Have you recently become a manager? Do you want to be successful at leading people? Have you found yourself frustrated? You are not alone! Too often we get into leadership because we are good at our jobs. Being good at your job has NOTHING to do with the skills needed to lead people who do the job! Here are four sure-fire skills to set your leadership skills soaring.
In the next 5-10 years the opportunity to lead others will increase significantly. Are you ready to step into leadership? Not only will business leaders be needed but community ones as well. AND entrepreneurs, must lead. Warrior-Preneurs understand the importance of leadership in all areas of their lives! Step up a lead!
1. Play Fair: Consistency with Performance and Personal Issues
What’s fair to one person isn’t fair to someone else. That’s why consistency is key when dealing with performance or personal issues at work. Creating consistent plans for these situations is your natural next step.
What’s with all these plans? Well, without them, you’ll be left to make individual judgments. And, no matter how fair you try to be, your decisions will likely be tainted by your preferences.
For example, say an employee is late several days in a row and doesn’t seem fully engaged in his project. But as it turns out, his beloved 10-year-old Border Collie died the weekend before. If he’s a top performer, you may decide to cut him some slack. If he hasn’t been meeting goals for some time, however, you may react strongly to his lax behavior and get tough once and for all.
Neither reaction is consistent or repeatable. Neither elevates you in the eyes of your staff, especially if you take a different turn in a similar, future situation.
Sit down and decide what you want to do in real-life situations that affect employees. If you encounter an unexpected situation for the first time, don’t react right away. Ask for time to think about your performance expectations and then create a plan for the future. If you run a community meeting how are you leading consistently? I set “policies” so my members see me as fair in how I select speakers, manage event time, and set a price. That means they show up.
Your consistent response and specific feedback will take you yet another step closer to becoming a truly outstanding leader.
Next post: Clarify Expectations!
If you act consistently, employees will know how to react to you. And that’s a big step towards earning their trust and loyalty.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
Often I meet people who have started a new business, or even bought into an MLM, or multi-level marketing brand, who think that the product is the brand. Not true. You are the brand.
Why would I choose you over others who do the same thing you do? Because you have a brand, – a very unique personality that “attracts” me to you.
Here are three simple actions you can take to help you define your brand:
#1
Take five minutes and write down as many one-word answers as possible that answer this question: Who am I?
Once you have completed this list, go back through it and cross off every word that defines a role – such as wife, mother, friend, teacher. The words that are left – most might be adjectives – are who you are and represent the cornerstone of your brand.
#2
Now write two sentences using your favorite adjectives to describe what you do.
For example, here are some words that I use to describe who I am:
Influential, Strategic, Successful
My resulting sentences:
Being influential and understanding strategies of influence have catapulted my business to the next level. I simplify these strategies of influence and buy-in so that women business owners who work with me can increase interest and generate more business than ever before.
#3
Think about how you use those powerful words in your tag, your web site, and more! This is who you are, not what you do!
Remember: branding is not advertising and it’s not marketing or PR. First you create your brand, and then you raise awareness of it.
Did you know? Ann does an advanced activity to this in her Networking and Sales bootcamp to improve your visibility and success! The At Home Study Kit coming soon!
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
On Wednesday 4/1 we covered the fist of 12 powerful questions to living as a Warrior-Preneur. Here are six more. Like last time rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. Challenge yourself to apply these mind-sets in your personal and professional life!
Do you enjoy sales? Let’s face it, you can’t be in business and be afraid of sales. So learning about sales and how to close business is important. You must also be comfortable with sales and enjoy doing it, because you love what you sell.
Are you influential? There are so many businesses doing just what you do for the customer to pick from out there. You have to have the personality and presence that will influence others to want to be a part of what you have, in person AND online.
Are you a connector? Highly successful entrepreneurs have a network of connections that they refer to all the time.
Are you results-oriented? Entrepreneurs need to have the ability to know what their goals are and how they are going to achieve them, and measure those successes so they can continue to move to the next level.
Do you understand the intrinsic motivational factors? Motivation is the key dynamic of how you attract people to your business and close sales; understanding and studying it will make you more successful.
Are you willing to expand by hiring help? Do you know the single biggest mistake that a person who thinks he or she is an entrepreneur makes? Thinking they can do it all. Your business cannot grow if you do not eventually get some help!
There are 12 things that will help you become more entrepreneurial in what you do. Evaluate where you are. See these traits in yourself and know that if you do these things well, your business will skyrocket.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
On Wednesday 4/1 we covered the fist of 12 powerful questions to living as a Warrior-Preneur. Here are six more. Like last time rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. Challenge yourself to apply these mind-sets in your personal and professional life!
Do you enjoy sales? Let’s face it, you can’t be in business and be afraid of sales. So learning about sales and how to close business is important. You must also be comfortable with sales and enjoy doing it, because you love what you sell.
Are you influential? There are so many businesses doing just what you do for the customer to pick from out there. You have to have the personality and presence that will influence others to want to be a part of what you have, in person AND online.
Are you a connector? Highly successful entrepreneurs have a network of connections that they refer to all the time.
Are you results-oriented? Entrepreneurs need to have the ability to know what their goals are and how they are going to achieve them, and measure those successes so they can continue to move to the next level.
Do you understand the intrinsic motivational factors? Motivation is the key dynamic of how you attract people to your business and close sales; understanding and studying it will make you more successful.
Are you willing to expand by hiring help? Do you know the single biggest mistake that a person who thinks he or she is an entrepreneur makes? Thinking they can do it all. Your business cannot grow if you do not eventually get some help!
There are 12 things that will help you become more entrepreneurial in what you do. Evaluate where you are. See these traits in yourself and know that if you do these things well, your business will skyrocket.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
