{"id":2547,"date":"2018-08-27T11:13:22","date_gmt":"2018-08-27T15:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovators.org\/?p=2547"},"modified":"2018-10-05T05:59:51","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T09:59:51","slug":"how-entrepreneurs-can-be-better-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovators.org\/stage\/blog\/how-entrepreneurs-can-be-better-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"How Entrepreneurs Can Be Better Leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"

*Originally published on SpyderWorks: <\/em>click here to access.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs aren\u2019t always known for their people skills. And frankly, neither are engineers.<\/p>\n

So I felt\u00a0somewhat\u00a0challenged recently when I was invited to speak to\u00a0students at the\u00a0W Booth School of Engineering at McMaster University, which focuses on\u00a0creating\u00a0not just builders,\u00a0but leaders.<\/p>\n

Product-obsessed\u00a0engineers and\u00a0always-racing-somewhere\u00a0entrepreneurs aren\u2019t\u00a0generally known\u00a0for\u00a0having\u00a0the open, engaging\u00a0and\u00a0empowering management style\u00a0that seems so critical in business today.\u00a0Still,\u00a0entrepreneurs\u00a0thrive on change<\/strong>,\u00a0so\u00a0understanding people \u2013 and helping them grow\u00a0\u2013\u00a0is\u00a0just one more\u00a0skill set\u00a0we\u00a0have to\u00a0adopt.<\/p>\n

So I\u00a0thanked\u00a0Professor David Potter for his courage in handing me the microphone in front of\u00a0his classroom of\u00a0emerging minds, and\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0persuade\u00a0them that leadership is much more than just getting\u00a0things done.<\/p>\n

In recent\u00a0years, I\u00a0have spent more time\u00a0\u2013\u00a0in my own company and with other\u00a0organizations\u00a0\u2013helping\u00a0people\u00a0adapt their\u00a0leadership\u00a0approach to\u00a0a world of\u00a0constant, unpredictable\u00a0change.<\/strong>\u00a0And as I explained\u00a0to these engineering\u00a0students,\u00a0addressing\u00a0change\u00a0succeeds or fails by understanding\u00a0a concept you rarely learn in the classroom:\u00a0\u201ccontext.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Oxford, \u201ccontext\u201d\u00a0is\u00a0a frame of reference \u2013 a device you use to extract meaning from random or imperfect information.\u00a0For\u00a0me,\u00a0\u201ccontext\u201d\u00a0is the most important word in business.\u00a0Leaders\u00a0always\u00a0need to\u00a0understand\u00a0the needs, concerns and\u00a0demands that shape\u00a0their\u00a0actions and attitudes\u00a0\u2013 as well as those\u00a0factors affecting\u00a0the people you do business with.\u00a0Knowing\u00a0all of these different motivations and frames of reference puts you in a position to find\u00a0common ground\u00a0and move\u00a0ahead\u00a0together.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Context is especially important in managing people. How can you help someone change their behaviour\u00a0if you\u00a0don\u2019t take the time to understand\u00a0why they\u2019ve been\u00a0acting\u00a0\u201cthat way\u201d\u00a0in the first place?<\/p>\n

Contextually speaking,\u00a0I\u00a0see\u00a0two\u00a0stages\u00a0that\u00a0entrepreneurs\u00a0generally\u00a0go through\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and the\u00a0quantum leap\u00a0they need to take\u00a0to evolve\u00a0their\u00a0leadership style.\u00a0I offer the following\u00a0framework\u00a0not just for entrepreneurs, but for those\u00a0who work with them.<\/p>\n

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  1. The Island Leader:<\/strong>\u00a0Many\u00a0entrepreneurs\u00a0isolate\u00a0themselves\u00a0when making decisions within\u00a0their\u00a0own\u00a0businesses\u00a0\u2013 for\u00a0two fundamental reasons.\n