Leadership Is the Lid On Your Business

“Leadership is always the problem and leadership is always the answer!” ~ Brian Houston

Many people seem to underestimate the importance of leadership skills to the success of their business.

A recent survey indicated that whereas most Australian businesspeople and managers had technical and some management training up to 70% had NEVER had any specific leadership training. Hence many businesses still fall into the trap of assuming that the best or longest serving ‘technician’ will make the best team leader.

Most small to medium size business owners say that among their biggest challenges are selecting, training and retaining quality staff? (A leadership issue!)

Other top challenges for business people include:

1. Self management of time and priorities
2. Dealing with the pressure to think clearly especially in regard to making tough decisions
3. Resolving conflict with key stake holders
4. Networking key relationships to grow influence and opportunities for sales and marketing

All leadership issues!

Leadership Is the Lid on your business! Every business!

The truth is that no matter how hard you work you will not significantly expand your influence and productivity, unless you are growing your leadership as well. You can work harder, but usually with frustratingly small results.

Leadership is all about you as leader – your vision, decision making, problem solving, courage to say ‘no’, character, people skills, perseverence, security, humility (openness to learn and grow) and integrity.

And, Leadership is all about your capacity to influence people – to connect, gather, envision, motivate, inspire, appreciate, lead, lift, train, grow, change and multiply people.

The McDonald brothers were successful Californian businessmen with a new concept for a fast food restaurant…but there was a serious lid on their business. They did very well with one restaurant. They tried but struggled with two. Ray Kroc came along and took their business concept to an amazing new level multiplied all over the world. His leadership did not have the same ‘Lid’ as theirs.

You as the leader are the Lid on your business or organisation!

What is your lid? Your people skills? Your insecurity? Your negativity when things get hard? Your anger with staff? Your fear of conflict? Your lack of clarity of vision? Your inconsistency?

Everything about Leadership can be learned and developed, whether you are a natural leader or not right now.

Some ways to grow your leadership and lift the Lid on your business:

1. Read as much leadership material as you can and apply one thing you learn each week.
2. Get yourself a leadership coach who can assist you to identify areas where you can grow
3. Mix with leaders you admire and learn who they really are and what they do
4. Realise you are not just a business person but also a leader. People around you are looking to you for leadership

I’m committed to seeing leaders grow and lift their level of leadership! I love to help release the potential of a leader or a team of people in a business environment.

Stay tuned…..

Next week:  It takes a leader to raise up other leaders!