How to Be a Startup Leader Part 3

How to Be a Startup Leader Part 3

Welcome to the final part of my series on how to be an effective startup leader!  Ask yourself, who do you want to be?

Challenge the Status Quo

If you always do what you’ve always done, well, you know what you’ll get. Time and again, I’ve seen people build plans that call for significantly better results by doing the same things they did in the past. That never works, and they don’t get noticed.

Companies are full of people whose ID badges should read “Status Quo Keeper”

in place of their titles. Stand out by being known as the forward-thinking leader who’s willing to stand up and question or challenge the activities, processes, and conditions to find a better way.

People love their comfort zones, but those who zoom to the top are willing to shine a light on the important things that must change, and offer accountability for leading the effort. This doesn’t mean challenging everything so you’re perceived as an anti-establishment contrarian. The best approach is to carefully choose your areas of challenge where changes can make the biggest impact, such as increasing revenue, lowering costs, improving customers’ lives, or removing frustrations for your co-workers.

You will become known as a leader who successfully challenges the old ways and creates new, better ways where it counts.