By Chris Burkhard
I’m pleased to join the featured bloggers of the Delaware Business Bulletin and share some of my insights and experiences as a fourth generation entrepreneur in this community. I open this series of entries with thoughts on leadership, which I consider to be the backbone of any successful business.
Look in the leadership mirror. Would you go to work for your leadership self? Are you proud of the leader you are today?
Personally, I feel that my job as a leader is first to provide clarity and second to clear any issues, challenges and problems out of the way so that my employees can be as productive as possible. This means providing tools, training, feedback and advice, and at times even emotional and spiritual support. As leaders, we set the tone culturally. We have the job of letting people know what excellence looks like, and also, sharing when their behaviors and results are not excellent. We have to be willing to make tough decisions sometimes when folks don’t want to be as “excellent” as we need them to be.
Several years ago, I decided I would work for me. However, I am still working on some things to master leadership. I hope by sharing them, you can find your own leadership voice or better yet, develop your own list! As a start, here are my six practices to master leadership:
1. Provide better feedback as a company. Employees want to know what winning looks like. We all want a scorecard. And I have an absolute responsibility to make this as clear as possible and to have a company routine that provides this. My job is to help my leaders get great at this too!
2. Remember to praise sincerely. Catch your people doing right things! Everyone likes a sincere compliment more than a flattering comment. Taking the time to be clear, specific, and creative in your praise is very important.
3. Always do what you say you’re going to do. This is critical with issues both big and small. If I announce some change or something big, I have an obligation to help my staff see our progress and let them know we are committing resources and energy to that initiative.
4. Celebrate wins. Entrepreneurs always say “that’s terrific” but what’s next? I think it’s important to slow down and enjoy the wins along the way. The key is to plan to celebrate. Be intentional and organized about it. Don’t let your day run you over and have this be the thing you were going to do, but never did.
5. Stop saying “I‘m busy.” All leaders do it. We are busy. We all run lean. We all have big leadership challenges. We all have big jobs to do. And our people know it. We need to stop complaining about it and just get the work done. No one wants to work for someone whose favorite subject is his/her own busy schedule.
6. Grow other leaders. This is my number one job and goal for my company. As my leaders grow, so will our companies. Investing time in learning, training, coaching and group experiences in leadership is mission critical to bringing our purpose to life! A friend mentioned to me that it takes 10,000 hours to master something (including leadership.) This is no surprise if you have tried it.
Most of us have been thrust into leadership roles with little or no formal training. Leadership takes a lot of work to master and part of that work is checking ourselves either in the mirror or even better, with a mentor or trusted colleague. I hope you’ll agree: effective leadership is a skill that’s too important to just let happen.
Chris Burkhard is Founder and President of Newark-based Outside-In Companies: CBI Group & Placers, which provide recruitment and contingent workforce solutions. The companies have teamed up with Outside-In partner Barton Career Advisors, an outplacement solutions company based in Wilmington that provide end-to-end talent solutions.
The Bulletin welcomes your guest articles of 600 words or fewer on business-related topics. Send articles to drainey@delawarebusinessnow.com
