Building a successful business career is hard work. Even harder, though, is being a great leader. Anyone can come up with ideas but it takes a respectful, open, passionate person to lead a team to success. Keep reading for the top five traits that make a strong leader in the business world.
Never Stop Learning:
The best business leaders realize that they don’t know it all. Many of the world’s most successful people constantly read, watch the news, and find ways to better themselves. Take every opportunity to learn new things about your industry. This will help you stay ahead of the trends and in the mindset for coming up with amazing new ideas!
Winnipeg’s Thomas Haughton is one example of an executive who never stops learning. As Vice President of My Place Realty, he is regularly on the lookout for new ways to make his tenant’s lives better. By being open to new skills and knowledge, he works towards being his best self and enhancing the lives of his team members and clients.
Work Well With Others:
Strong executives know that no one is an island. Cultivating a team atmosphere is the key to a successful organization. Working with people and appreciating their strengths builds a much happier and more productive atmosphere than if you just bark orders at your team. Show respect to everyone from interns to clients.
Stay Passionate:
As a leader, you can’t just think of ideas and let other people carry them out. In order to keep your team and business on track, you have to stay true to your vision. Keep that fiery passion for your project that you had when you first thought of the idea. This will keep up momentum and inspire everyone you work with to feel the same way!
Be Transparent:
Sometimes business people can be seen as having their own agenda. Show them how wrong they are by adopting a culture of transparency in your organization. Whether you’re talking with business contacts or team members, be open and honest. People will appreciate you being “real” with them. Set an example for your team by owning up to your mistakes and celebrating your achievements.
Jason Fried, CEO and Co-founder of Basecamp, committed to transparency by implementing Customer Happiness Reports. These documents show how the company’s last 100 customer support users rated their interactions. Users get to see what kind of service to expect and employees find out where to improve.
Actively Listen:
Active listening goes hand-in-hand with open communication. As a leader, you have a lot of ideas and probably get bombarded with questions every day. However, it is important to also let others share their thoughts, opinions, and feelings. Even the most innovative person can benefit from a team who offers different angles during a brainstorm. Making people feel heard is a surefire way to make your business strong and your workplace happy.
There is no big secret to being a strong manager. Simply work on being a great person first! With passion, openness, and a willingness to learn, you are sure to have success as a business person and a team leader.
