President Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and Payal Kadakia
In July 2015, Dev Tandon wrote a great piece in Entrepreneur emphasizing how our daily habits impact our lives; and our success. If you think about the success of business leaders such as Richard Branson and Mark Zuckerberg, it’s no wonder we want to take some inspiration from the habits the rest of us may not see. Think about President Barack Obama; the public craves to see how he lives his ordinary life in order to stay on top of a high-pressure, hectic schedule.
What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? What do you do on your way to work? How do you approach scheduling and tricky decisions? Let’s consider some input from famous entrepreneurs. What makes them tick?
1. Wake Up Early
The earlier you wake up, the more time you have to get all there is to do, done! Compared with someone who gets out of bed five minutes before they have to be at work, the person who is getting up early, exercising, and checking in on their schedule is clearly able to maximize their efficiency.
2. Be Flexible
Persistent leaders who are adept at switching gears, no matter the risk, will ultimately succeed, proving that the the second, third or even fourth try points to determination instead of stubbornness.
Payal Kadakia presents a great example of this flexibility. With her business Classtivity, Kadakia changed her mode of action to create ClassPass. Within two years, the company had scheduled hundreds of thousands of fitness classes for its users.
3. Communicate
Entrepreneurs who have proven they are successful in leadership communicate openly and frequently with their colleagues, friends, and family. By listening intently, providing feedback, and motivating, these leaders connect on a deep level with employees to nurture their company and shared goals.
4. Empathy
Remember the Golden Rule?
“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.” – Jon Wolfgang von Goethe
To treat others as you want to be treated, the golden rule we all learned growing up, assumes all people want to be treated the same. It assumes a selfish perspective of the world and ignores that every individual is motivated by an entirely unique set of standards depending on their lifestyle and background. So, effective leadership comes from trying to treat each individual as he or she, not necessarily you, would like to be treated. See the problem in your relationships and adapt accordingly.
5. Influence
In your small circle of friends or through hundreds of thousands of Twitter and Instagram followers, great entrepreneurs know how to cultivate a serious influence. Serious entrepreneurs must encourage, excite, incentivize their following. Influence is a parameter that can become a habit and its barriers are limitless (especially on the internet!).
You can be an influential, empathic, and flexible entrepreneur! Follow Eric Vorm on Twitter @eric_vorm for more updates.