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September 2, 2020 · 2 min read
I think a lot about how to be a better leader. I am just a code monkey who would be happy if you locked him in a room and fed him twice a day (ok well maybe six times if chocolate is involved). However, since starting SixBerries and being responsible for people who look to you for advice and well, leadership, it’s been a baptism by fire. Here are some of the things I’ve learned.
Be less boss and more mentor
Being the boss is great, you get to do what ever you want and no one can tell you what to do right? Wrong! Your job is to make sure that your people have what they need to work effectively without your direct input daily.
Be the change you want to achieve
You can’t make people do things, well you can but you’ll quickly be left without a team. The key is to demonstrate what you expect from your team. Lead by example.
Empower people
I’m very opinionated and I made a mistake by wanting to be part of every single decision. When you start anything you want to be involved in everything but this stunts your growth as a business since you can’t be everywhere and do everything. You’ve hired great people, trust them to do what they are good at and get out of their way. If things don’t go the way you think it should, use it as a teaching moment.
Always have an open door
Your people should never hesitate to come to you about anything and you should always make it easy for them to speak to you. You need to make sure that you are the most approachable person in the organisation. This is often most overlooked in startups because you have so many things to do but is one of the best qualities of the best founders I’ve encountered. People will follow those who they respect, trust and who they can speak to.
Leadership is hard, being the pillar around which your organisation is built is challenging but hopefully these tips can help you do a better job of it.