SubscribeSMALL BUSINESS LEADER January 2009
Small Business Leader
Marian Banker, MBA, Business Leadership Coach, and creator of the Business Success System.
"Are You a Prepared to Lead?" ISSUE #112
January 2009
Note from Marian
Hope your holidays were wonderful. One of the highlights for me was taking a tour of the holiday windows in midtown Manhattan. It's like peering into a fantasy-land; a momentary escape from the crowded street and the pace of the City.
Holidays
Now it's time to get back to work helping you stay connected and informed and keeping you on track toward a successful 2009.
The first Brain Exchange Roundtable, http://primestrategies.com/bxrt-1-20-08, of the year meets on January 20th. Our guest expert is Laura Allen, America's pitch guru. We'll be talking about "What's Next After the Pitch?" Join us if you can.
And, of course, we're on our last few weeks of preparation for the Fourth Annual Small Business Summit 2009 taking place on February 3rd. Our fantastic Summit team has put together another exciting and high-energy day for you. Be sure to register before the early bird discount expires on January 23rd, http://smallbiztechsummit.com.
The January article, "Are You Prepared to Lead?" makes sure you are ready for your leadership role which is going to be more important than ever this year. It may be time to brush up on those leadership skills so you stay in command of your business.
On Friday, January 23rd, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. I'm offering 2 hours of Open Coaching (at no charge) to make myself available to anyone who has business questions or wants help right now. I have 4 half-hour sessions available. Drop me an e-mail and I'll get you on the calendar. If that timeframe doesn't fit your schedule, let me know and we'll work something out. I really want to see you succeed in 2009.
To your success,
marian's signature
Marian Banker
Publisher
Small Business Leader
One Page MarketingOne Page Marketing Plan
Everything you need to create a Marketing Plan specific and timely to your business. You'll be amazed at how easy it is when you know the exact steps to follow. It's more than an e-book; it's a "system"; based on the same take command principles used in all the Business Success System materials.
Read more...
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Success Tip
Continually encourage and praise the people who work for you. The better you make people feel about themselves and their work, the more empowered they will feel and the more committed they will be to your company. (Quote from Brian Tracy)
Events
BRAIN EXCHANGE ROUNDTABLE
Topic: "What's Next After the Pitch?"
Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. EST
Location: City Space Suites at 817 Broadway, New York City.
The Roundtable is a great format for gaining new ideas, new resources and new connections. This month's guest expert is America's pitch guru, Laura Allen, who will share her wisdom on how to follow up and make the sale...after the pitch.
At the Roundtable you'll have the opportunity to interact with Laura and all members. Questions comments and contributions are encouraged.
Reserve your seat now.
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Small Business Summit 2009
Join us for the Fourth Annual Small Business Summit, produced by Prime Strategies and SmallBizTechnology.com. Once again, you'll be coming together with your peers in the small business community to learn, share and connect. This year's theme is "Business & Technology: How to Find and Keep Customers for Life."
Small Business Summit 2009 is a great place to meet potential customers for life. Early bird discount ends January 23rd. Register now! http://smallbiztechsummit.com
Feature Article
Are You a Prepared to Lead?
By Marian Banker
LeaderTo lead is a verb. It implies action. The leader acts, the follower reacts. The leader is the one who steps out in front and says "Follow me; I know a better way." If he's convincing or trusted, those who relate to the message will follow.
There are those who say leadership can be learned -- and I definitely agree with that. There are, however, natural strengths and talents within each of us which are not the result of learning.
If given the opportunity to make our choices without outside influence, we'll select certain activities on which to spend our time and dedicate our undivided, disciplined attention for long periods just for the pleasure of the experience. These are the points from which we can learn to lead. This is where we really are the experts and where we do have something to offer.
Leading from our strengths and passions is the soundest foundation upon which to build a business. It's extremely valuable to be able to call upon these personal qualities for a level of credibility that can't be achieved from anything that we've learned externally.
Abilities and passions are usually closely linked and very personal. Take a look at your business vision. Can you identify these elements? If not, it may be time to review your strengths, talents and passions and pull key elements into your vision.
As an entrepreneur, you already have the innate qualities of a leader. You're an idea person, willing to be different and stand out from the pack. Make sure you're working in an area you feel passionate about. Would you do this work even if you didn't get paid for it? Do you feel so strongly about your vision that you're willing to withstand rejection, criticism, isolation and even failure? That's passion -- and a good indicator you're prepared to lead. Intimes of crisis, the leader will find a way.
As for the leadership skills that can be learned, they're the refinement of the personal raw material you bring to the table. Following are some of the key leadership skills to learn.
Planning
To reach sustained profitability you're going to have to "lead" your business to that place. That means being proactive in every decision you make. Rather than just responding to situations as they come up, you have a frame of reference against which to make decisions. That frame of reference is your strategic and business plan which was created based on your personal vision for your business. Learning to translate your vision into strategy is the first step.
Communication
Learn to articulate your vision and passion in a way that attracts the support you need to reach your goals. This includes attracting both internal (staff) and external (advisors, affiliates and suppliers) team members. And by learning to listen and care about your team members as people, you open the door for personal satisfaction as well as bottom line satisfaction.
Delegation
It's hard for many entrepreneurs to delegate. Learn to delegate by setting up job descriptions from the very beginning for the business you want to grow into. At first, you'll wear all the hats, but as the business grows, you'll relinquish hats one by one. It's critical that you communicate your vision and plans to anyone who comes on board and make sure they understand your expectations. I know there's no one else in the world that can do the job exactly like you, but given clear guidelines and your encouragement, they'll get the job done.
Mentoring
Through careful selection and a plan you can cultivate your values and work habits in your employees. Remember, you're a role model and they'll likely follow what you do before they'll follow what you say. Look for the strengths and passions in each of them and encourage them to use these for mutual benefit.
Money Management
Although it's the last item on this list, it's probably the most important. If you're not in control of your income and expenses, your business is running you, not you running it. There are two keys to money management -- information and decision-making. Learning how to gather, collate and understand your business numbers is a first step in building a fit business. When you have current accurate information and understand what the numbers mean, you can use that information to make both short-term and long-term decisions. You're in control. Any problem that develops can be nipped early before it becomes a crisis.
Leadership is a process -- not an outcome. It can be scary; it can be fun. It encompasses learning from both success and failure, but it always implies being accountable. It also means being willing to stand alone, if and when necessary -- in those times when only the vision remains.
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Want to shore up the foundation of your business to assure it continues to thrive in these difficult times? The Business Success System Course, http://primestrategies.com/business-success-system , is the self-study version of the system I use with all my private clients. It puts you in command of your business right away. If you're looking for an effective tool that's a fraction of individual work, this is a perfect option.
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Success Tip
To increase the efficiency of any meeting, create an agenda that lists priorities in descending order of urgency. That way if you run short of time or become caught up in discussion of a priority you will at least have covered the most important points.
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About The Publisher & Feedback
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
Marian Banker has been publishing Small Business Leader since January, 1999. Her focus is on bringing to the busy entrepreneur a quick look into the current world of small business from the perspective she's gained through coaching, consulting and training entrepreneurs in both service and product based businesses.
Marian offers individual coaching, business support groups, seminars and workshops on topics of critical interest to small business owners. Her monthly Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable has proven to be a popular way for business owners to come together around a specific business topic without leaving their office. See notice about this month's topic in the content above.
To learn more about her services, visit http://primestrategies.com.
FEEDBACK:
Your feedback is always appreciated. Please write to marian@primestrategies.com.
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