Words / Matthew Jones – CUBE CONSULTING for Landscape Contractor Magazine
In the last edition, we discussed the steps and processes regarding how business leaders can build a champion team in 2016. We’re now going to dig deeper and discuss how you must build your team’s confidence in your leadership ability. It’s one thing having a great team on board, but it’s another to actually have the team inspired and operating at a consistently high level.
Great leadership comes from the confidence gained through having a clear vision and the unwavering belief that the vision will be achieved.
Great leaders confidently communicate their belief and vision at every opportunity, inspiring their team to perform at a high level every day.
Cube Consulting uses the following steps to transform timid business owners into confident and successful leaders:
Vision
You cannot lead if you do not have a vision. What is your vision? What is your long-term goal for your business? Think about what would inspire you to get excited about your business; for example become the known expert and/or supplier in your chosen professional field. Put simply, your vision must inspire and excite both you and your team to strive for improvement on a daily basis. Great teams want to be challenged in order to achieve great things. Your vision is most likely not on display if people do not question it.
Purpose
Your purpose is what gets you and your team out of bed every morning.
Your purpose provides your team with a clear understanding of why their role is important. Having a purpose is providing your customers with peace of mind or delivering the best solutions. Having a purpose focuses your team on what’s important. It goes beyond just getting the job done. It reinforces why your ideal customers choose you over your competitors. As the leader, you must clearly define and communicate your purpose to all team members, clients and partners.
Values
You and your team must operate within clearly defined boundaries in order to achieve your vision and deliver on your purpose. These relate to your non-negotiable values that clearly demonstrate the ‘way we do it here’. Your values are the heartbeat of your business and they dictate the required behaviours on a day-to-day basis.
Values such as always accept responsibility and always look for solutions provides the business leader with the structure to effectively manage individual and team performance. To achieve ‘buy-in’ from your team, ask for input when developing your values.
How to become a great leader:
As a business leader your aim is not to do business with everyone – your aim is to do business with people (team, clients and partners) who believe what you believe. Implement the following to build your confidence in order to become a great leader:
- Define your VISION – where do you want to go?
- Define your PURPOSE – why you do what you do?
- Develop your VALUES – the way we do it here
- Communicate this DAILY – practice, practice, practice
- Get excited about your business
Matthew Jones is the Managing Director of Cube Consulting Group. Matt coaches, mentors and presents to thousands of business owners annually in how to grow a business that delivers desired profit and lifestyle. To make a positive change today, email matt@cubeconsultinggroup.com.au or visit www.cubeconsultinggroup.com.au