How To Build Trust When Guiding Workers

Employees who feel aimless in their roles may experience other emotions, too, ranging from apathy to stress. Often, they will need some measure of guidance to help them be grounded and purposeful.

Despite a race for talent being underway, securing the best person for a job is just the beginning of a long and fruitful journey. It is one thing to spot a potential employee’s potential and another to help them hone it while they are in the role. Their talent must lead to somewhere exciting, both for their sake and yours.

New employees will undoubtedly turn to senior staff for support. In providing it, you are helping workers feel a sense of momentum and purpose when developing their skillset. It can keep them satisfied professionally, help them feel seen and valued, and may help your firm’s turnover rates remain as low as possible.

Of course, great execution of these practices is required, not just good intentions. Here is how to build trust when you are trying to guide workers yourself.

Share Your Own Learning Experiences

Workers may be more willing to be guided by someone who actively broadens their own horizons and knowledge. A learning culture can be established if you’re willing to set an example.

Take a look at the Harvard Online short courses on offer. If you’re looking for a course that will enhance your skills in the modern workplace, then consider focusing on technology and trending topics such as cybersecurity. Take note of their offerings around Cybersecurity, ensuring you are prepared for the latest threats that could compromise your firm’s digital infrastructure. Students can access knowledge from within Harvard and beyond with these courses without radically overhauling their schedules.

You could talk about the positive experiences you have while exploring your passions and interests. What motivated and inspired you to enrol for an online course? How did you benefit? Have you opened up any further career and learning opportunities for yourself? Sharing the answers to these questions could invigorate and inspire your workforce.

There is also the case that extra learning, in any capacity, will make you someone worth listening to. It speaks volumes about the extent of your initiative and indicates that you are willing to set your ego aside and be guided by others. Your advice will be credible, and people will trust that you are guiding them from an informed position.

Establishing Mentoring Dynamics

The presence of a reliable mentor figure is always keenly felt. Even when the mentor is unavailable, the mentee can always ask themselves, ‘what would my mentor do?’ when trying to solve any problem. That influence and energy are instrumental in providing long-term guidance.

Questions can be asked at any time. Rapports can be built upon at a faster pace, too. Instead of feeling like they are heading to a mandatory meeting with a career advisor in high school, workers will enthusiastically schedule time with their mentor and get to know them both personally and professionally. A true meeting of minds can occur here.

External coaching services are useful for accessing alternate points of view and specialist knowledge. Mentors are still necessary, though, especially in an internal capacity, deepening the bond between workers. Newcomers can quickly be brought up to speed, learning how their specific workplace functions down to the details.

Research how to create a robust mentoring program and build something special. Ensure everybody involved has clear expectations and goals within it. You could also provide a mixture of one-on-one and group-based schemes too. Feedback with your employees to see what potential arrangements appeal to them most.

Stay True to a Schedule

Most employees will understand if their mentor figures get called away mid-conversation or need to reschedule their meeting. However, if a pattern starts to form, doubts may creep into their minds, and thoughts of superiors being unreliable may swirl.

Try to stay true to your commitments to guiding your employees. Schedule time with them, and use alerts and reminders on your technology to ensure that you address their questions on time. You should try to give your workers a healthy, uninterrupted window of your time.

Of course, this effort is about more than the quality of your guidance. Adhering to a clear schedule shows that you respect your employee’s time. It informs them that their career development is of true value to you and that other matters can wait while you address them. Guiding your employees will be a core part of the company culture and not some last-minute perk under these measures.

There may be times when pressing matters intrude on your meeting, and there’s no alternative but to reschedule. In those instances, being genuinely apologetic and promising to reschedule are important. Fulfill that promise, and you should still be able to build trust around the guidance you provide steadily.

Be Vulnerable

Many entrepreneurs are committed to developing a hardened persona. They may think it is important to act the part of a stoic leader rather than a real person with human concerns.

The guidance you provide may be much more digestible if delivered with empathy and thoughtfulness. Workers will relate to your feelings and trust your advice more if you can effortlessly put yourself in their shoes.

Sensitivity in business can be sorely needed, especially in an era where the pandemic is yet to go away fully. Guidance amounts to more than just bullet points in a staff handbook, and cold and calculating workplaces will always struggle to gain a foothold in nurturing their talent.

Try to develop your listening skills further. The old saying of ‘quality over quantity’ matters when it comes to guidance and the words you choose. Your workers need simple answers to complex problems, not an endless supply of inspirational speeches. By being vulnerable and taking your employees’ concerns to heart, you can more quickly and capably dissect their issues and provide a concise response that resonates with them.

Remember that trust is hard-earned. It is acquired most efficiently via overcoming adversity together and showcasing the extent of your loyalty. When workers feel like they can open up to you in a genuine capacity, trust in your guidance can be more keenly established.

Ask for Feedback

Offering guidance should not be a one-time gesture. It should be a process that is constantly refined.

Remember that asking for feedback is the key to success at every business level. Try to apply that frame of thought after you have offered guidance. Whether you have offered an informal piece of advice or contributed as part of a mentorship program, ask some follow-up questions. They can range from.

Asking the employee if your advice helped much.
Reflecting together on how much progress they’re making toward long-term goals.
Examining whether they’re receiving a suitable amount of guidance for their needs.
Inviting them to schedule a meeting where they can discuss notes in-depth.

The answers to these questions could always change over time. Moreover, it is also worth considering that you may need to tweak your approach from employee to employee. Many things about guiding employees are somewhat relative, so keep that in mind.

Showing that you are open to feedback highlights your commitment to being a guiding figure. So long as you act on the responses, you can significantly enhance the quality of support you provide to others.

Learning and mentoring are some of the best ways to establish trust in your guidance, and so too is being organized, vulnerable, and receptive to feedback.

5 Ways Business Owners Can Celebrate Small Business Week

5 Ways Business Owners Can Celebrate Small Business Week in 2023

This year, Small Business Week takes place on May 2nd to May 8th. Small Business Week (SBW) is a time to recognize the importance of small business owners and entrepreneurs and their contributions to society. In the United States, the majority of Americans’ livelihoods can be attributed to small businesses, either through owning one or working for one.

Due to the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, it’s important to take some time to celebrate your efforts as a small business owner and the adversity you have overcome. As we move into a post-pandemic landscape, it can be helpful to use SBW as an opportunity to reflect on the past year while also planning ahead. Here are a few ways that you can celebrate SBW this May.

1. Foster relationships

One of the most important considerations as a small business owner is the relationships you have. While it’s always critical to have a good relationship with your customers, remember to also foster relationships with your employees and business connections. Making a point to acknowledge those that assist with your day-to-day business operations can set you apart and depict that you’re willing to put the extra effort in to show your appreciation.

Connect with your customers during SBW:

Finding ways to continuously connect with your customers can help your organization’s overall growth. Don’t be afraid to reach out to previous clients to ask for feedback or see if there are ways to improve their overall experience. Furthermore, brainstorming ways to say, “thank you” during SBW can give you the opportunity to bring back customers and promote retention. This can either be done by providing a special discount or promotion, featuring customer stories on your social media channels or even sending out “thank you” emails.

With your employees:

While your customers are certainly key to maintaining your business, remember to also keep in mind the importance of your employees in your overall structure. SBW is a time to celebrate your accomplishments but also to acknowledge the work that your employees put in. When your employees know they are valued, they will continue to put forth effort, which in turn promotes the overall success of your business. Consider handwritten notes, publicly acknowledging their talents and contributions, or catering a breakfast or lunch as a way to nurture these important relationships.

With your connections:

Another important element in maintaining a successful business is having connections outside of your day-to-day relationships. The pandemic put a halt on public gatherings, making networking extremely difficult. You may have some connections that you haven’t spoken to in over a year. Use SBW as an opportunity to reach back out to them and spark up conversation in a relationship that may have fizzled out. This is also a great opportunity to network with new connections and get your name out.

2. Further your education during SBW

As a small business owner, you are probably aware of the importance of evolving. Depending on your industry, keeping ahead of the competition could be imperative to maintaining a successful business model. One way to do this is to find ways to further your education, whether this is in a structured or unstructured environment. There are many ways to do this, such as industry specific extended learning opportunities or finding a business coach. Implementing feedback and expanding your knowledge are two vital components in growing your business. This SBW, you can even start small by taking some time to read motivational, business-specific literature to build momentum.

3. Evaluate safeguards

After this past year of uncertainty, it is evident that you can never be too prepared. As a small business owner, you are most likely the fundamental person responsible for keeping your business afloat. While this notion may come with a significant amount of pressure, remember that there are ways to protect both yourself and your business. This is why it’s important to regularly revisit both your personal and business finances and ensure that you have adequate safeguards in place.

For example, one consideration that gets overlooked is ensuring you have enough life insurance coverage set up. Even though a life insurance policy is an added cost to your bottom line, remember that this is an essential coverage to have, particularly if you have dependents who rely on your business income to meet current obligations. Furthermore, if you used any family assets to financially secure a portion of your business, having this safeguard in place protects your family from paying these debts off if you were to pass away.

4. Revisit goals

As a small business owner, you may have set both personal and business goals along the way. When you are faced with adversity and substantial change, sometimes these goals can get put on the back burner. Use SBW as an opportunity to revisit goals you may have set and find ways to work towards achieving them. Furthermore, if you have had to adjust your strategy, try setting new business goals and initiatives. Continue to reflect and ask the right questions to promote growth and hone-in on your long-term plans.

5. Prioritize self-care

While being a business owner comes with freedom and flexibility, there is also a great deal of responsibility involved. Not only are you responsible for both your personal and business success, but you are also responsible for employees and their livelihoods as you grow. This can lead to an insurmountable amount of stress overtime, especially during times of uncertainty. Recognizing all that you are taking on and allowing time to reflect and decompress is important for your mental well-being and decision making. This can be difficult to do, especially when you are wearing many hats, but use SBW as a chance to practice self-care as a business owner. Whether this is taking a vacation, treating yourself to a nice dinner, splurging on an item you’ve had your eyes on, or going on a short day trip, making time for yourself can be the difference between feeling motivated rather than experiencing burnout.

