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  • Unconventional Leadership Tactics That Define a True Leader | Entrepreneur

    Unconventional Leadership Tactics That Define a True Leader | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    We have all likely experienced a horrible boss. Someone on a power trip who micromanages, rarely communicates, holes up in a corner office and sets themselves apart from their team. The Horrible Bosses movies probably come to mind. That approach to leadership is a one-way ticket to disgruntled employees, a toxic workplace and poor business performance.

    I have found that taking a more unconventional approach to leadership creates happy, engaged employees who come to work each day ready to kick butt. Leaders who want to take a similar approach can learn from how we are flipping the script on leadership at VizyPay, putting people first by:

    Related: How to Retain Employees Through ‘Servant’ Leadership

    1. Walking side-by-side on the journey

    One of the hardest things to do as a leader is to help employees view you not as a leader but as a partner. This means ditching the mindset that you are the boss and it’s your way or the highway. The best leaders want to learn and grow with their teams, walking next to them on the road to success — not in front of or behind.

    While your team intuitively knows you are their leader, the key is for your interactions to make team members feel that you are someone who truly understands them, communicates honestly with them, is willing to listen to them and understands what makes them tick.

    I personally hate the title of CEO. It is a daily reminder of power. I want everyone on my team to understand I am not in any way above them but instead a partner walking alongside them. I want to build relationships with my team and not be considered “above” joining in on activities like playing ping pong, having a beer or playing cards.

    From the very beginning of our interview process, we focus on finding the right fit for the culture by throwing out resumes because it is far more important to get to know candidates on a level beyond their education or past experience. Additionally, no matter what role the candidate is gunning for, they always meet with the CEO (myself) or another managing partner to immediately establish a horizontal hierarchy and further solidify our place as their partner on their journey. I encourage other leaders to do the same.

    2. Creating an unmatched work environment

    Effective leaders also create a work environment that employees can’t get anywhere else. Creating a work environment that is not cookie-cutter corporate is a massive risk, but it pays dividends in increasing employee loyalty. A work environment that provides freedom and a people-first culture is not something your employees are going to find in other companies.

    The bottom line is that if someone can go out and find hundreds of workplaces like yours, you have failed to care for the individuals committed to your organization.

    At my company, our work environment is the exception to the norm and might best be described as fast-paced, controlled chaos and a safe space where employees feel free to be themselves. There is a high level of accountability as well as a lot of perks, which aligns with our work hard first, play hard second mentality.

    Untraditionally, I encourage other entrepreneurs to embrace everyone’s genuine style, not just their professional personas. Building an unmatched work environment means allowing the lines of work and personal life to merge. Do not leave everything at the door when you clock in. Instead, encourage your employees to talk about their struggles and what’s going on in life, be real with one another and get uncomfortable.

    Related: How Much Does Leadership Actually Matter in a Startup?

    3. Building authentic relationships

    Bosses don’t take the time to get to know employees. Leaders do. Taking a personal interest in the lives of your employees helps build authentic relationships and mutual trust. Making it a daily habit to connect and communicate with your employees is also a great way to encourage them to take risks, think outside the box and innovate, all of which accelerate professional growth. This regular interaction can help surface information on what employees need to succeed and how you can help them if they are struggling.

    As a leader, I know the personal stories of every person on my team. I talk to employees and fist-bump them every morning. Walking around with a snack cart every other day is another way I connect and build relationships with them. An always-open door communicates to everyone that they can talk to me about anything without fear they’ll experience the wrath of “the boss.” I want everyone on the team to feel they are partners with a human being, not a jackass on a power trip. I want them to know that they are not a number or a cog in the wheel but valued partners delivering on our mission to help small businesses and disrupt the payments space.

    If C-suite leaders are serious about making an impactful change in their workplace, they should just remove their office door completely.

    Related: 12 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Sharpen Their Leadership Skills

    4. Creating opportunities for interaction and bonding

    As a leader, it is also important to create a fun environment where people want to come to work. Fun activities can help your employees destress and get to know each other better, creating a positive atmosphere that increases employee engagement.

    Our people-first workplace culture fosters an upbeat, fun environment that creates opportunities for interaction and bonding. Two examples of this are weekly-themed happy hours and annual parties that encourage people to build relationships outside of work. To that end, our employees volunteer together, attend concerts together and support each other’s families. These interactions and bonding opportunities make it easier for a team member to come to a leader for a difficult project or situation during the regular 9-5.

    As a leader, I know that a company cannot achieve anything without happy employees, and that is why I put maintaining a positive, people-first culture above anything else.

