Successful business owners shine at most aspects of operating their business. Usually they’re great at planning, or marketing, or creative thinking or crunching numbers, or knowing just how to satisfy customers. But when it comes to leading, managing and motivating others involved in the business, whether employees, outside sales reps or key partners, they sometimes fall short.
One reason is widespread confusion about the difference between “managing” and “leading.” Leadership experts say they are two very different roles, even though most small business owners consider them the same.
“Managing” implies structure, control, rules, deadlines and efficiency, says Ken Blanchard, best-selling author of The One Minute Manager. But according to Blanchard, “leadership” is nearly the opposite of “management.” Leading requires actions that are more experimental, unstructured, visionary, flexible and passionate. Managers and leaders think and behave differently.
Blanchard and his partner Drea Zigarmi spent seven years studying how business leaders exert influence and how their values, beliefs and personalities contribute to their success — or failure. Through it all, one finding was clear: A one-size-fits-all style of leadership does not exist.
Owning a business automatically puts you in a position of leadership. Your goal is to engage employees, partners, vendors, investors, independent contractors or other participants in your venture in a course of action that helps achieve a mutually shared vision. But being in a leadership position does not necessarily make you a leader.
Many entrepreneurs turn to management techniques to enlist the minds and muscles of the people they lead, but fail to capture an equally important component — their hearts.
If you merely work to focus activities of followers and fail to engage them in a purpose, you won’t likely be seen as a good leader.
“The first step to becoming a better leader is to study yourself and get honest, unfiltered feedback about how you are doing from the people you lead,” says Blanchard. “You cannot effectively lead if you do not know your own values.”
Try combining direction with support. Direction includes setting goals, scheduling, specifying priorities, evaluating results, defining roles and showing how results are to be accomplished. Support includes listening, praising and encouraging, seeking input, sharing information, offering reasons for decisions and helping others to solve problems.
For more leadership ideas, contact SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business.” SCORE is a nonprofit organization of more than 10,500 volunteer business counselors who provide free, confidential business counseling and training workshops to small business owners. Call (812) 231-6763 for the SCORE chapter in Terre Haute or find a counselor online at www.score.org.
Business
Develop leadership skills to secure small business
- Business
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Leslie leaving Terre Haute Chamber
The Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce today notified members that Rachel Leslie, Chamber executive vice president, has accepted a position as director of advancement operations for St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.
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Toyota to increase Highlander output in Indiana
Toyota will increase production of the Highlander mid-size SUV in late 2013 at the company’s Princeton, Indiana plant. Hybrid and export versions will be included. The project is expected to create about 400 new jobs at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana Inc.
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AT&T expands mobile broadband network
AT&T has expanded its mobile broadband network in several southwest Indiana communities, extending access for advanced mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content to customers in the area.
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ON THE MOVE: Feb. 5, 2012
• Debbie Dillow
• Vani Manyam
• Shabaz Gill
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Nominate someone for HR Professional of the Year
Nominations are currently being sought for the 2012 Ogletree Deakins/HR Dimensions Human Resources Professional of the Year.
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Time Warner offers new levels of Internet service
Time Warner Cable is expanding the next generation of Internet service to customers across the Midwest using DOCSIS 3 equipment and its advanced fiber network.
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NEWSMAKERS: Feb. 5, 2012
Irving Haber at 1818 N. Third St. in Terre Haute announces that he is the first physician in the Wabash Valley to offer on-site digital imaging with the new Sonosite Sonogram machine.
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First Financial Corp. reports 2011 results
First Financial Corporation announced results for the year and the quarter ended Dec. 31.
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Terre Haute Chevrolet to incorporate new GM image elements
Terre Haute Chevrolet, a division of the Romain Automotive Group of Evansville, has announced a new look coming to the dealership in 2012.
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SOCIAL SECURITY: Social Security FAQ on disability
Question: I applied for disability benefits three months ago and still haven’t received an answer. How long does it take to get a decision?
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MORTON MARCUS: State government increasingly decides how we live in our cities
The ongoing trend in state-local government relations in Indiana is increasing paternalism.
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Innovative Staff Solutions offers job openings
Innovative Staff Solutions has more than 180 positions open and available right now.
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Free career advancement workshop scheduled
University of Illinois Extension is hosting a free career advancement workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 23 in Marshall.
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Verizon Wireless invests $159 million in Indiana
Verizon Wireless has invested $159 million in 2011 to enhance its network in Indiana, which includes the expansion of 4G LTE to 23 Hoosier cities, 10 major universities and four professional sporting venues.
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Rose-Hulman Winter Career Fair experiences 37 percent gain in company attendance
The good times have returned for college job seekers in such technical fields as engineering and computer science.
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Gordon Chiropractic celebrates grand opening of new location
The Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Gordon Chiropractic Family Health and Wellness celebrated the grand opening of its new location on Feb. 4.
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Magnolia gives in on rezoning
A potential $20-million investment in Terre Haute’s east side has been blocked by public opposition.
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Magnolia drops retirement complex plans for Ohio Boulevard
The company that had been hoping to build a new senior living complex along Ohio Boulevard has canceled its plans.
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Pfizer recalls 1M birth control packs after mix-up
Birth control pills are known to be nearly 100 percent effective when taken properly, but a recall of the drugs could send a shudder through women of childbearing age.
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Status update: Facebook to go public, raise $5B
Facebook made a much-anticipated status update Wednesday: The Internet social network is going public in a stock offering that could value it at as much as $100 billion, eight years after its computer-hacking CEO Mark Zuckerberg started the service at Harvard University.
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Greene County General Hospital announces expansion, renovations
Construction is expected to start in early spring on a new $6.5 million expansion-renovation of the Greene County General Hospital.
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Ethics in business: SmartMoney magazine editor to speak at ISU
James B. Stewart, author and editor-at-large of SmartMoney magazine, will take the stage Feb. 2 in Indiana State University’s Tilson Auditorium in conjunction with the University Speakers Series.
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Meeting to discuss Internet development
The University of Illinois Extension, Illinois Century Network and Broadband Illinois are hosting a meeting to discuss high speed Internet development at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Edgar County Extension office, 210 W. Washington St., in Paris.
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Local foods workshop planned
Ready, Set, GROW!
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SOCIAL SECURITY: Earn (and keep) more Social Security money
You probably already know that there was an increase in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income monthly payments at the beginning of the year.
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Hospital nurse anesthetists celebrate 150 years
Paris Community Hospital/Family Medical Center recognized the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist profession by celebrating the 13th annual National Nurse Anesthetists Week, Jan. 22-28, with this year’s theme of “Quality and Excellence in Anesthesia Care.”
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Terre Haute facility contributes to record year for GE Aviation
For CFM International, the joint venture between GE Aviation and France’s Snecma, 2011 was a record year with 1,500 orders for the CFM56 engine and 3,056 commitments for LEAP engines.
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Downtown bookstore announces final day is Saturday
BookNation will stay open late on Feb. 3 for one more First Friday downtown, with a blow-out, 48 hour Beer Box Sale planned to begin that morning.
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Event set on employing people with disabilities
Wabash Valley Business Leadership Network presents Facilitate the Employment Process for persons with disabilities, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 15 in second floor meeting room at Clabber Girl, at 900 Wabash Ave.
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BUSINESS CENTS: Are your business books in a shoe box?
The 2012 tax season is here and deadlines are quickly approaching.
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