The Modern Leader: Think Big, Be Bold, and Build a Thriving Team
Leadership is a word thrown around so often it can lose its meaning. But in today's world, facing complex global challenges, we need a new breed of leader – the entrepreneurial leader. These are individuals with a growth mindset, constantly learning and seeking improvement. They embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and adapt, transforming stumbles into stepping stones.
This growth mindset extends beyond technical skills. Think of it as a desire to constantly evolve, both personally and professionally. It fuels the desire to learn new skills, explore different disciplines, and maybe even dabble in a new instrument or a challenging sport. Open-mindedness is a key companion to this journey, fostering curiosity about the world and a willingness to seek feedback for continuous improvement.
Remember: We humans are adaptable by nature. We're wired to reinvent ourselves and the world around us. Embrace this strength! As a leader, especially a startup founder, the road ahead will be paved with challenges.
Here are a few leadership hacks to keep you resilient:
Humility is Your Crown: Accept that you are like everyone else and that you don't have all the answers. Every person you meet holds a potential nugget of wisdom. Listen, learn, and find your own path while gleaning from the experiences of others.
Vision & Inspiration: As a leader, you're the architect of your company's future. Craft a compelling vision and share it regularly with your team. Keep them informed about competitor movements, but let your own goals be the driving force.
Empowerment Over Micromanagement: Facilitate open communication, bring talented minds together, and then step back. Your job is to set the strategic direction and create opportunities for your team to excel, not to micromanage and create confusion.
Leadership is a Choice: Not every founder needs to be the CEO. If your passion lies in product development, that's where you should shine. Leadership comes in many forms; choose the one that aligns best with your strengths and the company's needs.
Leadership Styles Matter: The impact of your leadership style is undeniable. Modern leaders create a shared vision, ensuring everyone understands the goals and how to achieve them. This requires clarity, support, trust, and collaboration, not dictatorship or manipulation.
Failure is a Stepping Stone: Failure, when embraced as a learning experience, is a catalyst for creativity and innovation. Therefore, allow your team to experiment, explore, and, yes, even fail. Empower them to take notes and provide them with opportunities for growth and development.
Lead by Example: Embrace self-awareness and a growth mindset. But most importantly, keep your ego in check. Leadership is about serving others, not self-aggrandizement. Remember the saying, "People won't remember what you say, but they'll always remember how you make them feel."
Consider the example of Bumble, a dating app that made a bold statement in 2021 when Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd temporarily closed all offices for a week, encouraging employees to switch off and focus on themselves with a paid vacation. This novel move exemplifies human-centered leadership, demonstrating to employees that they were valued as individuals rather than cogs in the machine.
So, thrive to become an effective leader. Think big, be bold, and build a thriving team around you. Are you ready to step up and lead the way? Check out “Culture Up” by Mareike Mutzberg and Margareta Sailer.
“Culture Up” is an amazing and ideal business management and leadership guide that will help you attain a healthy work environment and organizational culture. With practical tips, strategies, many real-life stories, and expert guidance, this book will help you, your startup or your company to inherit shared values and goals that will contribute to a strong and productive team and overall company culture, leading to a successful endeavor that strives not only to survive but also to thrive.
