Three Pillars of Effective Leadership: Insights From Experienced CEOs

Being a leader means always having your fingers on the pulse of your business. It means juggling responsibilities, putting out fires, and claiming responsibility. You are responsible for the vision, agenda, and strategy of your entire team. While sitting in the driver's seat can be exhilarating, it can also be exhausting and lonely. But what if it doesn’t have to be?

No one takes on the role of CEO thinking it will be devoid of stress and challenge. In fact, they often expect it. Learning to maintain balance helps to ease pressure and leads to more effective leadership and management.

Each year at our Leadership Retreat we bring together our experienced coaches and CEOs for a day of masterminds and eye-opening content. Each time we host this event, we see phenomenal leaders collaborate and learn from each other’s experiences. The CEOs at our event share their challenges and successes, and offer each other insights on how to be happier and more effective. Our next Leadership Retreat will be on November 15, 2019 at Normandy Farm in Blue Bell, PA.

Regardless of the industry or market, some basic principles of leadership are universal. To see the hallmark sign of a good leader, look no further than the health of their business. And the cornerstone of a healthy business: an effective strategic or operational plan.

Strategic Planning

When examining your plan, start from the top. Ask yourself, why did you create this business? What do you want to get out of life? What are your core values? What do you want to stand for? Then take a hard look at your company vision - it is paramount that this vision align with your personal vision. Ask yourself, why does the company exist? What is the company trying to achieve in the long term?

As a leader, be sure to identify your agenda. What is important for you to achieve this year? Your agenda for this year and every year after will drive the company’s direction. Next, what are the goals of your company? These must be crystal clear and not subject to interpretation. We like to identify S.M.A.R.T. Goals - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

Setting goals is all well and good, but what is your approach to “tackling” these goals? Are your internal meetings more of a pep-rally or do you walk away with actionable items? What critical success factors are necessary to achieve your goals? If your organization has different departments, each should have its own set of measurable goals -- in line with the company’s goals. If you’re interested in learning more about coming up with an annual plan, check out our blog post: You Seriously Don't Have an Annual Plan?

Building a Healthy YOU and a Healthy Team

One of the common things we hear from founders, CEOs, and leaders from across the country is that in order to take care of others, you must first take care of yourself. Focusing on your own mental and physical health increases your effectiveness as an individual, and as a leader. If health is a personal value for you, chances are it will be a priority in your business. If you foster a healthy work community - your business is more likely to thrive.

Some great tips we’ve outlined in our blog post 10 Tips from Leaders to Increase Effectiveness include:

• Wake up at 5:30 am everyday.

• Clean your inbox. Check out our blog post on: Leadership and Lure of Email

• Try the Salvador Dali Method.

• Regular Team Check-ins.

• Get out of the office.

• Learn Something New.

• Travel alone.

• Upgrade something in your life.

• See a therapist.

One of our personal favorites is “Learn Something New.” Always stay curious Also, we recommend you always remain curious! Howard Gardner said “If you think education is expensive, try estimating the cost of ignorance.” One of the best and simplest investments you can make is to develop a daily habit of reading. Looking for suggestions? Check out our 2019 summer reading list. And check back soon for our winter reading list, or subscribe to our newsletter - so you never miss a beat!

Outside-In Perspectives

“Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes

It takes a great deal of authenticity to admit that you don’t have all the answers. CEOs and founders tend to have a strong sense of direction and sometimes that can lead to tunnel vision. Stepping out of your comfort zone is challenging but is a sign of growth. Getting an outside-in perspective will give you that spark of creativity or sense of renewed energy you have been looking for. And the best part - there’s many different strategies to get effective feedback!

• Reach out to your network. Meet with peers in your in your industry or even a different industry. Look through your connections and ask yourself: who you most admire? Offer to buy them lunch and ask for their insights!

• Look within your own company. The wealth of skills that are available in your company can become lost in the shuffle of daily tasks. Underutilized talents are often available throughout your team!

• We may be a bit biased with this one -- but hire a business coach who has a proven record of helping companies grow and scale their business. A coach is invaluable if you are building or growing a business, looking to develop leadership skills, or are facing challenges. Trajectify has different coaching programs to match a wide range of needs. We deliver experienced, outside-in perspective. We'll help you increase your capabilities, and meet your biggest goals.

• Seek out events on eventbrite or meetup. Check out a Bootstrappers Breakfast (we run ones in Philly and New York). Network at a Business Partnership Panel, or get out of the office for a day and attend a Leadership Retreat.

• Join a networking group or a peer advisory group.

In our blog post. "Why Didn't I Realize That" Lessons Shared by Growth Stage CEOs, one CEOs shared “I like to think of myself as my own sinking ship. I’ve never done anything like this. It’s good to work on our challenges together. It’s like founder’s therapy.” There is no problem that hasn’t already been solved at least once before. Working with peers in similar situations and with diverse perspectives provides access to greater knowledge and experience and opens your mind to new ideas. There is also comfort in knowing that you are not alone.

So what are you waiting for?

Do these ideas strike you as common sense? Do they sound like reasonable strategies you can apply today? If you’ve been contemplating a big shift or change, the time to act is now. Our advice is to start small. What is the smallest easiest step you can begin with? Get to know a coworker or colleague a little better and learn each other's strengths. Pick out your next book - even if you don’t start reading it yet! Put that next networking event on your calendar. The small meaningful actions you take now will pay dividends overtime and make you a more effective and confident leader. Remember that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Normandy Farm - The site of our 2019 Leadership Retreat