If you experienced adversity and hardship in 2020 as a small business owner, use SBW 2023 as an opportunity to reflect and re-engage. Remember that the success of your business starts with you so finding ways to celebrate your accomplishments and hard work along the way is vital in building momentum as we move into a post-pandemic landscape. With planning, preparation and goal setting, you can set yourself up for success in the months (and years) ahead.

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7 Qualities The Ideal Entrepreneur Must Have

7 Qualities The Ideal Entrepreneur Must Have For Their Small Business

Becoming an ideal entrepreneur is something that every business owner aspires to. Small businesses are taking charge of the business market like never before, and it is considered the backbone of the world’s economy. Technological advancements and people’s necessity are the key factors why small business is uplifting and more people choose entrepreneurship as their career. Today, we will discuss some of the qualities that every entrepreneur should have to run their small business.

An ideal entrepreneur is a person that must have multiple abilities and qualities because entrepreneurship is a very dynamic career. It is a very demanding career, and one should have the proper attributes and qualities to withstand. Although, it is something that has a lot of scopes and is one of the exciting careers to move forward with.

There are lot of scope and opportunities in this advanced tech world, and those aspiring entrepreneurs can grab and establish their small businesses. According to The Hill, there are more than 500 million entrepreneurs in the entire world.

Small businesses have more scope to succeed these days as they are profitable, and an ideal entrepreneur always comes up with profitable ideas to start their business. There is no harm in starting your venture as a small business because even the biggest MNCs today started with the smallest of investments.

What Is The Role Of An Ideal Entrepreneur?

The role of an entrepreneur is diversified, especially when you are setting up your small business. Sometimes, an entrepreneur starts running the business with no staff and employs due to lack of resources for having dedicated staff for running business initially. The ideal entrepreneur’s role is to make sure the venture you are running has resources and fulfills the business’s demand.

Running a small business is a very demanding job, and an entrepreneur is responsible for handling the etiquettes of business from planning to execution to creating opportunities and ensuring success. These are the duties that an entrepreneur needs to do for their business.

Qualities Of An Ideal Entrepreneur

Inventiveness

The small business entrepreneur needs to create innovative ideas, especially for their marketing, as they don’t always have enough budgets. Inventive ideas like video marketing and creating video content with creativity are something that quality entrepreneurs can generate.

Every small business has unique marketing needs, and referring to the source from Elluminati Inc on how to create innovative videos for small businesses. It is possible to learn the kind of innovative ideas that entrepreneurs need to generate.

Passion

Passion forces you to become an entrepreneur, but you will lack some passion if others have forced you to be an entrepreneur. Earlier, we discussed that being an ideal entrepreneur is a very demanding job. If you have passion for your small business, you will start fulfilling the demand without getting tired or exhausted because it is your passion. Hence, this is the reason this quality is required to be a successful entrepreneur.

Self-Motivated

Self-motivation is an essential quality that an entrepreneur should have these days because there will be times when you need the motivation to continue and move forward. Business can have ups and downs, and entrepreneurs can have self-motivation and move ahead rather than get demotivated, which can end up losing interest. The biggest source of motivation is inside you, and hence, you need to find what gives you energy for being self-motivated.

Persistence

An ideal entrepreneur has a quality to persist in the worst of situations and move forward is always tested when running a small business. The complexity in business is very common, and there will be times when you lack resources and are not able to find the resources to fill the gap. There can be a lack of revenues, and you don’t know how to find capital. The increase in the composition is also one of the factors where persistence is important.

Adaptability

Adaptability is the quality that all of us require universally because change is constant, and you need to adapt to the change as time moves forward. The same philosophy goes for entrepreneurs running their ventures. As all the controlling factors are not in our hands, there are dependencies on the exterior market conditions for the small businesses.

The market dynamics keep on fluctuating, and an ideal entrepreneur with the quality to be adaptable will always find a way to succeed in the fluctuating market.

Decision-Making

Decision-making is a skill that is very important because, as an entrepreneur, there will be stages when you need to make decisions. Those are important decisions because the entire business model is dependent on these decisions.

Whether it is a decision for technology adoption or preparing the business plan, or introducing new products, these are the decisions that need to be taken. Also, there are many more situations where an entrepreneur needs to know how to take the right actions by proper decision making.

Social Skills

Social skills are something that will help you to be one of the active players in the market. Remaining behind closed doors never helps any entrepreneur, and you cannot get that reputation and recognition in the market. Social skills will allow you to share your knowledge and can make strong connections in the business market.

The helping-hand nature of an ideal entrepreneur will always create a good impression. Entrepreneurs that are always keen on sharing knowledge with aspiring entrepreneurs and guiding them have good social recognition. Hence, social skills are very important these days for creating a good impression and reputation for an entrepreneur.

Key Intakes

Entrepreneurship is something that most people feel is a cakewalk, but it is not true. The above qualities you have gone through might have given you the idea how demanding and dynamic the entrepreneurship career is. If you go through all the qualities of an ideal entrepreneur, you will get one thing in common: growth.

The entrepreneurs that keep growing and hustling will never fail. Some of the qualities like punctuality and resilience are also very important, and that is something entrepreneurs always have. The qualities mentioned herewith are very important for small business entrepreneurs.

Final Words

Entrepreneurs are the ones who are always keen on creating new opportunities, and to create those opportunities, they must have some qualities and skills to hustle. More importantly, they do not need to care about themselves only, and as an entrepreneur, many people will depend on you, and you need to take care of them.

An entrepreneur needs to be active and understanding in all aspects viz. socially, professionally, emotionally, personally. Hence, maintaining a healthy balance in all aspects requires good qualities in an entrepreneur. Small business entrepreneurs need to be constantly active and must have a growing and competitive attitude. Thus, adapt and improve to grow further and scale your business to newer heights.

Author bio: Deep Moteria

Deep is a serial entrepreneur and blogger who wishes to support the ground transportation industries with his writings. He covers up all the known and unknown facts around the industry and puts it together to create trending articles across different websites. He also includes details on the latest trends, fun facts, business expectations, strategies, and models to follow to achieve success in the transportation sector.

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All You Need to Know About Leadership Coaching

What is Leadership Coaching

Leadership coaching is a communication style that focuses on helping leaders to develop their personal and professional skills and abilities. It provides people with the knowledge, tools, and techniques they need to create a powerful vision for themselves and their organization, make decisions that will help them achieve this vision, motivate others, maximize their potential, and improve relations with co-workers and clients/customers.

This is based on the premise that if leaders have enough knowledge, skill and confidence, they will always make good decisions for their organization. It aims to provide them with the tools necessary to achieve this.

Leadership coaching can help manage one’s emotions and time and eliminate fears that interfere with decision-making abilities and effective performance at work.

The goal of leadership coaching is not to transform a leader into an expert or give them all the answers, but rather to equip them with skills such as self-knowledge, self-development, leadership technique etc., so that they may become more successful personally and professionally. The facilitator helps the client by providing them with the necessary information and tools that will help them make better decisions.

Leadership coaching can be done in an individual setting or a group situation, depending on the number of people who require guidance. One-on-one leadership coaching styles are generally best for beginners, while advanced learners may prefer group workshops to share their experiences with others. The facilitator should have enough knowledge about each participant to advise them better accordingly.

Participants should understand that this form of counseling requires time and commitment from all parties involved. It is meant to bring lasting results rather than short term fixes or quick solutions. However, suppose participants feel that they are not benefiting from it even after consistent effort. In that case, it may be advisable for them to move on to other leadership coaching styles or counseling.

The roles of leadership coaching

Leadership coaching is meant to help individuals develop and improve their professional skills, thereby allowing them to fulfill their potential as leaders. This, in turn, contributes to organizational success, stability and growth.

Coaches are well placed to support the leadership of an organization since they do not have vested interests (they do not report directly to the top management) or other conflicting duties that may interfere with their advice. This means that coaches can be more objective when it comes to making decisions on what is best for the company rather than just parroting instructions from superiors.

Leadership coaching process

The process of training through this method involves identifying those areas most important for ensuring a positive impact on the organization’s performance then trying out new ways of performing. The facilitator will ask questions, give feedback and suggestions for improvement, challenge the participants’ beliefs and assumptions, and help them work through their emotional responses when they face a difficult situation or make mistakes.

Using different leadership coaching styles, coaches focus on helping leaders explore various facets of business practices, including developing and testing alternative approaches to meet performance requirements. In this way, coaching helps people discover creative solutions for dealing with problems that arise in their professional lives.

When selecting potential coaches, one must look for those who understand what leadership really means and how it can be demonstrated within an organization. It is also necessary to ensure that such individuals have had relevant experience in dealing with other leaders to advise the client/s better.

It is advisable that the person who assumes this role (coach) should have good interpersonal skills, have different leadership coaching styles, be able to communicate effectively and possess adequate knowledge of leadership principles. If they are also trained in behavioral analysis/psychology, then it will help them better relate to their participants and provide more constructive feedback.

Benefits of Leadership coaching

Different leadership coaching styles offers great methods for people who want to gain self-awareness and improve their interpersonal skills. It enables an individual to develop the confidence needed for leading others towards achieving organizational goals while at the same time focusing on personal issues that may hinder performance or cause conflicts within the team. It also allows leaders in training to get their feet wet by making mistakes before they are faced with major challenges and have to deal with real-life situations.

The process of leadership coaching involves:

1) identifying those elements most important in ensuring positive outcomes

2) developing new ways of performing

3) challenging existing beliefs and assumptions

4) providing assistance through feedback, suggestions, advice etc., when necessary 5) helping participants work through emotional responses

6.) discovering creative solutions for dealing with problems and

7) providing support in discovering how to balance the various demands that come with leadership responsibilities.

