Growth is the ultimate goal of businesses – generating more profit, increasing brand awareness and building customer loyalty. This is achieved through innovative ideas and strategies. The root of a successful business is strong leadership. Strong leadership motivates others to be their best, resulting in proficiency and unity. A leader should be an example others can relate to, rely on, trust, admire and learn from. The most impactful leaders possess a balance of humility and charismatic confidence.

Be Humble and Value Others

Servant leadership is one of the most notable qualities when it comes to being respected and trusted as a leader, as it encompasses humility and empathy. Humility is listening to others, even those less experienced, and treating them respectfully. Listen to other people’s ideas and suggestions with an open mind instead of treating them as inferiors. There is always new information to learn. The advertising industry, among countless others, is ever-changing as technology advances and new trends emerge. As technology and trends progress, so should marketing strategies. Strong leaders learn from others because the most innovative ideas and solutions are the results of collaboration.

Empathy requires humility. Practicing empathy is important for creating strong, personal relationships with your team as it exhibits understanding. Have high standards while understanding that obstacles come up. Communication is key – see how you can best support your team when they are not performing their best. Showing that you care for your team members beyond work creates trust that will result in a healthy work environment and ultimately benefit the entire team. Additionally, when people feel valued in their work space, they are more likely to enjoy their job and perform better, increasing the company’s employee retention

Servant leadership is vital, not only to guide and strengthen your team but also to understand the consumer. For example, Amazon is extremely successful because of its unmatched customer experience. Its top leading principle, “Have Customer Obsession,” explains how the company focuses less on competing with other companies and more on best serving the consumer. As a leader, exploring methods in which the company can best benefit consumers is vital to growing customer loyalty, brand awareness and gaining revenue.

Take Risks and Be Decisive

Leaders are futuristic thinking and innovative, so they must have the confidence to clearly communicate the direction in which the team will execute and achieve the company’s goals. Some of the most creative and cutting-edge ideas can be risky, and taking risks requires courage, confidence and strategy. Amazon’s leadership principle, “Bias for Action,” explains that the company “values calculated risk-taking,” encouraging leaders to pursue innovative and creative plans and see what succeeds. Decisiveness results from confidence. Someone unsure of their decisions will not be able to convince others to follow and trust their leadership and decisions. If an idea fails or does not go as planned, strong leaders rebound quickly, strategizing new, stronger solutions and avoiding dwelling on the past.

Humility and Confidence Coexist in Great Leaders

Humility and confidence are equally necessary for clearly communicating ideas within the business or company and executing these ideas for the consumer. Leaders must be humble, creating a positive and efficient work environment and gaining a better understanding of both team members and consumers. They also must be confident, making decisive, innovative decisions that others will trust their guidance in. These two crucial qualities of impactful leadership result in stronger teams, businesses and communities.

At 1893 Brand Studio, we commit to creating a positive work environment that values professionalism, creativity and strong leadership so that we can confidently serve our clients.