Leading by Doing: How to Prioritize Action in Your Small Business Leadership Style

Action-driven leadership is a critical component for small business leaders looking to stay competitive in today's rapidly changing marketplace. By leading by doing, business owners can ensure their organization stays ahead of the competition, while also benefiting from increased productivity, efficiency, and trust among team members. Here is how entrepreneurs and small business owners can prioritize action in their leadership style.?

Why Taking Action Matters For Business Leaders?

Being able to take decisive action and make decisions quickly is essential for any leader who wants their organization to remain agile and innovative. Studies have shown that organizations with proactive decision-makers are 9% more likely to be successful than those without. Additionally, businesses with leaders who take action and make decisions quickly are more likely to experience higher levels of productivity, efficiency, and employee engagement than their peers.

The Benefits of Leading by Doing?

Leaders who prioritize taking action over analysis paralysis can expect to reap numerous rewards for their organization. Here are some of the key benefits that come from leading by doing:?

• Built-in Accountability: When leaders take action and make decisions quickly, it creates a sense of accountability among team members. This helps ensure that employees remain focused on delivering results in an efficient and timely manner. It also encourages them to be proactive in their work and take ownership of their tasks.?

• Increased Productivity and Efficiency: Leading by doing helps to eliminate wasted time and effort that comes from overthinking decisions. By taking action, leaders can make sure their teams are using their resources efficiently, which increases productivity and gets projects completed faster.?

• Improved Decision-Making Skills: Being able to make decisions quickly requires a certain level of confidence and expertise in the field. This helps develop problem solving skills among team members, while also inspiring them to take initiative and be creative in their approach to work.

• Enhanced Ability To Adapt To Change: By prioritizing action over analysis paralysis, leaders create an atmosphere of change readiness within their organization. This allows employees to quickly adapt when faced with unexpected or unpredictable changes in the marketplace.?

III. Real-World Examples of Leading by Doing?

Leading by doing is not just a theoretical concept — there are many real-world examples of entrepreneurs and small business owners who have implemented this approach to great success. Consider the following stories:?

• Mark Zuckerberg: The founder of Facebook is renowned for his fast decision making process, which he credits as one of the key drivers of success behind his company's meteoric rise. He has said that it's better to make quick decisions even if they're wrong, than to make no decision at all and miss out on opportunities in the market.?

• B. Jeff Bezos: As CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos is another example of an action-oriented leader. He is known for using data and analytics to make decisions quickly, often without consulting anyone else. His approach has allowed Amazon to rapidly expand into new markets, while continuing to be one of the most innovative companies in the world.?

• Richard Branson: The founder of Virgin Group takes a similar approach to decision-making as Zuckerberg and Bezos. In fact, he famously says that if you wait too long to make a move in business, there's a good chance someone else will beat you to it. By taking action quickly, Branson has been able to build one of the most successful conglomerates in history.?

Tips For Implementing Action-Driven Leadership?

Leading by doing may sound simple, but for many leaders it can be quite challenging to implement in practice. To get started, here are a few tips that can help:?

• Set Priorities and Stick to Them: Leaders need to determine the key priorities of their organization before they start taking any action. Once these have been identified, they should stay focused on these objectives and make sure that every decision is aligned with them.?

• Don't Overthink Decisions: While it's important to consider all angles when making decisions, it's also necessary to act quickly if you want to remain competitive in today's ever-changing business environment. Leaders should aim to weigh up the pros and cons of each option without overthinking or second-guessing themselves.?

• Encourage Others To Take Initiative: Leaders should create an environment where employees feel comfortable making decisions and taking action on their own. This helps to develop a culture of ownership within the organization and encourages everyone to take initiative when faced with challenges or opportunities.?

Leading by doing is an effective approach for motivating team members, increasing productivity, developing decision-making skills, and adapting to change in the marketplace. Real-world examples demonstrate that this can be a successful strategy for entrepreneurs and small business owners alike. With some guidance from the above tips, anyone can become an action-oriented leader and start driving results in their organization today.

Brad O’Hara

Cross Shield Strategies

Executive Coach