5 Tips For Running A Startup Like A Seasoned Leader

Startups can be scary, but one thing they all have in common is that they begin with a great team. A great team starts with a great leader. However, not everyone is fit to be a leader. Here are a few tips for running a startup like a true leader. 

1. Be Confident, Positive And Passionate About The Startup

When you are confident, your team will be too. Empowerment is contagious. A leader that is proud and confident will guide teams to success and keep them going. Leaders have a strong passion for what they do and that passion grasps onto everyone. Positivity can be hard to spread, especially when there is so much to worry about, but it is a great non-financial motivator.

2. Planning

To be a great leader, you must also be a great planner. Startups and projects teams run off of planning. Planning might start with a leader, but it takes an entire team to implement it. A leader needs to divide up work and give a clear vision of what the end goal is.

3. Motivate And Stay Humble

Know what you want to accomplish. No one wants a leader that has a big ego. They want someone that feels more like a teammate. Leaders perform best when they have a goal in mind, and in return teams give their best when they have a common goal. Anyone who has been part of a team knows that feeling you have when you feel like you are doing something for the greater good.

4. Understand Your Team

Know their strengths and weaknesses. Build upon their strengths and challenge their weaknesses. A true, seasoned leader will let their teams share their opinions and viewpoints. A leader wants to learn as much as their team does. Listening is one of the most important steps to understanding your team.

5. Communicate

Communication is most important when running a startup. This is what makes leadership work. It isn’t a one-way street. A leader must engage in conversation with business people of all levels and backgrounds. Leaders learn how to get a message across, put out flames before they start, and diffuse any ambiguity. When your team, customers and stakeholders understand your message clearly, they follow your lead with less worry.