Help Your Team Succeed

Choose a management style that puts the team’s needs first. This can be empowering and developing for the employee and create a healthy collaborative work environment. Here are five traits of a business leader that represents this style.

1. Empathy: An excellent small business leader should empathize with their employees and understand their needs and concerns.
2. Listening skills: All leaders should have strong listening skills and be able to listen to their employees' ideas and feedback actively.
3. Commitment to employee development: A good leader should be committed to developing and helping employees reach their full potential.
4. Collaboration: Encourage collaboration and teamwork and create an environment where everyone's ideas and contributions are valued.
5. Vision: A good leader should have a clear vision for the company and be able to communicate it effectively to their employees.
6. Humility: A leader should be humble and willing to admit when they are wrong and learn from their mistakes.
7. Servant mindset: A good leader should have a servant mindset, putting the needs of their employees and customers first and prioritizing their well-being over their own.

By embodying these traits and principles, a leader can create a positive and productive work environment that empowers their employees and helps their small business to thrive. *

If I want to emulate these leadership traits, will I come across as a weak leader?

·????????Emulating the traits of this servant-style leadership model does not necessarily mean that you will come across as a weak leader. On the contrary, many successful leaders have embraced servant leadership principles and found that it has helped them build stronger teams and achieve better results.

·????????Servant-style leadership is based on the idea that a leader should prioritize the needs of their employees and empower them to reach their full potential. By doing so, a leader can create a more engaged and motivated workforce, leading to better performance and productivity.

·????????While some may view this approach as "soft" or "weak," it is essential to recognize that this style is not about being passive or acquiescent. Instead, it is about being proactive and taking action to support and develop your employees.

·????????By embracing these principles, you can build a solid and effective team capable of achieving great things. You can still be a strong and decisive leader while prioritizing the needs of your employees and creating a collaborative work environment.

Here are five examples of how a business leader can be strong and decisive while embodying an employee/customer-first style while making tough decisions:

A servant-style leader can make tough decisions that are in the best interest of their employees and the company, even if those decisions are difficult or unpopular. They can do so by involving employees in decision-making, providing clear communication and transparency, and offering support during transitions.

1. Providing direction: All leaders can provide clear direction and guidance to their employees, setting goals and expectations that align with the company's mission and vision. A better way to do so is by involving employees in the goal-setting process, providing regular feedback and coaching, and offering opportunities for professional development.
2. Holding employees accountable: Good leaders can hold employees responsible for their actions and behaviors while demonstrating empathy and understanding. They can do so by setting clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and offering support and resources to help employees improve.
3. Handling conflict: Handle conflicts within the workplace by using a collaborative and solution-focused approach. They can do so by actively listening to all parties involved, encouraging open and honest communication, and working with employees to find a mutually beneficial solution.
4. Taking responsibility: A servant-style leader can take responsibility for their actions and decisions while still prioritizing the needs of their employees. They can do so by admitting mistakes, apologizing when necessary, and working to make things right for all parties involved.

By embodying these principles, a business leader can be strong and decisive while demonstrating empathy, humility, and a commitment to their employees' well-being.

* Servant leadership is a model developed by Robert K. Greenleaf in the 1970s. Servant leaders display strong listening skills, empathy, self-awareness, and the desire to create a healthy work environment.