People skills - Entrepreneurs and Leadership - Jan Robberts

Jan Robberts - "Influencing for Global Impact"

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Introduction
Good morning, you are listening to IBGR.Network, the International Business Growth Radio Network, I am your host, Jan Robberts, Global Influencer, Co-Founder of Ki Leadership Institute and founder of JRs Speakers Club. For more information about me, go to the IBGR website and check out my profile. There you will also find all the links to follow and get in touch with me.

Show Objectives 
Do you want to be successful? There are many different, important aspects of being a well-rounded, successful business owner. In today’s show I will explore the importance of leadership skills as an entrepreneur and business owner.

By the end of our time together today you will...
Hopefully recognize the importance of leadership skills when embarking on your entrepreneurial journey as well as constantly working on those skills when you have already established a flourishing business. 

What does entrepreneurial leadership mean?
Roebuck, referencing Roebuck (2004), defines entrepreneurial leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal using proactive entrepreneurial behaviour, by optimizing risk, innovating to take advantage of opportunities, taking personal responsibility and managing change within a dynamic environment”

What is the difference between leadership and entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship means a set of attributes that an entrepreneur possesses and practices in starting his /her enterprises. ... But, leadership is the process of influencing people and providing an environment for them to achieve the organizational objectives.

What makes a good entrepreneurial leader?
– An entrepreneurial leader is willing to innovate and take risks -- in good times and bad. The business climate is always changing. Being flexible and finding opportunities to launch a new initiative, a new strategy, a new product or service is key to business success. Take good care of yourself and stay curious.

In our sessions today I will cover the following:

• 6 Habits of Effective Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Why does leadership matter for the Entrepreneur?
• 10 Entrepreneurial Leadership Characteristics
• Leadership vs Management 
• 10 Tips for becoming a better leader.

6 Habits of Effective Entrepreneurial LeadershipEveryone knows that you can’t grow a business without a team. Yet too often entrepreneurs and small business owners focus their attention on everything except how they are leading their teams. Entrepreneurs forget that not everyone is like them -- seeing the big picture, knowing where the company is headed, anticipating the next move. I have discovered when working with small business owners that they often overlook the importance of leadership. But leadership is the fuel that sparks business growth. In this article, I focus on the importance of entrepreneurial leadership.

When I think about entrepreneurial leadership, I’m referring to something bigger than simply treating your employees well or motivating them to get the job done. It’s about making a complete change in how you regard your company. Once you view your business through a leadership lens, you will see that the burden of running your business does not fall on you alone. It’s an extremely uplifting and positive framework for entrepreneurship.

Being an effective leader means looking both inward and outward for answers, whether you’re trying to solve a large, general problem like surviving a recession or a smaller, specific one like collecting a debt. You need to have a deep understanding of yourself and what drives you, while at the same time viewing your work as being part of a bigger whole, as a mixture of synergies that involves many other people. You may be the creative force behind your company, but you need other people to make it a success. That’s where entrepreneurial leadership fits in.

Here’s what it takes to be an entrepreneurial leader:

1. Know yourself
2. Have a vision and be able to articulate it
3. Develop employees and help them grow
4. Listen carefully
5. Implement new ideas
6. Take good care of yourself and stay curious.

Why Does Leadership Matter for the Entrepreneur?

If you look at the top reasons start-ups fail, many of them can be traced back to one thing: poor leadership. When I realized this fact, it did not surprise me. Many of the entrepreneurs that I know have never held a formal leadership role before starting their business. 

Additionally, most people do not realize how leadership skills impact almost everything you do when running a business. This is true particularly when running a business with only one official employee, and that employee is you. Entrepreneurship and leadership go hand-in-hand no matter the size of the company.

This is why we will be looking at what leadership is, and why leadership matters for the entrepreneur…..

• What is Leadership?
• Why is leadership important for entrepreneurs?

6 Reasons why Entrepreneurs fail and its leadership impact in business

1. No market need
2. Ran out of cash
3. Not the right team
4. Need/lack of a business model
5. Ignore customers
6. Disharmony of team and/or investors

10 Entrepreneurial Leadership Characteristics
Entrepreneurial leadership involves organizing and motivating a group of people to achieve a common objective through innovation, risk optimization, taking advantage of opportunities, and managing the dynamic organizational environment.

