What People Look for in Great Leaders

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great leadersLeadership is a popular topic of discussion and analysis in business books, and at seminars, and conferences. As a business owner, focusing on improving your leadership style and delivery is important, but it’s helpful to look first at what people are actually looking for in great leaders.

In a recent post on LinkedInToday, Marillyn Hewson, chairman and CEO at Lockheed Martin, does just that, looking at the leadership classroom of the U.S. Military to see what characteristics of leadership they find most important, especially during times of change and uncertainty.

Quoting Tom Rath and Barry Conchie’s 2008 book “Strengths Based Leadership,” Hewson calls out four things that individuals expect from great leaders: Stability, trust, compassion, and hope. Read more

The Key to Success: Three Ways to Provide Value to Your Network

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key to successAs business leaders and their staff become increasingly active on social media for professional networking or personal connections, providing value to those in your network is as important a key to success as making the initial contact.

Social media provides us with opportunities to connect with future business partners, visionaries in their industry, and prospective customers, but building a supportive and beneficial network takes time and effort.

In a recent post on entrepreneur.com, Lewis Howes, co-author of LinkedWorking and the creator of the LinkedInfluence training program, lays out three ways business leaders can provide value to their personal and professional networks. In time, those personal and professional connections will recognize you as a resource and connector. Read more

Ethics: Seven Signs You’re Not as Ethical as You Think

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ethicsBusiness leaders often pride themselves on their ethics, but it’s common for people to evaluate their own ethical standards a bit more leniently compared to others.

In a recent Inc.com post, Mandy Zetlin interviews Mark Pastin, CEO of the Council of Ethical Organizations, for his insights on ethics in business.

Pastin notes that most people are too forgiving when considering their own ethics. “It’s one of the home fields for self-deception.” This can be particularly problematic for small business owners, who are often judged by the value of their character to a greater amount than larger organizations.

To help leaders evaluate their commitment to business ethics, Pastin poses seven questions. Read more

Four Things Highly Persuasive People Do

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persuasive peopleAs a business leader, mastering the art of persuasion is a valuable skill. Whether in the boardroom, a sales presentation, or a company-wide staff meeting, winning over an audience is a feeling of accomplishment.

In a recent Inc.com post, Sims Wyeth, author of The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking, identifies four principles employed by persuasive people to win over their audiences. Read more

Five Ways to Grow Your Business without Adding Resources

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grow your businessAs a business leader, you know and understand the value of doing more with less: Focusing on productivity and efficiency, while keeping costs down and profits up.

In a recent post, Gregory Kennedy, vice president of marketing at Tapsense and Entrepreneur contributor, provides five tips to help you grow your businesses without piling on additional resources. Read more

Telecommuting: Four Tips for Managing a Remote Team

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telecommutingAs more and more organizations shift to telecommuting, business leaders need to learn new ways of managing remote teams.

In a recent Inc.com post, Laura Montini interviews Ryan Holiday, founder of marketing agency Brass Check, to get his insights into making the virtual office environment work for your business.

Over the past three years, Holiday has hired remote employees in at least five different states. He has himself lived in four different cities in that same time period, and business is booming. Read more