With the cost of living crisis biting hard at both our own finances and our clients’, being a leader today isn’t a walk in the park. Here are my five biggest leadership takeaways from the last couple of months.
Be number one
People are evaluating their outgoings now more than ever. They won’t be spending their hard earned cash on an average gym experience. Be the best or go home.
Innovate or die
Now feels like a time to hunker down and focus on staying alive until the storm is over. But as this article points out, sticking our heads in the sand and waiting until the market is stable again may be a recipe for failure. With the market moving as quickly as it is, innovation is the best way to come out the other side at the head of the pack, not behind the curve.
Be present
Getting into the gyms, walking the floor and pressing the flesh has been a critical way to make good decisions and keep my finger on the pulse of the business. Yes, manage your time properly and don’t get pulled into the minute: but getting first-hand experience and ‘reading the room’ has always been the best way to get a steer on your people, your product, and your place.
Lead from behind
When we start a business, we lead by example. We’re everywhere, doing everything. This is effective, when the business is small. But it doesn’t work at scale (cue burnout). We need to learn to lead from behind, setting a direction and holding a space that allows our people to do their jobs to their best abilities. This requires us to loosen our hands on the reins, but without it, we stifle growth.
Widen your horizons
When an industry undergoes rapid change, the best place to look for inspiration, innovation, and excellence is seldom your own front doorstep. Raise your eyes to the global leaders in every field, and set your bar higher than you think is possible to reach.
Sign up to my weekly newsletter to get exclusive JCV insights straight into your inbox every week.