Page 24 - The 10 Most Innovative Startups in Pune 2019

5

Leadership Traits

No Entrepreneur Succeeds

Without

ntrepreneurs have some of the hardest jobs in the world. At an
established company and with a competent team, leading is
Emostly a matter of keeping the rudder straight. At a startup, it’s
another story entirely. Entrepreneurs wear many hats: the role of
marketing, sales, day-to-day operations and more all fall on your
shoulders. And once you begin hiring employees, the all-important
role of leader.
For startup founders, the following leadership traits are must.

Empathy

It’s incredible just how large problems seem at small companies. A
missed product deadline or vendor miscommunication isn’t actually
a big deal, but it can become one if you react the wrong way.
Do you listen to the person who made the mistake and help him
improve, or do you start pointing fingers?

Empathetic leaders understand others’ perspectives. That might
not sound like a serious business advantage, but it is if you’re hiring
or marketing to Gen Z.
Young consumers vote with their wallets, and young workers aren’t
afraid to jump ship for employers who treat them like equals. Given
how quickly word spreads in the startup community, you can’t risk
earning a reputation as a “me first” founder. The same applies if
your target audience is a younger demographic.
Accountability

Just like your employees, you’ll make mistakes. One of the worst
examples you can set as a leader is to sweep it under the rug. You
might not get called out directly, but those around you will notice.
And when they do, they’ll take it as permission to act the same way.
Small teams simply can’t operate that way. If you’ve got three
employees, one person hiding problems from the others could be
enough to bring the whole company down. Set the example by
owning up to your mistakes.