Leadership in a Home Based Business - Are You Changing?

Leadership styles in a home based business must challenge the status quo. Leaders should be on the look-out to see if ourselves or others on our team are doing the right things, and if those things can be accomplished by better or smarter techniques.

One must not hesitate to innovate and change with the times and the varying formations. The leader who stands still is not progressing, and he will not remain a leader for long. Vince Lombardi

Leadership demonstrated in todays world may not be dealing with the varying formations of the 11 players on a football field, but leaders certainly are dealing with change. Technology ideas of yesterday, are implemented today, and by tomorrow are replaced by something even faster, smaller or with additional capabilities. With the changes in technology, communication and the access to information has changed just as dramatically. At the traditional work place, consider how a senior member of a staff typically looks at his/her work, as compared to a high school or college age individual. In the past, an individual may have worked their entire life for a company, or changed jobs only a couple of times. With these and other changes in our world today, why do some individuals refuse to change their methods or their attitude towards leading others?

In a home based business, or in a traditional business, effective leadership can no longer be simply duplicating the steps or approaches which have worked in the past. We all know of someone who insists on a leadership style which is now less than effective, yet they continue down the same path day after day. In a home-based business your leader may say you just need to talk to more people to get more nos, which will then lead to more yess; or, just follow these steps, and it will also work for you. While there is validity in learning from the past, one must not get stuck there and ignore the changes around us.

The leader of today must see reality as it exists, not as it used to be or as one desires it to be. Having accomplished that, the leader must put into action the appropriate response.

Having said this, understand this is not always the easiest thing to do. When using and applying valuable past experiences, many leaders cling tightly to what works. In their desire to access current situations and determine any changes necessary, it is easy to fall into the trap of reverting back to what worked last time. To be successful, a leader must remove the blinders that screen out the things they may not want to see and recognize the need to change. In some cases, this may include acknowledging their own shortcomings and accepting the need for change.

Leadership in changing times involves self-examination. Socrates said Know thyself, but he didnt provide the direction to accomplish this task. As we are all different and complex individuals, it is never easy for leaders to know themselves. We must look at our motivation, the outside influences and pressures which we work under, and our conditioned habits of thought and action each as a means to better understand ourselves.

As we better understand ourselves, an objective review of the processes or the means of accomplishing our tasks must be made. The thinking if it aint broke, dont fix it must go! Over time, most things require minor adjustments. Have you ever driven down a seemingly straight road and kept the steering wheel in the same position  you cant go very far without either turning the steering wheel or going into the ditch. In some cases, an entire process must be changed to meet the current environment.

Our clientele as well as their wants and desires need to be included in the equation. After all, for those of us in a product or service-type business  leadership in a home based business includes understanding the mind of the customer and adjusting as necessary to meet their needs. Through their actions, or lack of, and through the comments and feedback provided, we must listen and observe what our customers are telling us.

Acknowledging and understanding the external influences of the world today are another step in seeing reality. As gas prices continue to increase, as more people find themselves outsourced or laid-off, and as individuals become more accustomed to the Internet, these and other factors impact how business is transacted. To stay in the game, we must be open to change.

I have over-simplified the evaluation process identified above. Yet, the steps listed are ones to be included in the assessment of the reality impacting your leadership style. Leadership today, more than ever, requires flexibility in your thinking and actions, and awareness of what is going on around us. For your home-based business to survive and to succeed in the future, a changing leadership style will be necessary.

Neil Graber

Neil Graber, Life Style Mentor and Successful Entrepreneur, is helping many become the next success story. Whether you're looking to create an extra few thousand dollars per month, be an ex-corporate executive, or the next millionaire Mom, Neil can assist you to create a second stream of income and greater peace of mind. visit : Success