Let’s go into the details one after the other.

1) Identifying those elements most important in ensuring positive outcomes:

It is important that the leader in training first and foremost identifies what needs to be done so that success can be achieved. This means having a clear picture of what performance might look like, identifying those essential skills that should characterize effective leadership, and taking note of key success factors for the organization. The most significant question an aspiring leader must ask themselves before beginning their journey towards acquiring new skills and traits is: “What are my strengths?” then, “How can I capitalize on them?”. It will also help if they identify their weaknesses or areas in need of improvement; this way, not only do they have a reference point but also targets to work towards achieving.

2) Developing new ways of performing:

Having a clear understanding of the skills and behaviors needed to succeed in your field is an essential step towards helping you develop new techniques. As an aspiring leader, you need not reinvent the wheel to improve; instead, begin by observing people who are already successful leaders in their chosen careers. To do this effectively, reflect on what it was that contributed most to their success. Then try incorporating these leadership skills into your personality so that you learn how they can be applied in real-life situations. This will help you become a more effective leader who can provide guidance to co-workers quickly and efficiently because they are confident that executing tasks using these methods will have positive outcomes for all involved.

3) Challenging existing beliefs and assumptions:

Aspiring leaders must feel comfortable admitting their weaknesses and understanding that identifying them is not the same as being weak. They should also take the time to understand what it takes to become a better leader to motivate themselves to achieve more. It is important that they are willing and able to do this since taking on the role of leadership requires one to acknowledge their flaws, learn from past mistakes while coming up with new ways of doing things so that results can be achieved faster and better than before.

4) Providing assistance through feedback, suggestions, advice etc.:

This step may need some background information about coaching, so here goes: leadership coaching involves giving useful instruction or criticism concerning a person’s performance or conduct. The process involves helping others to achieve their maximum competence in specific areas. In business, leadership coaching is becoming increasingly common since it helps individuals create a successful career by identifying and working on the skills, they need for them to achieve success with less stress and more enjoyment. Leadership coaching can be done through face-to-face meetings or via phone calls; it may also be part of an organized program such as those provided by management consultants or career counselors.

5) Helping participants work through emotional responses:

Approach leadership coaching from an empathic perspective and encourage the aspiring leader to do the same when dealing with other people’s emotions. One must be aware that everyone has feelings, and sometimes they have strong emotions about certain things that impact their performance, but not everybody is willing to share these feelings with other people. It is the responsibility of aspiring leaders to encourage them to feel free enough to openly discuss their emotional states so that issues can be resolved and prevent conflicts from arising between co-workers.

6.) Discovering creative solutions for dealing with problems:

It is the responsibility of aspiring leaders to understand that not every problem can be resolved by a straightforward solution; there are different leadership coaching styles and sometimes, creative approaches are necessary. To help people solve problems, they must be willing and able to come up with innovative ideas that will work for everyone involved. By encouraging and supporting people in this way, aspiring leaders create an environment where solutions can be found quickly because there is no time wasted on trying to find a single solution. Instead, participants will feel motivated to come up with multiple ideas to choose from different options, which seem most effective for solving the problem at hand.

7) Providing support in discovering how to balance the various demands that come with leadership responsibilities:

Without a doubt, the role of a leader comes with many responsibilities, including those that deal with subordinates. It is important for aspiring leaders to understand that they must be able to juggle multiple roles at once without compromising on the quality of their work or limiting their contribution in any way. Leaders should help others identify strategies that make it possible for them to fit all these demands into their daily routines while achieving better results than before.

Leadership coaching enables leaders to:

1.) Learn about their own strengths, weaknesses and preferred styles of performing

2.) Identify those areas which they may want to work on

3.) Practice new ways of getting things done

4.) Discover different approaches or strategies for handling organizational problems

5.) Improve decision-making skills

6.) Develop listening, negotiation and team development skills

7.) Become more objective when it comes to making decisions

8 ) Build strong interpersonal relationships

9 ) Focus on leading others rather than focusing on self

10) Help them find solutions for challenges arising in their professional lives

11) Handle pressure more effectively

12) Enhance one’s level of creativity

13) Open up avenues for continuous learning and

14.) Build a more positive self-image.

Leadership coaching is also useful in helping individuals to:

1.) Gain insight into communication patterns

2.) Analyze how they interact with others

3.) Identify areas of strengths and weaknesses

4.) Develop skills needed for building strong working relationships

5.) Improve decision-making process

6.) Work through any conflicts that may arise between members of the team

7.) Increase awareness about one’s preferred style of leading

8.) Enhance performance by managing stress effectively

9.) Become more effective listeners

10) Learn strategies for problem-solving,

11.) Communicate complex issues effectively

12) Persevere with challenging tasks without getting overwhelmed or frustrated when faced with problems or obstacles, and

13) Lead others towards achieving desired goals while at the same time being able to cope with any stressful situations that may arise.

Leadership coaching is ideal for business owners who want to improve their leadership skills and learn how they can use them to manage, motivate and inspire others within the organization. It also ensures that effective leaders are in place so that a company’s plans for growth can be achieved. And as more people are motivated at work, productivity levels will increase, which leads to better bottom-line results.

The process of leadership coaching will also help individuals gain self-awareness, develop interpersonal skills and become more creative, thus enabling them to respond effectively when faced with challenges or obstacles along the way such as downsizing, poor sales figures etc.

The effectiveness of the leadership coaching process depends on:

1.) The skills and techniques used by the coach who is also expected to maintain a professional relationship with their clients.

2.) Whether or not there are good rapport, open communication channels and trust between the coach and coachee.

3.) The maturity level of the individual and

4) The degree to which he is willing to make positive changes for him to achieve success.

Leadership coaching can bring about positive changes in the life of an individual. Great leadership coaching styles can empower leaders to find solutions to challenging problems and develop new leadership skills, thus enabling them to become more effective at work and achieve their desired goals.

Leadership coaching for small business owners

Using the coaching process, small business owners can feel more confident about their abilities to lead and motivate others. Using different leadership coaching styles, they can also negotiate difficult tasks effectively and successfully persevere with challenges that they encounter along the way. This gives them greater control over stress levels by helping them achieve balance in life.

How small business owners benefit from leadership coaching

1.) Improved self-image: Leadership coaching helps build a stronger sense of inner confidence among leaders. It ensures effective communication between employees, which in turn contributes towards strengthening group ties, thus concentrating on what is good for the company’s growth rather than internal conflicts and competition at work.

2.) Better decision-making ability: As a result of leadership coaching, small business owners make better decisions using facts and general knowledge rather than relying on personal feelings.

3.) Improved leadership coaching style: A leadership coaching session that helps small business owners to become assertive, more self-confident and competent leaders. They are also able to develop stronger interpersonal skills, which means they learn how to communicate effectively with others, thus enhancing the relationship between them and their overall level of productivity.

4.) Motivate employees: Through effective communication, individuals will find it easier to motivate and inspire their staff members at work. He can delegate responsibilities so that tasks can be performed without delays.

5.) Increased motivation levels: By developing a trusting relationship with employees, a leader motivates them by encouraging and supporting their efforts towards achieving common goals that align with the requirements of the business.

6.) Employee retention: Leaders who are open to receiving feedback from their staff learn how to improve their performance levels as well as develop new skills that result in increased productivity and an overall sense of solidarity among workers, which guarantees a harmonious work environment that encourages growth, success and creativity within each individual while working towards achieving organizational goals.

7.) Employment opportunities: Small business owners find it easier to attract potential employees because they earn a good reputation for being fair leaders with high standards who set the tone for everyone’s professional objectives.

What are the leadership coaching styles?

There are a number of different leadership coaching styles that can be used depending on your needs. While leadership coaching styles may vary, there are some common objectives that can be identified:

1.) Collaborative: This involves the coach working with you to find solutions and enhance your performance at work and in other areas, for example, raising children, etc. It is one of the best leadership coaching styles.

2.) Action-based: The focus here is on taking meaningful action when you feel stuck or unprepared.

3.) Gestalt: This is one of the leadership coaching styles that is effective when you feel overwhelmed by your emotions. It focuses on exploring your feelings and the origin of what caused them so that you can develop new perspectives while letting go of old ones which are no longer beneficial to you.

4.) Experiential: This is on the leadership coaching styles that encourages experimentation, taking risks and challenging yourself to go beyond your comfort zone.

5.) Co-active: This methodology uses various communication styles that enable you to elicit responses from the other person. It also encourages group discussions in order to meet your goals.

6.) Thematic Spiral: In this leadership coaching styles, you will be guided through a process that allows you to explore many different themes at once so that you can get to the heart of an issue more quickly while helping you to find solutions.

7.) Learning Styles: This involves exploring how effective leaders learn new skills and strategies. You are encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning and determine what kind of leadership behavior is most likely to help employees succeed towards achieving organizational goals.

What makes a good leadership coach?

A good leadership coach is someone who:

a) has experience in dealing with problems and resolving difficulties that people face on the job or in their personal lives;
b) knows how to get things done through others (for example, explaining what needs to be accomplished and then getting the individual committed to achieving it);
c) knows something about how people think and work (for example, knowing whether an employee is more creative and spontaneous or more systematic and detail-oriented).

The levels of leadership coaching

According to Haydn Shaw, author of ‘The Seven Levels of Leadership, seven levels of leadership must be mastered before one can be successful and effective as a leader.

Level one: This level involves working with employees to develop new skills and introduce them to the business mission, vision, and values they will use to make decisions at work.

Level two: Once an employee acquires their new skills, it is now time to identify their unique strengths and areas that require improvement; this provides opportunities for each individual to set personal goals that align with the requirements of the organization’s values while encouraging staff members who are excelling in their roles.

