When it comes to driving a company toward small business success, any owner – no matter how savvy they think they are – can learn how to be more effective as a leader. Running an organization, managing staff and delivering the highest quality of service to customers are critical to the success of any company, regardless of size. However, there are times when any of these actionable items can be a source of frustration and improving in the leadership category can help in the face of challenges.
Business coaching services are a great tool that can be taken advantage of to guide an individual overcome any rough patches while traveling along the road to success. But there are also examples found in our everyday lives that can develop and strengthen the leadership qualities of any individual.
Valuable lessons on change from Admiral Michelle Howard
In the 236-years of the U.S. Navy’s existence, this branch of the military has never had a woman achieve one of the highest ranks. That all changed when Michelle Howard received a promotion to Vice Chief of Naval Operations, in addition to being a four-star admiral, according to Forbes. In her naval career, there have been a lot of other firsts for Admiral Howard. However, being a woman who has worked her way up through the ranks to hold key positions of leadership in the U.S. armed forces, she knows what it takes to build strong teams that are also successful. The lessons learned along her career can be beneficial to any small-business owner.
“It’s the willingness to commit to look hard at yourself and commit to a new way of doing business,” Howard told Forbes on the subject of making innovative changes within an organization. “There’s great ideas out there – it’s having the courage to go ask people about what they’re doing different and saying, ‘I wonder how I could apply that to my organization?’”
When it comes to running a company, it’s imperative to use any of the resources at your disposal to ensure that your venture is a success. Whether it’s seeking outside help or polling employees, not being rigid in your approach can be the difference between implementing changes that can push the business forward or doing things the way you’ve always done them and stagnating the growth of the organization.
Innovation as a team
Admiral Howard’s statements reveal that leaders can’t always make all of the critical decisions themselves. There are times when collaboration is necessary. Inc. Magazine recently broached the innovation topic and lists some helpful tips to create this kind of atmosphere in your organization.
Dining together and using this time to brainstorm, creating cross-functional work groups and hiring non-egotistical people who fit within the team construct are great ways to get everyone working together toward a common goal. As a leader, integrating these processes into your organization and creating a collaborative atmosphere can greatly help your company achieve the small business success that you’re looking for.