What is Your Small Business Leadership Edge?

Do You Have a Small Business Leadership Edge?

As a leader, you have (or need to grow) your expertise in managing teams and your business. We want you to focus on, develop and become known for your small business leadership edge. It's that special skill that helps you lead, effectively manage and still build a successful business. 

One of my clients, Sam, is extremely effective at establishing business systems and finding experts for key areas of his business. His small business leadership edge is his ability to create or leverage automated systems that help him grow and expand no matter what people resources come in or out of his business.

For you to get a good hold of what your edge is, you must first understand the difference between leaders and managers. 

People often confuse the terms leadership and management as if they are the same, but they are not. However, there are definitely areas where both roles overlap.

A manager focuses on how you do things:  

• Planning and budgeting
• Organizing and staffing
• Coaches and develops teams
• Controlling and problem solving
• Holds people accountable and leads by example
• Helps connect employees' day-to-day activities with the big picture

Whereas a successful leader focuses on:  

• Establishing the strategic direction of organization and high-level strategies
• Empowers and motivates their people
• Establishes the business model to take care of the people, profits and the business
• Aligns people to move in the same direction
• Effectively communicates and collaborates
• Creates and demonstrates the vision, mission, values

Sometimes you’ll find effective managers that are also leaders and there are also great leaders that are NOT good managers. As a small business owner, we must learn to do both.