Level three: Managers with strong communication skills can inspire confidence among team members by creating an environment where learning can take place and sharing new ideas about how people approach problems together, whether independently or as a group.

Level four: This level of leadership involves building trust in the workplace by encouraging team members to take part in both planning and implementing goals that are important for the organization while also giving them the opportunity to make suggestions for improving their roles within the company’s mission, vision and values.

Level five: Managers at this stage work with team members who have been promoted because they possess strong leadership skills that can be used to help others attain success through cooperation, involvement and support, along with encouraging those employees who are excelling in their roles but may still need more direction from leadership coaches to achieve optimal personal results.

Level six: This is where leaders begin coaching team members who are new to their positions because they have both exceeded or underperformed expectations through either their own efforts or support from leadership coaches. This is where strategies and leadership coaching styles are used for providing clear and detailed instructions along with recommendations for how team members should best go about achieving the desired results.

Level seven: In order to be successful as a leader, you must possess strong coaching skills that will enable you to provide guidance in the areas of personal motivation, career planning and job search techniques. Learning different leadership coaching styles will help.

Conclusion.

The workplace environment is always changing, and as we enter the 21st century, organizations must be able to attract and retain qualified individuals who can effectively adapt to both their current roles along with future opportunities.

In business, leadership coaches help employees to develop their strengths while identifying areas where they will require additional assistance to be more successful using different leadership coaching styles. This coaching process provides each team member with an opportunity for personal growth and development in addition to improving morale among staff members by increasing motivation while maintaining high levels of performance, which will ultimately lead to achieving organizational goals consistently. Read this great article on leadership characteristics.

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Tips for Improving Employee Morale and Performance

Are you concerned about your employee morale? Tough economic times, coupled with pay cuts, downsizing, and layoffs have negatively affected employee morale and productivity. What should managers do?

With a slow recovery and an impending double-dip recession in some sectors of the economy, employee morale and performance are plummeting. Workers are increasingly dealing with difficult family and budget issues at home, and supervisors struggle to keep employees focused, happy and productive. Managers at all levels experience decreased employee performance, lack of focus, and sub-standard work products. The key to empowering any organization in these tough economic times is improved employee communication and appreciation.

Tips for Improving Employee Morale and Performance

Regular Email Appreciation Messages

Once a month, send a short email message to employees summarizing milestones and accomplishments. Include numbers and statistics of products sold, customers assisted, or other relevant metrics.

Regular All-staff Meetings

Hold division-wide meetings once a month with upper management and employees. Devote at least half of the time to an open forum, or question and answer session. Always begin the meeting with announcing the most recent accomplishment, award or employee recognition. If there are no notable organization or employee accomplishments to report, take the time to recognize an employee’s non-work-related achievements. Do not cancel the monthly meeting due to uncertainty about upcoming events. Employees need to be reassured during times of trouble that management is listening, even if the answers are unknown at the time.

Celebrate Employee Accomplishments Outside the Office

Encourage employees who have recently traveled or accomplished something of value outside the office to share their experiences in lunchtime brown bag meetings. Employees and managers who learn more about their coworkers’ personalities and accomplishments outside the office can do a better job of understanding and encouraging them in the work environment during stressful times.

Quarterly Potlucks

Hold four potlucks per year. This low-cost, team-building get-together keeps things light, encourages social interaction, and increases overall productivity. Rotate which units or sections bring the food, and have some breakfast potlucks, as well as lunch and dessert potlucks. Have a pie making contest or other fun theme, which employees help choose. Have managers cook dishes and staff guess who brought which item.

Hire a Professional Team Builder or Counselor

Know when your organization has reached its limit on in-house resources for employee communication and morale. Hire an outside professional to help lead team building or counseling sessions, if needed. Realize that not all employees will be equally motivated to participate, but if even a few employees have a positive experience, that positivity will spread throughout the organization.

Maintaining an organization’s consistency is critical to success in tough economic times. Employee morale is a huge factor in the organization’s performance and those who feel underappreciated, even in a bad economy, will be looking for other opportunities. Making employees feel appreciated requires regular celebrations of accomplishments in and out of the office, chances to interact between management and employees, and in some cases hiring a professional to help.

Reduce Employee Turnover

Employee retention is especially critical to businesses and organizations with limited training and hiring budgets. Some level of vacancy should be expected due to retirements and promotions within the organization. Learn what your organization can do to minimize the number of personnel that unexpectedly leave for outside opportunities.

Conduct Exit Interviews

When employees do leave the job for other opportunities, conduct an exit interview. What questions should you ask in an exit interview? Ask how long the employee had been wanting to make a career change. Find out if the employee was seeking things outside that could have been offered at the organization. Ask if the employee had been approached about a similar opportunity within the organization. Find out if the supervisor had conducted annual performance reviews and regular workload meetings.

Regularly Reward Employee Performance

Certain milestones should be celebrated with individual employees and groups as they occur. However, this should not take the place of regularly recognizing individual employees or teams with certificates of appreciation, lunch, or another type of reward. The reward serves several purposes beyond the obvious. It motivates other employees to perform, and creates a workplace culture where all employees feel valued. On the other hand, use tools to your advantage. Using digital signs, you can improve company culture increase productivity and morale This being said, feeling valued won’t prevent someone from taking a promotion elsewhere, but it will slow the rate of transfers into equivalent outside positions.

Motivate Employees with Challenging Projects

Do not hesitate to assign challenging projects to staff. However, do make sure to give adequate guidance to employees when delegating more difficult tasks. When staff feel adequately challenged, they are less likely to look for other opportunities.

Conduct 360 Degree Performance Appraisals

Evaluate the entire organization, including employees and supervising managers. Have employees participate in evaluating supervisors and encourage customers to submit evaluations of staff and management. You may be surprised at some of the things a 360-degree evaluation reveals, but the benefits are enormous. Not only will you have less people leaving the organization, you will have more customer satisfaction.

Conduct Regular Team Building Activities

Managing supervisors should conduct regular team building activities off-site or onsite. The important thing is everyone should be involved, and the activity should be relatively simple. Look for opportunities to play an athletic game or hire a consultant to lead the group through a formal team-building exercise. Make these events a regular part of the schedule, such as quarterly or seasonally.

The ideas outlined in this article are not new, but they are often overlooked in times of financial stress and limited staff resources. Calculate the cost of losing staff, hiring and training. Then evaluate the resources required to conduct exit interviews, reward performance, motivate, and team builds. Implement what makes sense for your type and size of organization. Start small and build slowly, and you’ll be retaining more employees in no time. Check out this article on engaging your employees.

About the author: Diane H. Wong is a search engine optimization specialist and business coach. Besides, she is a research paper writer DoMyWriting so she prefers to spend her spare time working out marketing strategies. In this case, she has an opportunity to share her experience with others and keep up with advancing technologies.

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How to Deal with Workplace Stress

How to Handle Workplace Stress

A silent killer is present in your workplace; his name is workplace stress. He shakes your concentration, depletes your energy, and shakes your confidence. Your colleagues whisper about him and the managers are in denial of his existence. Numerous scientific studies have linked stress to a wide range of physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, headaches, chest pain, stomach upset, and sleep issues. Not to forget the role it plays in mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

According to OSHA, stress is a hazard in the workplace. And it costs organizations an average of $190 billion in healthcare bills every year. This problem affects almost every industry in the world. More than 60 percent of adults have reported that work is among their biggest sources of stress. Researchers at Harvard and Stanford found that stressful jobs can lower life expectancy. The best way to manage stress is to keep it at a healthy level so that it doesn’t overwhelm you. And we are here to help you do that.

1. Prioritize and organize

One of the best ways to deal with stress in the workplace is by prioritizing and organizing it. Even if you are a disorganized person, planning will decrease your stress. When you are organized with your time, you’ll avoid rushing in the morning and putting in extra hours. You’ll avoid the negative effects of clutter and boost your efficiency at work. Here’s how you can do it:

Set clear goals: Before prioritizing, you have to set clear goals. You should clarify your goals and objectives with your manager. Ensure that your to-do list is filled with activities that support your big goals.
Prioritize: Prioritizing is all about using your goals to determine the importance of each task. Before working on a task or activity, ask yourself, “Is this getting me closer to my goals?” If the answer is no, it shouldn’t be a priority.
Focus on three things: Everything can never be a priority. You need to focus on three things that will have the greatest impact on your goals each week.
Set deadlines: All important activities or tasks should have a deadline.
Create a to-do list: This is simple and quite effective. To get things done on time, you need to write them down on a piece of paper or an app. Organizing your activities in order of importance and spending most of your time on the important ones will pay off in spades.

2. Avoid multitasking

Back in the day, multitasking was a popular method that people used to get more things done during the workday. However, people realized that doing multiple tasks at the same time greatly affected their accuracy and speed (not to mention their mental health). Scientific studies have shown that the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking splits your focus. And you end up doing all your tasks in an average way. Keep in mind that no one wants average. We all want the best. Instead of multitasking, train your mind to focus on one thing at a time.

3. Focus on progress

What does it take to become a high achiever? Some excel at work by being perfectionists. However, perfectionism can create huge problems for you and your colleagues in the workplace. Nobody is perfect in this world. This means that no one can do everything perfectly all the time especially in a busy workplace. Therefore, don’t focus on perfectionism – focus on progress. Progress involves striving to do your best and congratulating yourself for every step you take regardless of its size. When you focus on progress, you’ll achieve your goals easily and quickly.

4. Record your stressors

Identifying situations that lead to stress in the workplace is essential if you want to improve your mental health. Working in an uncomfortable space, or with unwilling people can result in overwhelm and stress. Being aware of your thoughts and emotions in different situations in the workplace is one of the best ways to deal with stress in the workplace.

5. Take time to recharge

The recovery process involves having periods where you neither think of nor engage in work. You need to disengage from time to time in ways that fit your preferences and needs. Don’t waste your vacation days. Whenever you can, take time off to unwind so that you come back to the office feeling energized and ready to perform at your best. If you can’t take time off, turn off your phone and focus on activities that aren’t related to your work for a short time.

