The Secret to Building a Stronger Business

What are the key factors that make or break your business?  Your product or service? Your customers? Capital? Just plain luck?

Sure, those are all important. But I’d argue that ultimately it comes down to people, and more specifically: you. As chief executive, you impact every aspect of your business.  Even when you delegate, your personality and decisions influence everything. It stands to reason that leaders who are psychologically in tune — meaning resilient, agile, and aware — are not only more effective, they also bring an unmatchable competitive advantage to their businesses.

How can you make that happen?

Many leaders — even those who run businesses with people-centric cultures — tend to prefer a straight-ahead, hit-the-ground-running, just-make-it-go approach to managing people. The alternative I recommend is an inside-out — rather than outside-in — view of managing people. When an employee makes a mistake or a bad decision, your first question should be “Why did he do that?” not “What can we do about it?” In the long run, this more psychologically savvy management tactic pays dividends. If you want to motivate someone, you better understand first what motivates her. Read more at www.bnet.com