Self-proclaimed “leaders” are everywhere. You can hardly read a Twitter bio or article byline without meeting the phrase, “So-and-so is a leader in his industry.” If that’s the case, why haven’t I heard of them before? The more obscure the entrepreneur, the fiercer their apparent desire to be recognized as a leader; but talk alone is not going to put you at the front of the pack. Let’s discuss some ways that you can gain a leader’s reputation because of the quality business you conduct, rather than what you say about yourself.
Listen to Your Employees
To be a leader, you have to have followers; in managing your company, your followers are your employees. You have to become a pro at leading them before you’re ready to be a “leader in your industry.” This means establishing yourself as an authority — something you can only do by learning to listen to the people you lead.
Nobody wants to work for a boss who would rather listen to himself than to his employees. For your business to really improve, your employees must feel free to come to you with concerns or suggestions for improvement. This doesn’t mean that you have to agree; but you should seriously consider what they say—there will often be some hidden wisdom in their observations that wouldn’t have occurred to you. Only allowing your subordinates to approach you on your terms and staring down anyone that dares to question you is sure to make your employee turnover outrun your profits. Employees want to be heard, and to feel that they have ownership over the quality of their work. The more of a voice you give them, the better work they’re going to do.
Investing in your company starts with investing in your employees, so train yourself to be a good listener. Start by asking yourself questions like these:
- Am I listening to understand this person’s point of view, or to correct them with my superior viewpoint? If your employee thinks that you should start offering more varieties of car magnets and you simply state that it is expensive or not worth the effort, you’re not encouraging your employee’s perspective.
- Does this person have my full attention right now? You may be stressed by an upcoming meeting, but your employee has the floor.
- Do they seem uncomfortable whenever I bring up a certain topic? How can I draw them out on it? (Hint: By letting them know that whatever they say, they will be heard.)
- Do I reward employees for giving me honest feedback by actually implementing it? If your employees think work will be more productive by their suggestion, it is worth a try!
- Do I encourage them to keep talking with my friendly posture and facial expression? Check your body language by watching yourself in a mirror. If you’re uncomfortable, there is a good chance your employees are too.
- Am I making a note of any important points they make, so that I can do something about these later? Even small details and suggestions can lead to great business decisions.
Don’t forget that leading well starts with listening well. When your employees see that you care about what they have to say, they’ll start caring more about what you have to say.
Listen to Your Customers
A business full of happy workers is great — but if none of you are in touch with what your customers want, your “outstanding” company culture won’t do you much good. Fortunately, your act of listening to your employees trains them, by your example, to listen to the consumer. It also teaches them to be sympathetic to other people’s needs — a well-liked customer and client service trait. The more of you that are in touch with public desires and concerns, the better it is for your business in the long-run.
As with employees, the key to happy customers is letting them be heard — and making sure they know it. People are always more likely to come back to a business where they feel they have a valid voice. When they post a negative review of your service, find out how they want you to fix the problem specifically. Retrain the employee at fault if it was a customer service issue, or consider a refund if they felt that the quality of your product was not up to your usual standards. If a patron comes up with a great idea to improve your interior design, service flow, or other aspect of your business, let them know when you implement it. Incorporating customer feedback is not just a way to look nice in the eyes of potential clients and future customers; it has been known to refresh stagnating companies.
Beyond this, really get to know your clients. They have current and future needs that you will be better able to meet if you learn to anticipate them. When they ask you why you do something a certain way or express their concerns, hear the question behind the question — they may be revealing a pain point that you can relieve. Experiences drive purchases, so make their every experience with you one that they enjoy.
That being said, don’t obsess over your customer feedback. If you stick to giving them only what they ask for, you’ll never unveil the fresh ideas that you can bring to your industry. Sometimes you have to hear their needs, then surprise them with something better.
Listen to the Industry
Staying informed on industry trends is an expansion of listening to your customers. Your own patrons will tell you what they specifically want from you. The public will tell you, through buying patterns and popular Kickstarter projects, what they want from your sector.
Through industry phenomena, learn to see what your patrons want before they even have to ask. There are many media dedicated to keeping you informed on what’s happening in your field, information that will often save you time and money because you prepared for change early. Being observant also helps you to see what new strategies are making your competitors successful, and how you can give these your own unique touch.
Being a leader becomes easier than it looks once you make time to listen. As the fictional band director, Dr. Lee, told hotshot drummer Devon in Drumline, “You have to learn to follow before you can lead.”