6. Set boundaries

In our modern world, you can be pressurized to avail yourself all the time. You need to boundaries to avoid stress in the workplace. This could mean not checking your email once you leave the office or not answering work-related phone calls in the evening at home. While everyone has different preferences when it comes to balancing their home and work life, you need to set clear boundaries to avoid conflicts and the stress that comes with it.

7. Develop healthy responses

Stress is part of life. You cannot avoid it completely especially in the workplace. Therefore, instead of fighting it with alcohol or fast foods, you need to make informed decisions when tension rises. Exercising is one of the best ways to relieve stress. You can also consider making time for your hobbies. It could be reading a novel, playing games with your loved ones or going to concerts. Always make time for people and things that make you happy. Getting good quality sleep is a key ingredient for stress management. Forming good habits such as minimizing gadget use at night and limiting your caffeine intake during the day will pay off.

8. Relax

Various techniques such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, and meditation can help you deal with stress effectively. Start by taking a few minutes every day to focus on simple activities such as walking, breathing, or preparing a good dish. Your ability to focus on a single activity will get stronger as you practice. And you can apply it in other areas of your life.

Conclusion

These tips will help you deal with stress in the workplace effectively. What are you going to try out today?

Justin Osborne is a essay writer, he loves to share his thoughts and opinions about education, writing and blogging with other people on different blogs and forums. Currently, he is working as a content marketer at best essay writing service.

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How to Attract Qualified Employees for Small Businesses

How do you attract qualified employees for your small business? Running a successful recruitment process for a small business can be challenging. Small businesses need to compete with large companies to hire qualified candidates. They also need to instill confidence in their growing brand to attract high-quality talent to work for them. Needless to say, that those small businesses that do succeed in hiring qualified candidates handle their hiring process a bit differently.

Job seekers scouring the internet for suitable jobs are thirsting for something different. They are eager to apply to profiles that offer unique perks and more control over their working hours. As a small business, you can use this as an opportunity to make your job posting stand out. Use your job postings to promote your company as a great place to work. Talk about your work from home policy or the support your workplace offers to working mothers. Such unique elements can make job seekers sit up and notice your job posting leading to more responses from qualified candidates.

How to Attract Qualified Employees for Small Businesses

Here’s a look at some concrete steps that you can take to hire qualified candidates for your small business –

Offer Pay Packages Competitive With the Market Rates

Small businesses tend to stick to the pay packages that they can afford. If the salary you offer is lower than the going rate for the job, talented candidates will not be interested in applying. If an analyst’s starting salary is $50,000 per year, why would anyone apply for a job that offers only $50,000 per year for the same job?

To find employees who are well-qualified for the job, the first step is to find out how much other businesses are offering for similar roles in the job market. Base your offer on that figure to ensure responses from worthy candidates.

Elevate Your Recruitment Process Using Technology

A small business recruitment process can benefit a lot from using the right technology. Use efficient software such as an applicant tracking system to expand your applicant pool and improve your screening process. Technology can streamline your hiring process and ensure that your recruiters respond timely to all candidates. Receiving a prompt response from the recruiter’s side, shows professionalism and respect for the candidate’s efforts. This is a subtle employer branding strategy that can establish your image as a small but systematic organization.

Highlight the Benefits of Working With a Small Business

Qualified candidates working in large organizations may not know the perks of working with small businesses. Emphasize the benefits you offer your employees to make your job postings attractive. Some small businesses give their employees the option to work from home or flexible working hours. Other unusual benefits include music nights at work, power-napping stations, gaming zones in the office and fitness allowances.

Including details about the perks and benefits, you offer your employees is a lucrative employer branding strategy. It enables you to position your company as a workplace that promotes work-life balance and makes the job prospect more appealing for qualified candidates.

Make the Job Posting Interesting & Unique

Applicants are more likely to apply to a job posting that they find interesting to read than something written using boilerplate text. Small business recruitment teams should make an effort to create unique job postings that catch qualified candidates’ attention. To attract qualified employees who are experienced and skilled, your job posting should be carefully drafted to reflect the correct details and get candidates interested in your company. Make sure to include information about what makes your organization unique and the benefits you offer your employees.

Leverage Your Current Talent Pool

Include a remunerative recommendation system in your recruiting process. Encourage your current employees to recommend suitable candidates who they think can be good recruitment. If your employees are happy at their job, they are likely to talk about their work with friends and ex-colleagues. Happy employees are the best source for finding qualified candidates that can be a good fit for your organization.

An employee giving a recommendation is giving your company a vote of confidence as an employer. Recommended candidates can usually be hired with a shorter interview process and prove to be a better cultural fit into your business compared to candidates sourced from outside.

Small businesses may face more significant challenges when it comes to finding employees who are qualified and experienced. But with persistent effort, you are sure to find many talented people who fit your team and are passionate to work with you. The secret is to think differently and try to make your small business recruitment process stand out from the crowd for the right reasons. Try a few or all of the recruitment strategies mentioned above to enhance your own recruitment game. Innovative employer branding strategies that showcase your strengths as an employer, creative job postings, and a smooth recruiting process can help you create a talent pool that empowers your small business.

Talk to us about the recruitment strategies that work for you and which don’t. We would love to hear from you!

Here’s another post about Strategies to Retain Your Employees. Also read this post about 7 Ways to Attract High Quality Employees.

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What Every Leader Should Be Teaching Their Employees About Finances

Is your business currently teaching your employees about financial wellness? Though it may not be the first thing on your mind when it comes to employee engagement, it’s an offering that many prospective workers may be in search of when choosing what company they want to work for. In order to attract high-level candidates, consider ways that you can teach your employees how to better manage their finances.

Ensuring your employees have proper financial wellness skills will not only help them feel confident in the workplace, but will also have them feeling valued by their employer and are more likely to stay long-term. As a leader, it’s important to take an introspective look at the offerings your company currently has and evaluate how you can improve or begin implementing them into your organization.

What Every Leader Should Be Teaching Their Employees About Finances

Follow along for some of the most important financial lessons you should be teaching your employees.

Teach Your Employees The Fundamentals

When it comes to teaching employees about finance, it’s always best to start with the basics and work your way up to more complex topics. There are a wide range of topics you can cover, so be sure to choose the ones that you think will bring the most value to your specific team. For inspiration on these topics, lean on professional resources such as guest speakers, seminars, or online learning tools that can help you better navigate these conversations.

A simple way to start this process is to encourage your employees to do their own research before big purchases. Whether they’re determining how much house they can afford or looking to start a family of their own, encouraging your employees to ask questions and utilize available resources will help them feel confident in their financial decisions. During their time at your company, it’s likely that they will make a few major investments. Having open time during your day where your staff can approach you and ask questions will help them feel more comfortable and ready to handle any financial decisions coming their way.

There are many times throughout the year when these fundamental discussions can be relevant such as bonus periods, holidays, and tax season. Tax season is a particularly great time to offer learning opportunities. Hosting discussions around tax returns can be helpful as taxes are an area that many employees find to be overwhelming. Having an informational hub or discussions on how they can do their taxes will be a huge weight lifted off their shoulders. Even just providing basic information on what this year’s tax returns may look like will be a huge benefit to them.

Review Company Benefits

As a leader, it’s important to take the proper time to educate employees on the company benefits and financial resources they have available to them. Although it’s likely these benefits will be reviewed during the onboarding process, providing ongoing training and reminders on these benefits will be greatly appreciated by your existing employees. Host open invitation meetings on a routine basis where employees can get a refresher and ask any questions they may have. This is especially important to do during open enrollment periods. Some of the major company benefits you’ll want to review with employees include health insurance, retirement plans, life insurance, and disability coverage.

Outside of the routine benefit packages, you should also take some time to educate your employees on any other programs your company has available to your staff. This may include an Employee Assistance Program or even a financial advisor contact with your 401(k) or retirement plan. Simply giving them the appropriate contact and information to these resources will help point them in the right direction and make them feel valued to the company.

Offer Learning Opportunities

Offering educational opportunities on budgeting and personal finance is a major perk for any business to offer. Though hosting meetings on personal finance lessons may seem like a waste of time, it can greatly help your employees feel more comfortable and valued in their work environment.

To make learning opportunities more enticing and valuable, think about ways that you can sponsor more unique opportunities. One way to do so is to consider taking an annual company retreat or conference. At these events, you can incorporate some financial advice into the day to help keep your employees on track for financial success. It’s a great way to further your available learning opportunities while keeping your employees motivated and engaged.

Foster Open Communication

One of the most important things an employer can do for their team is to foster an open communication environment where anyone is welcomed and encouraged to ask questions and host their own discussions. Having strong communication skills is a valuable trait for leaders to possess and one of the most sought after traits employees want their superiors to possess.

Let your team members know that you are there to listen and help them during times when they may need it most. For example, during one-on-one meetings and any critical discussions, it’s important to be open and honest. Transparency will always go a long way at any company. When transparency exists, team members are more likely to have higher satisfaction levels, productivity, commitment to the company, and overall alignment between teams.

When developing an open environment, think about your employees who may be more reserved or less likely to speak. These employees are only likely to ask questions in a one-on-one environment when they feel comfortable doing so.

For these important discussions, such as career and salary talks, it’s especially important to be transparent and ready to listen. Salary is something that can be an intimidating topic for many employees. To minimize these fears, be upfront about the salary you are giving your employees and allow open communication about raises. Even if you aren’t able to give a raise, employees will appreciate the honesty and open communication.

Summary

Your employees value and appreciate any time you spend making them feel valued and heard. Be sure to allow for plenty of feedback during these educational sessions or meetings as this will help you in the long-term. Now it’s time to start teaching!

