As you're running your business on a day-to-day basis (yes including all the dirty work, meetings, client calls, hassles, heartaches and headaches) do you ever stop and wonder if there's an easier way? Does the thought occur to you - as it has to me oh so many times - that this whole work and business thing should simply NOT be this hard.
Finally, has it occurred to you to ask the key question, "How can I make it easier on my team - my customers - and myself?"
Animals can teach humans so much if we simply observe. Take a flock of geese for example.
The small business smarts of geese:
1. They fly in a V-Shape formation for a reason. It reduces wind resistance by 67%.
2. They all honk for the leader but they are always changing out the leader so that the leader can rest & they honk just as loudly for the next leader in line.
3. When one of the geese gets shot down, another goose will stay with him until he dies or until he is able to fly and rejoin the group.
Ponder these questions about the small business leadership lessons of geese:
1. In our workplace, do we work to reduce resistance within our team and "fly in formation" -- or do we create unnecessary resistance with our colleagues and customers?
2. Are you a "honker" - an encourager, team advocate and a builder of people?
3. Are you taking steps to ensure everyone on your team is ready to excel in leadership roles as needed?
4. When one of your team members is having a bad day or is "shot down," do you help them until they can "fly again"?
Remember, when it comes to being a leader you should always value the opinions of your team and followers. All successful leaders put in hard work and long hours more so than everybody else because they have a greater calling i.e. a responsibility to make sure everyone is on the right path and working towards goal achievement. Individual goals take a backseat in relevance with the goals of the team because it is only through teamwork i.e. cooperation and co-ordination can organizational goals be achieved. A leader never slacks off. Leaders never make excuses not to do a work or for not having to fulfill an objective. Leaders take full responsibility of whatever they direct their teams to do and however they plan to carry out tasks for goal achievement.
Apply these small business smarts of geese to help you achieve your leadership goals in your business.
Marvin is a left-handed, right-brained, intense, fun-loving, full blooded Cajun Man. He was an insurance agent for 18 years in St. Bernard Parish, a town of 70,000 people. All 27,000 homes were damaged in Hurricane Katrina. His life would never be the same and he's all the better for it. Marvin focuses NOT on Surviving the STORM, but learning how to DANCE in the rain. http://www.marvinleblanc.com/
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