You're leading a small business team. What qualities do you need to succeed?

You need to be confident about your decisions and make certain your people are that and know they are contributing to the overall success of the mission.

Leading a small business team requires a combination of qualities, including: Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence allows you to understand the needs and motivations of your team, fostering a supportive and productive work environment. Delegation skills: Effective delegation allows you to distribute tasks and responsibilities among your team, optimizing efficiency and fostering individual ownership and accountability.

Visionary insight is crucial for leading a small business team. It involves seeing beyond the day-to-day challenges and crafting a clear and innovative path for the future. As a leader, you must articulate a compelling vision that inspires and motivates your team to pursue long-term goals. A visionary leader doesn't just react to changes but anticipates trends and opportunities, positioning the business for growth and sustainability. This foresight allows your team to navigate uncertainty with confidence, knowing they are moving toward a larger purpose.

Vision is vital, but execution is king. A Harvard Business Review study reveals that 70% of strategic failures are due to poor execution. Empowering your team to turn vision into action in small businesses is crucial. Research in the Journal of Business Venturing confirms that leadership that fosters employee empowerment will significantly boost performance. Gallup's data shows that engaged employees lead to 147% higher earnings per share. So, leaders, paint the vision, then empower your team to make it real. Remember, your team is not just a part of the process; they are the key to turning your vision into action and making it a reality. #smallbusiness #leadership

This is key, even vital. Without communication everything falls apart, nothing is streamlined and people are unsure of what to do or who to follow. Communication goes both ways, up and down the chair. Make sure you are a part of that and are reliable.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of strong leadership. In a small business, clear and consistent communication ensures that every team member understands their role, responsibilities, and the company’s goals. It builds trust, fosters collaboration, and prevents misunderstandings. As a leader, you must be both a skilled listener and a clear communicator, creating an environment where ideas are shared openly and feedback is constructive. When communication flows seamlessly, it enhances teamwork and productivity, making it easier to adapt to challenges and pursue success together.

This is another big one. Don’t second guess yourself and don’t be wishy washy. Value input given to you and don’t be close minded. If it doesn’t work out, you keep attacking it and try to figure how and why it failed, get to the root cause analysis and address it. Regardless, be confident in your abilities and your decisions.

Decisive actions define a strong leader. In a small business, the ability to make swift, informed decisions is vital to maintaining momentum and driving progress. A leader must evaluate situations, weigh the risks and benefits, and take action with confidence, even when outcomes are uncertain. Indecision can paralyze a team, while clear and purposeful actions inspire trust and encourage forward movement. By being decisive, you show your team that you’re willing to lead from the front, making the tough calls necessary to seize opportunities and overcome obstacles.

Decisiveness is vital, but informed action is the cornerstone of small business success. A Journal of Small Business Management study found that decisive leadership significantly impacts firm performance, but overconfidence can lead to detrimental choices. Therefore, balancing intuition with data-driven analysis is crucial. McKinsey research shows that data-driven decision-making can increase productivity by up to 25%. Leaders must foster a culture of calculated risk-taking, where decisions are informed, agile, and adaptable to the ever-changing small business landscape. #smallbusiness #leadership #decisionmaking

Empathy isn't just a soft skill; it's a driving force behind high-performing teams. A study in the Harvard Business Review shows that empathetic leadership fosters employee engagement, which correlates with a 21% increase in profitability. Furthermore, research published in the Academy of Management Journal highlights that empathetic leaders are more effective at retaining top talent, reducing turnover costs, and improving team productivity. Cultivating an empathetic workplace where individuals feel heard, understood, and valued creates a positive environment and is a strategic advantage for building a resilient, high-performing team capable of navigating challenges and achieving collective success. #smallbusiness #leadership #empathy

Important qualities are my ability to listen and learn from my team, to be fully present and to respect all voices in the room. It may not be a democracy, and I may need to make decisions that not everyone will like but being willing to work as part of a team and to consider all input is an important aspect of leadership. In addition, it is extremely important that team members have the tools and resources they each need to be successful. They also need to feel as though they are appreciated and acknowledged for the value they bring.