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Self Motivation: How to Keep Moving Forward In Your Career or Business

SELF MOTIVATION

More often than not, one of the challenges that come with a owning or running a business is the absence of people to set goals, deadlines, and incentives for you to follow and benefit from. You are likely “wearing too many hats” and juggling to many projects. The need for self motivation thus creeps in.

So, how does a business leader/owner stay motivated to become a better person and business leader while simultaneously propelling the business?

Let’s dive into it.

What is motivation?

Motivation is the drive to achieve set goals, be more fulfilled, and generally improve our quality of life. It is that push to succeed at whatever you do.

That said, finding ways to stay self motivated can deliver control of many aspects of your life into your hands. Motivation forms one of the three critical aspects of personal skills that encapsulate emotional intelligence, and its mastery can prove instrumental in business success.

Motivation is made up of four key aspects:

Personal drive: This is the inner longing to attain and exceed certain standards
Commitment: Commitment to personal as well as organizational goals
Initiative: Initiative is the sheer readiness to act on present opportunities
Optimism: Optimism is the ability to persist in pursuing set goals despite the lingering setbacks and challenges that come

Let’s explore, in some detail, these individual elements that constitute self motivation.

Elements of self motivation

Personal drive to achieve

Personal drive to achieve can be viewed as ambition or perhaps personal empowerment. It could also be more appropriate in terms of mindset, and this brings two types of mindsets to light: fixed mindset and growth mindset.

There are two types of mindset: fixed and growth.

A fixed mindset is centered on a rigid school of thought that we can’t change our degree of ability. The fixed mindset is based on the idea that talent is ingrained and can’t be acquired by study and hard work.

A growth mindset is based on the more optimistic school of thought that believes skills can be acquired and improved upon by the individual through hard work and effort.

A critical look as the statistics and research reveals that those with the growth mindset believe that abilities can be improved upon and are more likely to succeed in whatever they set themselves to do. Therefore, the growth mindset is an essential aspect of your drive to succeed.

However, the personal drive to succeed isn’t limited to the mindset of growth; it incorporates other elements as timeliness and efficient time management, being well organized, and avoiding distractions.

Commitment to goals

The research supports the notion that the setting of goals is essential to general well being. As the saying goes, “if you aim at nothing, it is easy to achieve it.” We all need something to aim at in life. That gives us a sense of purpose and direction. Being fully conscious of what you desire to achieve and setting relevant goals to meet that purpose is vital in staying self motivated.

You should note that it isn’t just setting lofty goals and expectations in life but pursuing them with the commitment to attain them. When committed to our set goals, the drive to attain them comes almost effortlessly.

3. Initiative

The initiative is the ability to take advantage and act upon opportunities when they present themselves.

In the face of opportunity, it can be easy to hesitate, which can cost you the opportunity altogether. But it’s not just about rushing to act; there must be careful consideration and a cautious approach, which must not be confused with hesitation. It is essential to carefully think things through and be sure of the decision you’re about to make. It isn’t just about having the courage to act, but the equivalent risk-management skills in the action.

While courage helps you overcome the fear of the unknown as you engage an opportunity, risk management plays an essential role in ensuring you jump on the right opportunities, with an understanding of the risks involved, knowing whether they fall within your ability to manage them.

4. Optimism and resilience

Optimism is the ability to stay positive, seeing the bright side of things, and thinking in a positive direction.

Resilience is the ability to get back on your feet after a setback or to stay positive amid challenges. Though not the same thing, optimism and resilience are closely related.

Resilience helps you manage negative emotional responses to challenges by staying positive and using rational thinking to approach situations.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic motivators

There are two main categories of motivators: intrinsic and extrinsic motivators; the former is related to what we want to do, and the latter is related to what we have to do.

Intrinsic motivator

Intrinsic motivation pertains to the situation you perform a task or action based on the perceived/expected satisfaction derived from the task or action. It relates to what you what to do – having fun, being interested, and your challenges.

Extrinsic motivator

Extrinsic motivation pertains to the situation you perform a task or action to achieve external rewards like money, power, good grades, etc. Extrinsic motivation relates to what you have to do and may not derive personal pleasure or satisfaction.

People are motivated at different times by different things in different ways in their lives, and the same action may sway towards one of the two motivators or may combine both.

How to be self motivated in business

Have a personal mission statement

The business’s mission statement describes the organization’s generic goals, core values, and culture from a broad perspective. Every business has or should have that. This gives direction to the organization and not only boosts self motivation, but also motivates stakeholders and staff.

For the same reasons a business should have a mission statement, every business owner should have a personal mission statement as it gives clear direction and can therefore be used as self-motivation. It would help if you cataloged it – write it down, read it, memorize it, and internalize it until it becomes part and parcel of you. That will serve as a constant reminder of your personal goals and keep you focused and motivated towards attaining them. Without a personal mission statement, what are you shooting for? What do you hope to achieve?

Have a plan

Having a mission statement is step one of self motivation, but the most important step is articulating a plan to execute the mission. If you will become a master of communicating the vision, values and mission of your organization, you will be self motivated.

Without a plan, then the mission is of no use. Just as a business can’t thrive without a plan to accompany the mission, so too do you need your personal and professional plan, with well structured and attainable long-term and short-term goals.

Like the mission, the plan should be penned down, but it is a living document. It is organic and subject to change as the personal and professional circumstances change. The general idea here is to ensure you have a working plan you’re following.

Have a routine, But also have some variety

How you start every opportunity to do better – the day can help you stay motivated. Therefore, you should develop a tremendous daily morning routine – one that will help you be alert, focused, and prepared.

However I’ve coached more than a thousand business leaders and many can easily get burned out from doing the same thing again and again. If you thrive on variety make sure that you design your own job description to include various kinds of work activities.

Have time for yourself

Being a business owner means you most likely invest a great deal of your time in your business, about its daily affairs and consumed by your desire to see it succeed. But as much as you need to invest time in the business towards business success, you should schedule some time for yourself each day to keep your self motivation high. Give yourself time margins to take a walk, relax, meditate and even exercise. Such set-apart moments can help you set attention on some personal aspects like your diet, hydration, and rest. All these will go a long way to keep you self motivated.

Have reminders for plans set

Even with a plan, it can be challenging staying on schedule and keeping up with your routines. As such, you should have reminders set for critical activities throughout the day and make it a habit of setting these reminders. Use alarms to help you stay focused on the most critical tasks of the day. That will keep you focused and motivated towards attaining your set goals.

A great application of this is in time-blocking features, especially on your phone, that helps partition your day among specific tasks, with reminders to help you keep up with your goals and keep your self-motivation alive.

Reward yourself, and celebrate your accomplishments with your team

Incentives are a great motivation tool, and you can use that on yourself. Reward yourself for goals and tasks you accomplish. Recognizing the small wins will boost your morale and keep you motivated as you press on towards achieving your set goals.

When you achieve your goals be sure to acknowledge your team and family. Celebrate those wins every time with parties, dinners in or out, and team building activities!

Engage your friends

Sometimes, peer pressure can be a great source of motivation. So, engage your friends and colleagues to help motivate you in what you’re doing. You could even do this digitally by using apps, as you challenge each other positively towards attaining your goals.

Engage in inspirational activities

Sometimes, to keep your self-motivation high, you need to look outside your comfort zone for motivation. You could watch an inspirational movie, a motivational talk show, or podcast while walking, eating or exercising, in your time. Inspirational activities will remind you to stay positive and motivated and will enhance your intrinsic motivation levels towards success.

Stay positive

There isn’t a standard across the board for what makes people happy. As such, you have to choose to be happy, irrespective of how things are going. By staying positive, you can better rationally approach situations with the mind to prevail. This is important to stay self motivated.

So, look out for the right side of things, and be optimistic.

Sleep

Finally, never underestimate the power of sound sleep for staying self motivated. Irrespective of the day’s failures or the missed goals, nothing is worth compromising a good night’s sleep for. When you are well-rested, your thinking is fresh as you approach tasks with great self-motivation

Communicate with others

Communicating with others, especially people you consider, can inspire you and keep you motivated and energized. A simple conversation with an optimistic person can significantly motivate you, so be open to share ideas and communicate with others.

Engage your area of interest

Being self motivated is inextricably linked to the degree of interest you have in what you are doing. If interest is absent from your current task, then your motivation is short-circuited, and you should consider dropping it and switching to other more personally exciting activities. Even when there is no interest in the task, but it is expedient, find ways to correlate the activity to your ultimate goals. That will essentially tunnel motivation through your goals into what you’re doing, birthing new springs of energy and enthusiasm, all leading towards success.

Self-acknowledgment

How do you know you are motivated? You should, as an individual, know when your self motivation levels are adequate. Know yourself and be acknowledge it when you’re motivated.

Monitor and record your success

You should have systems to monitor and record your successes for tasks, assignments, projects, activities, etc. When you see a positive trend in successes registered in what you do, you automatically become more motivated to do and be more. So, catalog your successes and keep yourself motivated.

Increase energy level

Energy is necessary for self motivation. So, engage in activities like exercises. Take regular breaks and rest to keep your energy ever-high.

Assist, support and motivate others

Play an active role in motivating others. Be open to sharing your views and ideas with your friends, peers, colleagues, and get involved in helping them stay motivated. When you see others doing well and succeeding, you get self motivated too. Help others to stay motivated, and you will keep yourself motivated.

Encourage learning

Strive to learn more in every aspect of your life and work. Learning makes you more confident in taking on new tasks/assignments and keeps you self motivated.

“To become self motivated, read client/customer reviews of your performance. Focus on how you are changing lives with your products or services. When I read my client reviews I get excited and ready to change some more lives!” Alan Melton, Founder and CEO Small Business Coach Associates

Tips from 15 small business owners and entrepreneurs on how to stay self motivated

Barry Maher

“You can’t wait for outside inspiration. You’ve got to see motivating yourself as an essential part of the process, maybe the most essential part. Because when it comes right down to it, nobody else can motivate you. All anyone else can ever do is talk you into motivating yourself, is sell you on the idea of motivating yourself. You motivate you. There’s nobody else who can be with you every hour of the day or the night when all those thousands of little decisions that lead toward your goals or away from your goals have to be made. You’ve got to be your own guru, your own favorite motivational speaker.”

