive to critical self-assessment.
• Learn from successes and failures.
• Constantly work on your communication skills, which means improving listening and speaking acumen.
• Motivate others to see their own greatness, which energizes your company.

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