You can build systems for just about any part of your life, including becoming the type of leader that you want to be. Many business leaders want to be thoughtful, effective, confident, and creative. These attributes and many others make great leaders but can be hard to cultivate. They often feel ephemeral and like something you either have or you do not have.
That said, there are many ways a business leader can incorporate thoughtfulness into their daily work. In a recent interview with thought leadership coach Mindy Gibbins-Klein, Mindy and Adi discussed how business owners can build systems and structures around being more thoughtful while working on the many attributes that make a great leader.
Ten Leadership Qualities
Many qualities make an excellent leader in the business world. Here are ten common leadership traits:
1. Thoughtfulness
2. Curiosity
3. Tenacity
6. Vision
7. Adaptability
9. Empathy
10. Resilience
Most people do not start out with all ten qualities. We must develop these traits and continue to grow them over time.
In this article, we will focus on how leaders can build a system of thoughtfulness into their everyday lives.
Five Systems for Becoming a More Thoughtful Leader
Here are five systems that you can put in place to become a more thoughtful leader and to continue to grow as a human being and business owner:
1. Set aside time to be thoughtful.
In the hustle and bustle of the everyday, it can be difficult to be thoughtful about the next step or the overarching course of action you want to take. Set aside time to think. During the interview, Mindy shared that many business owners look at big-picture goals around the end of the year/beginning of the new year, but they often miss checking in on their goals because it’s just not on the calendar.
So, put it on your calendar.
2. Build a habit of asking yourself thoughtful questions.
Have you ever had a business coach who asked you thought-provoking questions and you wondered, “Why didn’t I think of that?” One way to start asking yourself important and necessary questions is to simply take on the role of a business coach. Look up questions a business coach might ask or consider what you would ask a fellow businessperson who is stuck in your situation. Then, ask yourself those questions.
Here are a few questions that Mindy suggested:
- What are we doing when it’s going well?
- What is happening when things are going poorly?
- What would I like to see happening in my business?
- Where would I like to take this business?
- What options do I have?
- What creative alternatives could I take?
3. Set a thoughtful goal for your time.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. So, set a goal for the use of that time. How do you want to feel at the end of the day, what are the essential touchpoints for your day (personally and professionally), and how can you spend the time you have for your business as productively as possible?
4. Spend some time looking back.
Business owners are forward thinkers, which is how they set and reach incredible heights that seemed unrealistic at one point or another. However, sometimes you need to look at the past to reach your future goals. Examine metrics and past successes to discover if you can repeat your success and grow your business without making considerable changes to the overall function of your company.
5. Hire experts so that you can spend your time focusing on the big picture.
Here at Business Success Consulting Group, we spend our time focusing on systems, processes, and procedures. However, not every business owner shares our enthusiasm for documenting business SOPs, and that’s okay! This is a situation where you can hire an expert to do the work for you so that you can focus on growing your business thoughtfully, efficiently, and profitably.Are you looking to build more systems in your company? Get in touch with the experts at Business Success Consulting Group to get started.
