There’s no doubt that a business’ leader determines how high that business rises. If a leader changes, the business outcomes also change. This December, we’ll explore the aspects of leadership that help you further the skills required to propel your WISP to greater heights in 2019.
This first article examines the three basic types of business leaders and how to overcome the obstacles that are inherent in managing an organization:
- The Dabbler
- The Stressor
- The Master
You don’t need a psychic to tell you that you want to become a master. The good news is, as an owner or operator, you’ve already shown master-level skills if you’ve achieved any level of WISP success. But, there could be dabbler or stressor traits that you need to banish in order to reach the next level in 2019.
The Dabbler
If you’re a true dabbler, you learn and start things fast. Because your strength is learning, you’ll be successful early.
But, when the rewards aren’t coming as fast as they once were, your organization reaches a plateau. If it’s too difficult to get past the plateau, a true dabbler will quit and do something else.
The key to getting over damaging dabbler traits is to work past the plateau and focus on reaching your goal. Instead of walking away, dig in and find solutions.
The Stressor
If you’re a stressor, you’re not afraid of a hard work, but you don’t recognize plateaus and obstacles as part of the business process. You muscle your way through obstacles, driving you and your staff hard.
Stressors are so agitated that when they get past plateaus and obstacles, they can’t enjoy it — and neither can employees. In fact, if you’re a stressor who is involved in day-to-day operations, you could have a staff turnover problem.
Recognize yourself in this description? It’s half the battle. Instead of driving yourself to distraction when you’re facing difficulty, reach out for help. Recognize that stress can actually delay your business break-through and you’ll not enjoy it when you get to your goal.
The Master
Unlike the other types of WISP leadership, when you’re a master, you expect plateaus and problems — it’s just the way business works. Instead of stressing your way through them or walking away, you seek the path that takes you where you want to go — and you’re not afraid to ask for help.
Find a mentor or teacher who has been through the WISP success journey and is willing to share their knowledge.
The value of belonging to an organization like WISPA or getting involved in social platforms, like WISP Talk can put you in touch with many mentors. You’ll rub elbows with masters who are willing to share what they know — and, it beats the heck out of learning by trial and error.
In the next article, we’ll look deeper into the traits that make a great leader and how to get there; hint: decisiveness plays a big role.
Thank you to Xan Griffin at Unsplash.com for providing the photo for this article.