– Barry Maher, Author/Speaker/Founder of BarryMaher.com

Catherine E. Storing

“Remember, it is not about you. Whenever you feel frustrated or stuck, it is because you are concentrating on you instead of the outcome your clients/customers will receive by working with you.”

– Catherine E. Storing, Chief Style Coach of The Confidence Building Coach

Josh Waldron

“This may seem like a simple tip, but as an entrepreneur, I stay motivated by exercising. Since most of my work is computer-based, it’s very important for me to push my body physically and enjoy fresh air and sunshine on a somewhat regular basis. Exercise refreshes my brain, inspires creativity, and encourages a positive outlook.”

– Josh Waldron, Founder of Studio JWAL, LLC

Ryan Celestain

“As an entrepreneur, I have two tips that I personally use to stay motivated. The first tip is to focus on the big picture. You must know exactly what it is that you want. Your vision of the future of your company/product/organization must be crystal clear. When you can see with great clarity what it is that you want, you have no problem doing the work necessary.”

– Ryan Celestain, Founder of RyanCelestain.com

Adam Kirsch

“Often, if I find myself lacking in motivation, I talk to the users of our systems. This allows me to both see how much of an impact we have had to date and what other things we can do to make their lives easier. Working with the customers and knowing that we can still improve our product for them really inspires me to keep working, even if circumstances are challenging.”

– Adam Kirsch, Chief Operating Officer of Yorango, Inc.

Kelly Fallis

“When you’re overwhelmed, pick the biggest/hardest task that will have the most impact, crank the tunes and dive in for an uninterrupted evening session — I love the 10 – 2 am session for minimal interruptions personally – odds are with total concentration, you’ll make huge progress, and then the rest will fall into place and seem much easier.”

– Kelly Fallis, CEO of Remote Stylist

Konrad Billets

“Have a purpose behind your work. Tie it to something bigger than yourself and remind yourself of this purpose constantly! I also repeat one of these to myself: “I can do hard things,” “Your competitor is probably working right now,” or “Go all in.” If those don’t work, I jam on the banjo for an hour, then get back to work.”

– Konrad Billetz, Founder and CEO of Frameri Eyewear

K.L. Graham

“Create a schedule. Set aside time for work tasks and time for family and leisure time. Don’t let them mix or interfere with one another. This prevents burn-out and keeps you motivated to complete tasks because you can visually see that once you get your tasks done, you have time to enjoy yourself.”

– K.L. Graham, Author of “E-Business Success: Using Technology to Take Your Business to the Next Level” and Founder of Sirius Web Solutions

Kelly Daugherty

“When we have had challenging times, I remember that most small businesses hit rock bottom before their big break came. If you still believe in your idea, you will make it succeed. Just keep being persistent. Remember, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

– Kelly Daugherty, Managing Partner of Smashing Golf & Tennis

Laura L. Barkat

“The long view is the strong view. Business mirrors life: you’ve got to keep at it to make it work. A long view helps, rather than looking just at this month’s (or even this year’s) stats, earnings, accomplishments. For instance, in the publishing industry (our industry), the bulk of sales comes from titles more than a year old.”

– Laura L. Barkat, CEO of T. S. Poetry Press

Simon Tam

“Make a Game of It: When there’s an arduous task that I don’t want to do, I apply a little bit of game theory: I create a small competition between my employees and me, try and set or break records, or even have a simple countdown to my goal. Competition is a great way to motivate ourselves to go the extra mile. When I do reach my goal, I make sure to reward myself as well as the employees involved.”

– Simon Tam, Author of “How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements”

Carrie Devorah

“The best motivation is finding a Groove that works and keeps you moving forward. The groove can be anywhere. So listen… try and know that each step is a success.”

– Carrie Devorah, Founder of The Center for Copyright Integrity

Ian Aronovich

“To stay motivated, you have to keep reminding yourself that a good business with a strong, reliable source of revenue can stay afloat even in the roughest of times. That’s why – while you have to change – you need to work to build a strong business by testing different revenue models, simulate your business in various economic environments, and brainstorm what new methods your business can use to bring in more profits. If or when the economy falls into rough times, because you’ve done the work to build a good foundation for your business, you’ll be more optimistic and maintain the motivation that’s necessary to keep pushing forward.”

– Ian Aronovich, Co-Founder and CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org

JeFreda R. Brown

“We business owners all have experienced the tire kickers who waste our time. Our goal is to reach the clients and customers who really need our services and will pay for them. During those times when it’s kind of slow, and you start reconsidering if you’re doing the right thing, a client will come along who is grateful for your help. Receiving feedback from the clients who let you know you have truly enhanced their life is what keeps me motivated and going.”

– JeFreda R. Brown, CEO of Brown Accounting Solutions, LLC

Bill Simpson

“I have my dream goal written down on paper and taped to the wall where I can always see it. Each day, I start off by taking 5 minutes, closing my eyes, and visualizing and daydreaming about making it to that goal; how I would feel once completed, what I would do to celebrate reaching the goal, etc. That provides the motivation each day to work towards that goal. If I ever hit a really big bump in the road and things get really tough, I just take 5 minutes to again visualize reaching that goal and continue to move forward.”

– Bill Simpson, President & CEO of Life Document Storage, LLC

celebrate victories encourage learning Leadership self motivated

Top Ten Feats of Small Business Owner Superheroes!

You have always aspired to be a Superhero. That’s why when you were a kid, reading your favorite comic and watching cartoons, you always had a favorite superhero. All of us have watched many Superhero flicks and enjoyed them. This may be how you ended up a small business owner, and there are common characteristics a Superhero possesses. These are a mission to service, great courageous, effective leadership, and purpose-driven. That’s why all business owners are superheroes.

You began your venture to make a difference in the world. Naturally, you want to do right by your customers and serve them as no one else can. Even superheroes aren’t immune from life’s difficulties. Spiderman is struggling with his finances, Iron Man has trouble asking for help when he needs it, and Batman has problems managing his team – are these similar issues plaguing yours as well? Don’t forget Wonder Woman; she may have a great superpower but faces some difficulties too.

The truth is, no matter how superhumanly powerful you feel like you can be, running a business is not easy. It takes time and energy to build something great and sustainable. We all need help. It comes down to effective leadership.

Small Business Owners Are Superheroes

Small business owners are the superheroes of our modern-day economy. They go above and beyond every day to make sure their businesses succeed, often working late nights, sacrificing their sleep, and taking extra risks to ensure their venture is successful.

Every superhero has a superpower; for small business owners, that superpower is tenacity! They have the courage to take risks, the hustle to stay ahead of the competition, and the creativity to come up with solutions when challenges arise. Small business owners are dynamic risk-takers who are always looking for new opportunities and ways to improve their operations. They may not have X-Ray vision or superhuman strength, but small business owners have the power to make a lasting impact on their communities and help create jobs for others.

Small business owners don’t just save the day – they create it! They have a knack for making ideas and dreams a reality. With their innovative mindsets, hardworking attitudes, and entrepreneurial spirits, small business owners are truly the unsung heroes of our modern economy. Thanks to them, we can experience new products, services, and businesses that make everyday life more exciting and enjoyable.

How To Be A Business Hero

You don’t need a cape or superhuman powers to be a business hero – although it can help! All you really need is an unquenchable drive for success and the desire to make a positive impact in your industry. Here are some tips on how to become the ultimate business hero:

Always Think Big: Challenge yourself to push the boundaries of what’s possible — think about how you can add value to your organization or industry as a whole.
Be Proactive: Don’t wait for success to come to you; actively seek out opportunities to improve your skills and knowledge, and take the initiative when it comes to solving problems.
Stay Organized: It’s easy to get overwhelmed by big projects, so make sure you stay organized and focused on the goal at hand. Have clear deadlines for yourself and break up large tasks into smaller chunks that are more manageable.
Find Your Voice: Stand out and make your presence known by finding creative ways to express your point of view and ideas. This could be through public speaking, blogging, or simply discussing your insights with colleagues or your prospects.
Embrace Feedback: Learning from failure is important to becoming a business hero. Ask for feedback from peers and customers and use it to refine your ideas and become even better at what you do.
Lead by Example: As a business hero, you should be an example of excellence to those around you — show that hard work, dedication, and creativity can lead to success!
Show Gratitude: Acknowledge those who have helped you along the way, and make sure to show appreciation for their efforts. Not only is this a great way to build relationships, but it’s also an important part of being a business hero.

Business Lesson From Our Favorite Superheroes

From Wolverine, we can learn the power of resilience. Despite the many difficult obstacles in his life, he continually finds ways to push through them and come out stronger on the other side. This is a valuable lesson for business leaders who often have to tackle big problems or make tough decisions–the importance of perseverance and staying focused on the end goal. With a little resilience, you can overcome any challenge that comes your way.

From Batman, we can learn the power of strategy and planning. Despite lacking superhuman powers, Batman can outwit his enemies using clever strategies and tactics. For business leaders, this is an important reminder that planning and forethought can often be more effective than brute force or luck. Taking the time to think through your options and develop a plan of action can make all the difference in achieving success.

From Optimus Prime, we can learn the importance of working together. As the leader of the Autobots, he brought different forces together and formed a powerful team greater than the sum of its parts. This is an important lesson for business leaders who must create synergy within their teams to achieve success. Working together with a common goal and vision can lead to amazing things.

From Wonder Woman, we can learn the power of courage. Despite being in situations facing overwhelming odds, she never wavers and always stands up for what’s right. This is an important lesson for business leaders who often have to make difficult decisions or take risks that may not be popular. Having the courage to stand up for what you believe in and do what is best for your business can be the difference between success and failure. It takes courage to stand up for your convictions, but it can ultimately lead to greatness.

