As you begin to grow your business, you must learn what it takes to become a Growth Leader. From our experience, there are many things leaders need to do to manage and inspire their team. If your focus is on growth, we believe there are four traits you must possess and concentrate on enhancing. These are the four key elements that make up a Growth Leader:
- Growth-driven mindset: The first and maybe most crucial element to becoming a Growth Leader is to have a growth mindset. Different leaders want different things. Some want a lifestyle business; others want to be the best at their craft. A Growth Leader, though, has the drive to figure out better ways to permanently scale a business.
- Data-driven decision-making: A CEO must be pragmatic, that is, to make decisions based on available data and not get swayed based on pet projects, emotions, or nostalgia. Many professionals often have a hard time moving on from shrinking industries, pet projects that are not going anywhere, or antiquated practices. While growing your business, it is crucial to use objective data and allocate the areas that will have the most significant impact.
- Scalable teams: A challenge we often see are leaders who struggle to clearly define roles for their team and get too involved in everyone’s job. If you currently undergo this challenge and want to be a Growth Leader, we will help teach you how to properly define each team member’s roles and empower them to do their job efficiently. Effectively defining roles is a requirement to scale and take your business to the next level.
- Candid feedback / Tough decisions: It is incredibly simple to let employees know that they are doing a great job, but in general, it is challenging to provide feedback that one does not want to hear. It is even more challenging to have to make the tough decision of letting them go. The reality, though, is that if you are going to put together a high-performing team, a Growth Leader needs to be able to give constructive advice and clearly provide each individual a defined role.
If you continually work on getting better at these four attributes, you will position yourself as a Growth Leader and be able to continuously expand your business.