2020 proved to many of us that resilience and strong leadership are vital when keeping a company going during adversity. Now that a new year has begun, we wanted to look ahead to help business owners like you grow your company in 2021.
What strengths do I need to nurture in 2021?
We face a multifaceted business environment. Challenges come from traditional places – competition and market share. Other, less standard obstacles you face include shifting regulations, remote workers, limited indoor services, and PPE/sterilization concerns. On top of this, there are growing concerns about data security as so many companies do more online.
With such a dynamic environment, it can be challenging to know where to focus one’s efforts.
At Business Success Consulting Group, we understand that the business world is always changing, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically. But the one thing you can count on is that the business landscape is not going to stay the same for any length of time.
That is why we have narrowed down five evergreen skills that you can cultivate to face this and any other challenging business environment. They are:
1. Excellent Communication
Every business owner needs to be a great communicator. You must share ideas and get your concepts across to your teams – and then get them implemented. Not only are interpersonal communication skills vital, but leadership communication and communicating over long distances are also necessary skills for today’s business world.
When considering improving your communication, here are a few things you can look at:
- How am I communicating my message vs. everyday instructions?
- Am I using a platform that works for the type of communication I am trying to give?
- How do I ensure the person on the other end is receiving what I am saying?
- Is this conversation open to a two-way discussion?
2. Organization
Establishing organizational norms within your company is an excellent way to create a strong foundation for growth. Setting up your standard processes and procedures, creating a management structure, and establishing effective knowledge transfer systems all help create a solid foundation from which to lead.
3. Growth Mindset
There are so many ways to promote a growth mindset within your company. This mindset always begins with the top. Here are a few ways you can grow as a leader – and set the example for creating a company culture of growth:
- Set aside time for continuing education in the form of webinars, classes, or books.
- Talk to employees about your plans for business growth.
- Set up employee training to help them brush up on skills they need to do their jobs.
- Create videos or other accessible material about establishing processes or procedures.
- Ask employees to share things they have learned – and add your own knowledge to the conversation.
4. Accountability
A culture of accountability can go far in making a business easy to work with. Setting up that culture can be a little more tricky. But, again, this all starts at the top.
Decide how you can be more accountable in your own work. Find strategies for business accountability – and strategies for coming back from a mistake. Implementing these will help your employees see how they can improve their own work and make the company environment more enjoyable for all.
5. Adaptability
Last year, you found many ways to adapt to a new business environment. How can you continue to exercise this leadership skill in 2021? Here are a few ideas:
- Adopt new technologies or expand the use of existing technologies within your company.
- Think about future contingencies and make a plan for them.
- Keep learning new things.
- Continue to establish a firm foundation from which you can build your business.
- Consult with experts in various fields to discover how you can adapt to changing conditions.
There are many ways you can utilize the above five leadership skills. The first step is to focus on nurturing them.
How to Nurture Leadership Skills
The list above may look daunting. That is okay! There are ways to shore up your skills in areas that seem challenging to you. Here are some simple steps you can take to building these leadership skills:
- Hire a coach or consultant to take on challenges you feel uncertain about how to handle.
- Consult with an expert in a particular area in which you feel weak.
- Discuss your challenges with a mentor to find out how they tackle similar situations.
- Hire experts to do work that you aren’t likely to learn – such as cybersecurity or videography.
- Talk to your leadership team about your goals. An open discussion can lead to new solutions.
- Study books, webinars, and courses on topics that will help you grow.
- Commit to refocusing on your goals every quarter. Set a meeting in your calendar and a task in your project management app.
There are many ways that you can tackle your leadership growth. Getting help from experts, coaches, consultants, and your team is always a fantastic first step.
Are you ready to discuss your business with us? Contact Business Success Consulting Group today for your free initial consultation.
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