From Storm, we can learn the importance of adaptability. Despite the many tumultuous conditions she has had to face in her life, Storm was able to adjust and thrive in each situation. This is a valuable lesson for business leaders who have to deal with rapidly changing environments due to technological advancements or other external factors. Being able to adapt and adjust to new conditions quickly can be the difference between staying ahead of the competition and falling behind. A willingness to embrace change and take advantage of opportunities is essential for success in a constantly evolving business world.

One of the most inspiring superheroes with a powerful business lesson is Iron Man. Tony Stark, the alter-ego of Iron Man, was an incredibly successful and innovative businessman before he ever picked up his suit of armor. His insights can be distilled into one simple concept: take risks and trust yourself.

Tony Stark’s success came from taking risks with his inventions and ideas. He was not afraid to try new things, even when it endangered him. His courage and perseverance paid off in the end—he achieved success through trial and error, believing that failure was an opportunity for growth.

This same philosophy can be applied to business today. Taking risks and trusting yourself can open up new opportunities for innovation. By being willing to try something different, you may be able to find success even when the odds are against you. Don’t be afraid to take a chance—the rewards might just be worth it!

Iron Man also taught us another valuable lesson: never give up. Despite setbacks, Tony Stark was able to find a way to use his resources and ingenuity to achieve success. He demonstrated that with enough hard work and dedication, anything is possible. So no matter how difficult the path ahead may seem, never forget what Iron Man taught us—believe in yourself, take risks, and never give up!

This concludes our discussion on business lessons we can learn from our favorite superheroes. With these powerful examples, it’s easy to see why they are considered role models and beacons of inspiration. We can all learn from their examples and apply the lessons they taught us to our own businesses.

Superpowers Of A Business Superhero

Strategic Vision: A business superhero can see the big picture and create innovative solutions that have a lasting impact on the organization’s success.
Superpowers: Business superheroes can quickly identify problems, analyze different options, and choose the best solution for a successful outcome.
Collaboration and Communication Skills: Business superheroes can effectively communicate with all types of people, from executives to employees. They know how to build relationships, motivate others, and create a culture of collaboration.
Leadership Abilities: This is essential for any business superhero; they must be able to inspire their teams, foster innovation, and drive change within their organizations.
Resilience: Business superheroes don’t give up in tough times; they can stay focused, adjust, and be resourceful to overcome any obstacle that comes their way.
Passion for Learning: A business superhero is always curious and looking to develop their skills and knowledge further to be successful.
Passion for Risk-Taking: A business superhero takes calculated risks and is willing to take on challenges others may shy away from to create a competitive advantage.
Adaptability: Business superheroes know how to adjust and find new ways to stay ahead of the competition.
Global Perspective: Business superheroes can think and act globally, recognizing that different cultures may require different approaches and solutions.
Analytical Skills: A business superhero can quickly identify trends, analyze data, and decide based on their findings.

Preparation Leads To Success

No matter what business you want to start up, take the time to prepare for it properly. Preparation is key to achieving success and reaching our goals. Whether you are studying for a test, writing an essay, or presenting a project, taking the time to prepare adequately can make all the difference.

Start by breaking down your task into focused steps. Being organized is an important part of the preparation, as it allows us to understand what needs to be done and in what order. Make sure you give yourself enough time for each step; it’s better to spread out the workload over a period of time rather than cramming everything at the last minute.

It is also important to research and fully understand the task at hand. Knowing your expectations will help ensure that your work meets the necessary standards. Researching helps to give us insight, creating ideas and connections that may have been previously overlooked.

We should also practice before we attempt our task. This applies to everything from taking a test to giving a speech. Practicing beforehand will help us better understand the material and make us more confident going into it.

Overall, taking the time to prepare for our tasks properly is essential to achieving success. Being organized, researching, and practicing all play important roles in our preparation process. Don’t underestimate the power of preparation! With adequate preparation, you will be well on your way to success.

The point is that no small business owner Superhero is perfect; we all need some help. It all comes down to effective leadership.

Top Ten Feats of Business Superhero’s

Here are some pointers for you to make sure your business can support your, ahem, hobby:

1. Do what you love in business.

Otherwise, learn to love what you do. The biggest reason for small business owner failure is a lack of persistence. The biggest reason for not persevering is that entrepreneurs don’t love what they do. Spiderman is always struggling to make a buck taking photos, but he needs to remember that it’s all about the big purpose. He needs to learn how to negotiate; he could make a killing on those photographs. He needs to become his very best at earning a living. Love what you do or get some help.

2. Be “the man with the plan” in business.

That, of course, includes you Wonder Woman. Every Superhero has a plan. Develop clear long term and short term plans. The important elements of a plan include your vision, your values, and your mission, along with specific goals and daily actions.

3. “Lead, follow or get out of the way” is not an option.

Thomas Paine’s famous words will not help you save the world. Superheroes lead and take action! Once you have developed your plan, you must translate the plan into daily actions and activities. Keep taking a bite out of the “elephant” daily. You will eat the whole thing over time.

4. Tell your business story again and again to prospects.

Learn to say who you are, “I am Iron Man.” Your story for your prospects is the part of your Vision, Values, and Mission that eliminates your prospect’s pain and solves his problems. Develop and memorize at least three versions of your story: a 30-second version, a 5-minute version, and a 20-minute version. Tell your story to anyone that will listen.

5. Tell your business story again and again to everybody else.

Tell your story through meetings, memos, advertising, employee manuals, etc.

6. Listen first and then twice as much as you talk. Notice that all good Superheroes listen before they take action. Diagnose the problems first. Otherwise, you may save the wrong person.

7. Keep the main thing the main thing in your business.

Focus on what’s important. Decide at the beginning of every year what will be your primary focus. Keep yourself and your sidekicks focused on that thing during meetings, and throughout each day.

8. Know the score in your business.

Batman and Iron Man have their technology and instruments and they use them to keep score. Is your cash flow important? You better have a report. Do you use monthly financials to make decisions? You better start.

9. Never stop getting better in business.

Iron Man built a better suit. Batman built a better mansion. All business superheroes are constantly learning and growing. Don’t forget your team (sidekicks); they need to learn too!

10. Develop deep relationships with sidekicks and victims.

Know your villains (competition) well too! Customers are victims as long as the villain has captured their service. Start developing deep relationships with those you want to save. Make sure your sidekicks are happy and stay on your team.

Conclusion

My editor tells me that this adventure has to end. Do the above as a leader and soon you will be known by the world as the small business owner Superhero that you really are. The next time you need to make a decision, ask yourself what your favorite Superhero would do in your situation. Soon you will be able to say along with Superman about your business, “Up, Up and Away!”

In the next article, I will focus on Strategic Planning.

About the author:

Alan Melton is president of Small Business Coach & Associates. He and his team work with an amazing group of entrepreneurs, small business owners, and executives who are getting on the fast track to achieving their personal goals. Alan has started ten businesses and acquired six more. Recognized by two U.S. presidents, Alan is a nationally known speaker, author, and award-winning business leader.

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business business leadership Leadership Superheroes

Share Your Own Learning Experiences

Establishing Mentoring Dynamics

Stay True to a Schedule

Be Vulnerable

Ask for Feedback

5 Ways Business Owners Can Celebrate Small Business Week in 2023

1. Foster relationships

Connect with your customers during SBW:

With your employees:

With your connections:

2. Further your education during SBW

3. Evaluate safeguards

4. Revisit goals

5. Prioritize self-care

7 Qualities The Ideal Entrepreneur Must Have For Their Small Business

What Is The Role Of An Ideal Entrepreneur?

Qualities Of An Ideal Entrepreneur

Inventiveness

Passion

Self-Motivated

Persistence

Adaptability

Decision-Making

Social Skills

Key Intakes

Final Words

What is Leadership Coaching

The roles of leadership coaching

Leadership coaching process

Benefits of Leadership coaching

The process of leadership coaching involves:

1) Identifying those elements most important in ensuring positive outcomes:

2) Developing new ways of performing:

3) Challenging existing beliefs and assumptions:

4) Providing assistance through feedback, suggestions, advice etc.:

5) Helping participants work through emotional responses:

6.) Discovering creative solutions for dealing with problems:

7) Providing support in discovering how to balance the various demands that come with leadership responsibilities:

Leadership coaching enables leaders to:

Leadership coaching is also useful in helping individuals to:

The effectiveness of the leadership coaching process depends on:

Leadership coaching for small business owners

How small business owners benefit from leadership coaching

What are the leadership coaching styles?

What makes a good leadership coach?

The levels of leadership coaching

Conclusion.

Tips for Improving Employee Morale and Performance

Regular Email Appreciation Messages

Regular All-staff Meetings

Celebrate Employee Accomplishments Outside the Office

Quarterly Potlucks

Hire a Professional Team Builder or Counselor

Reduce Employee Turnover

Conduct Exit Interviews

Regularly Reward Employee Performance

Motivate Employees with Challenging Projects

Conduct 360 Degree Performance Appraisals

Conduct Regular Team Building Activities

How to Handle Workplace Stress

1. Prioritize and organize

2. Avoid multitasking

3. Focus on progress

4. Record your stressors

5. Take time to recharge

6. Set boundaries

7. Develop healthy responses

8. Relax

Conclusion

How to Attract Qualified Employees for Small Businesses

Offer Pay Packages Competitive With the Market Rates

Elevate Your Recruitment Process Using Technology

Highlight the Benefits of Working With a Small Business

Make the Job Posting Interesting & Unique

Leverage Your Current Talent Pool

What Every Leader Should Be Teaching Their Employees About Finances

Teach Your Employees The Fundamentals

Review Company Benefits

Offer Learning Opportunities

Foster Open Communication