Fulfilling the role of leader in a business can be an overwhelming, daunting, and thankless job. Running a business is hard work; it's long hours, the work never truly ends, and you're never off the clock in your own mind. Does this sound like something you can handle? Truth be told, you can handle it. If you find something you're passionate about, you'll find a way to make it work. Here are a couple pieces of advice from leaders all over the world that ring true. Enjoy!
"We want diversity of thought. We want diversity of style. We want people to be themselves.”- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
Encouraging the diversity and uniqueness of your employees will allow them to not only be true to themselves, but to reach their fullest potential at your company. In doing so, your business will benefit from their personal growth. Diversity brings endless opportunity, creativity, and flair to the table.. and it will open endless doors for your business. Embrace it!
"Make your own path."
- Maya Angelou, author, poet, activist
Following the crowd won't get you anywhere new; it'll get you where everyone else has already been. Forage your own path to success by following your instincts, your gut, and the trusted advice of your inner circle of advisors and friends. Let the rest fall by the wayside.
"Don't let fear stop you."
-Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
If every person let fear stop them from doing what they felt compelled to do, imagine what the world would be like. Running a business is all about taking risks; calculated risks, of course, but risks just the same. Feel the fear, but do it anyway. Which leads us to my next point...
"Don't waste energy on your so-called failures."
- Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group
I always tell my team, "You didn't fail. You either won or you learned something." If you make a mistake, acknowledge it, embrace the lesson, and move on. Getting hung up on your mistakes or your shortcomings won't promote growth in your business or show your employees that it's okay to fail, either. Don't forget that they'll be watching the moves you make, and how you react to success and failure.
"See opportunities, not obstacles."- Bert Jacobs, co-founder of Life is Good
Leading a team and running a business is all about perspective. The roadblocks and obstacles in your way can be easily alleviated by a change of perspective, a shift in your team's attitude, and a little bit of encouragement. We run into challenges every day at Ytel that can be frustrating and overwhelming. It takes the team to sync up and find a solution. And just like that, BOOM! An obstacle turned opportunity, specifically to make a customer happy.