    It’s time for a more unconventional approach to leadership that focuses on improving the lives of employees. Considering that we spend a third of our lives at work, all leaders should strive to make the work experience an enjoyable, engaging journey.

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    Austin Mac Nab

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  • 3 Ways You Can Harness The Benefits of Your Flat Organization for Growth

    3 Ways You Can Harness The Benefits of Your Flat Organization for Growth

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Organizational structures have been a hot topic of debate in the business world recently, due in no small part to the events of the last few years. Many companies simply lacked the agility to respond to all the disruption. However, others were stuck in place as conflicting leadership decisions pulled them in different directions.

    These companies’ chains of command got so bogged down that decisions began to slow and communication experienced delays. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, almost 40% of workers felt that the level of bureaucracy at their companies was especially problematic during the first six months of the pandemic. Employees also noted the stability of priorities (36%) and amount of red tape (34%) as hindrances to employers’ abilities to respond to pandemic-related changes. Ironically, these impediments are the unintended consequence of successful growth.

    If you think about it, a company’s organizational structure is akin to a building without elevators. A tall structure has many floors. Information, decisions and transactions flow from one floor to the next, moving through each level until they reach the front line. Should a customer-facing employee have a suggestion or resource request or require approval, the flow must then move in the opposite direction.

    Conversely, a flat organization has very few floors — in some cases, it has only one. It doesn’t take much effort to get information from one end of the building to another. That is, a flat organizational structure simply means an organization that has few — if any — levels of management. Many startups fall under this model, relying heavily on their founders but maintaining open communication. The challenge is to be intentional about the organization’s structure as it grows.

    Related: 3 Ways That Your Actions Today Will Shape Your Company’s Legacy

    Preserving the benefits of a flat organizational structure as you grow

    Successful entrepreneurs focus on business, product or service development, sales and marketing. Most often, a founder has a clear vision and personal values. Yet, as the company grows, the organization’s structure tends to develop independently from the vision and values. Here’s how to be intentional in maintaining the culture that made the enterprise successful as it grows — without building in costly bureaucracy:

    1. Take stock of your personal trust orientation

    Many companies throw around the buzzword “flexibility” in reference to employee benefits, but few understand what team members want. Research from Harvard Business Review reveals that what employees really need is flexibility by way of autonomy. However, the study found that the flexibility they want is contingent on their ability to exercise it how they see fit. In other words, employees need to feel trusted.

    Entrepreneurs often have tunnel vision. They accurately see themselves as the brains behind the success, and the business becomes their “baby.” I’ve seen this firsthand as a consultant. It can be hard to trust others with your creation. Yet, it is absolutely essential for successful growth. So, as you build your organizational structure, assess your personal trust orientation as it relates to your leadership role. If your belief in employees’ capabilities is low, then you might encounter the cultural struggles of a large company with a tall structure. On the other hand, high trust levels result in flatter organizations.

    Related: 3 Tips to Build Trust and Drive Business Transformation

    2. Clearly understand and avoid bureaucracy

    Maintaining quick, clear and effective communication is key to nurturing a flat organizational structure. Airbnb executives had this same realization when it revamped its hiring process and general core values over the last few years. Its leadership team found that investing in trustworthy employees and removing rules instead of adding them allowed for more communication and more freedom to move inside the organization.

    The main takeaway from Airbnb’s transformation? Replace policies with principles. You have to remember that the rules and policies you create do not exist in a vacuum. New company rules interact with every other system in the organization. By replacing rule-making with principle-founding, you can move from a restrictive, bureaucratic space to one that’s open, honest and straightforward.

    3. Distribute power as the company grows

    In the post-coronavirus landscape, companies must realize the need to adapt and broaden their hierarchical structures. Imagine a multimillion-dollar organization with checks that all must be signed by the same person. That structure would lead to delays and frustrations. Hierarchical models worked well back in the Industrial Revolution, but in today’s corporate landscape, it’s vital to nurture self-management.

    This means making an intentional and purposeful shift to elevate your employees to a position where they have power and where you invite them to actively voice their ideas. In self-managing organizations, power is distributed instead of delegated. Post-pandemic, there’s no room for delays due to hierarchies. Most leaders think that they have to have all the answers, but your employees want to help with solutions. This new era calls for leveraging your entire team’s collective strengths instead of leaning solely on your own.

    Related: 7 Components for Successfully Designing Your Organization

    One of the main drivers of any organizational structure is your people. Even if the business is your baby, you must keep people at the forefront of your mind as you progress. Today, success relies more on the collective intelligence of the whole. Recognize this fact before making any organizational decisions.

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    Sue Bingham

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