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Leadership
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The Best Kept Leadership Secrets You Haven’t Already Heard

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As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.
Bill Gates, Microsoft

Empowering others. To some leaders who prefer micromanagement over trust and autonomy,  those are dirty words. But no matter how great an idea or how skilled and experienced the entrepreneur, every successful business relies on the efforts of dedicated employees. All who seek success will eventually have to hire brilliant people and empower them to implement their vision.

With all of the theories circulating around effective management, how can you be sure that you’ve adopted a style and strategy that will support and retain your talent?

You can’t! Entrepreneurs need more than a brilliant idea –successful ones need to be great leaders as well. While many of our most invaluable lessons are learned by trial and fire, we live and work in age where advice is abundant, where we can learn from the mistakes of others, and adopt and improve upon their processes and ideas. And for all the shoulders of giants that we’ve been so lucky to stand on, we put together and published a collection of some of the best advice we’ve ever received.

The Little Book of Workplace Wisdom: 101 Leadership Lessons You Can Actually Use contains advice from accomplished entrepreneurs on everything from company culture to launching a product to a new world order of management. Here are several of our favorite quotes on what it takes to manage and empower employees to do their best work and become their greatest selves.
Leadership is about influence, guidance and support — not control. Look for ways to do your job and then get out of the way so that your people can do theirs.
Meghan M. Biro, TalentCulture

The days of command and control are fading fast. The next generation of applicants is seeking autonomy to do their best work. Constant micromanagement stifles the creativity that you desire from your employees, and prevents you from focusing on the highest objectives of the organization.

Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.
Neil Patel, KissMetrics

I was once asked in an interview “what etiquette rules have you integrated into your company to make sure customers are treated well during interactions with staff?”

Without flinching my response was “None.” If you have to create etiquette rules you have already failed and hired the wrong people. Hire people who love to be of service, are friendly and engaging, and let them be themselves.

Leaders that tap into the hopes, dreams, and strengths of the team create a magical culture that hums with possibility.
Alli Polin, Break the Frame

Imagine a world where businesses support employees in a holistic way. Where leaders invest in their people, even if that means supporting them in their goals outside of work. Radically investing in people’s success is good for them and for your company.

Your employees probably aren’t looking for anything outlandish; they just want to be acknowledged for their hard work.
~Kim Pope WilsonHCG

A shift is occurring in business today, where more and more companies are rising to the demands of a workforce that craves autonomy and supportive leadership as a means to the fulfillment of a higher purpose.

That path is being paved by other entrepreneurs like you, so don’t go it alone. And remember, humans may be resources but they are also still humans. Stay focused on this obvious fact and you may just find a level of organizational success you never thought possible.

Photo Credit:  jinterwas

What’s the best leadership advice you have ever received? Leave us a comment below.