The traditional corporate mindset has its focus on systems and processes, whereas the entrepreneurial style is more risk oriented.
Some of the common entrepreneurial leadership characteristics are as follows:

1. Communication skills
2. Vision
3. Supportive
4. Self belief
5. Shares success
6. Involved
7. Creates an atmosphere conducive to growth
8. Honesty 
9. Perseverance
10. Learning

Leadership vs. Management

While the terms leadership and management are sometimes used interchangeably, this only confuses two distinct but complementary concepts. When author and contemporary thought leader John Baldoni was asked for his view of how leadership and management interact, he responded: "Management is about control. Leadership is about guidance. To run an organization effectively, you need to control operations and systems, and you need to provide guidance to people. Manage by holding administration tightly, but lead by holding the reins of leadership lightly. Management involves putting the right people into the right places with the right resources. Leadership is about turning those right people lose by setting high expectations, providing coaching and acknowledging achievement."
My friend and mentor Christian Simpson has a simple overview of the main difference between Management and Leadership:

• Managers measure people, processes, and performance
• Leaders develop people, processes, and performance

Both management and leadership have essential roles in business success. Management provides structure, stability and organization, while leadership provides the inspiration, influence and atmosphere for creativity, innovation and self-motivation.

"Leadership is providing inspiration and vision, then developing and empowering others to achieve this vision," says author, executive coach and professor Marshall Goldsmith. "Management is successfully supervising the achievement of objectives."
I will talk a little into:

• Teamwork and a common vision
• Can leadership be taught?
• Management and Leadership in today’s world

John Quincy Adams may have said it best: 

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

10 Tips for Becoming a Better LeaderBottom of Form

How would you describe a strong leader? In one study, leadership qualities such as assertiveness, adaptability, intelligence, and conscientiousness were cited as the most important.

Transformational leaders are positive, empowering, and inspiring. They value followers and inspire them to perform better. So what can you do to embrace these valued leadership qualities and become a stronger and more effective leader?

Transformational Leaders are usually described as enthusiastic, passionate, genuine and energetic. These leaders are not just concerned about helping the group achieve its goals; they also care about helping each member of the group reach his or her full potential. 

Consider some of the following 10 tips on how to become a better leader and think about ways that you can implement these strategies in your daily life;

1. Start by Understanding Your Leadership Style 
2. Encourage Creativity 
3. Serve as a Role Model 
4. Be Passionate 
5. Listen and Communicate Effectively 

1. Have a Positive Attitude 
2. Encourage People to Make Contributions 

1. Motivate Your Followers 
2. Offer Rewards and Recognition 
3. Keep Trying New Things 

As you can see, I have covered a lot in this jam packed session and, as Leadership is one of my specialist and favorite subjects, I could talk about that all day long. ☺
(I might not have completed all points in detail but you can always contact me to take it to the next level…and beyond.)

Thank you for downloading my show notes and I hope you will also be able to listen to the podcasts of this show. 
If this was helpful to you, please share it with your friends and anyone who might also benefit from it. ….Leaders support, guide, and lift other leaders!

I hope this has been helpful and wish you a successful entrepreneurial leadership journey. 

Final thought:
They still haven’t found what the human brain is capable off so why do most of us live with self limiting beliefs? Why do so many of us think we can’t do certain things? Why do so many of us already defeat ourselves before we even start something? 
Your goals, your aspirations, your destiny …it’s all waiting for you with open arms.

Connect with us in real time during the show. Look for the pulsating orange question mark in the lower right corner of most pages on our website. Click it to ask questions or share comments about the show. Your questions are important and, Remember, YOU will decide what we cover from next season..

….True On Demand Programming from our IBGR Network

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Next: Episode P1.07.3 Influencing the outcome - The meeting before the meeting

Written by Jan Robberts – Global Influencer
Contact me on: jan.robberts@kileadershipinstitute.com for any questions about how I can be of service to you and your organization.

• Keynote Speaker, Coach, Mentor, Trainer, Facilitator.
• Leadership Solutions Provider
• Values Based Leadership Specialist
• Behavioural Analysis Consultant and trainer

You can also download a free e-book from our Ki Leadership website with successful case studies from some of our international programs and processes.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrobberts/
www.kileadership.com 
www.jrspeakersclub.com

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