When you’re asked what you do for a living, how do you typically respond? In our experience, most trade business owners don’t reply with: “I’m an entrepreneur”. Nope. You’d sound like a w*nker, right?
Even though many of us are entrepreneurs in that we’ve made deliberate decisions to kick goals and take control of our lives, few of us embrace our identity as entrepreneurs. Instead, we’re just #tradies.
When we get stuck in this mindset of downplaying who we are, we’re not doing ourselves any favours. In reality, we’ve become entrepreneurs because we wanted to be our own boss and create change in our lives.
With entrepreneurship come leadership responsibilities. You’re now a visionary. Your team relies on you for inspiration, guidance and getting paid. Start thinking like an entrepreneur and lead with confidence.
In this article, we highlight 3 ninja moves for tradie entrepreneurs.
1. Walk the talk
Does your wife or partner end up being a sounding boarding when you let off steam about your frustrations with the team? It’s their fault one of your best customers is cranky about how a recent job was handled.
Wrong approach. This one’s on you. While everyone makes mistakes sometimes, situations like these are an opportunity to ask yourself whether you’ve been the role model you should be.
Are you inspiring your employees to be better by walking the talk, across all tasks and technical proficiencies? In the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi: “We must be the change we want to see”.
2. Clarify the big picture
What is your big picture and how much of this picture have you painted for your employees? Your employees are the drivers of your vision. Get them to buy-in with clear communication and a positive approach.
At a recent event, our Lifestyle Tradie members heard successful entrepreneur, Rowdy McLean, talk about the importance of leaders turning up the fun factor in the workplace to connect and engage.
It has to happen on our watch, not theirs. The point is, providing strong leadership doesn’t have to be dull and boring. When you make your vision shine through creatively, your team will respond with energy, too.
3. Understand what motivates your employees
A motivated workforce is a productive and loyal workforce. Leaders who make a genuine effort to understand what makes their employees tick will build rapport, and in turn, a willingness to raise the bar higher.
What motivates your employees? What’s important to them – family, travel, sport, or lifestyle? Even though you may see this as outside your scope as a leader, this stuff matters to the people who work for you.
When you understand what triggers your employees, you can align these with your business strategy in a way that demonstrates how working for you can help them achieve their wildest dreams.
Even if you’re still not convinced about calling yourself an entrepreneur, we hope you’ll feel more confident about what it takes to be a leader – and apply these ninja moves to benefit your trade business.
What’s next?
- Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
- Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.
