A Cut Above the Rest: Extraordinary Businesses Begin with Extraordinary Leadership

A Cut Above the Rest: Extraordinary Businesses Begin with Extraordinary Leadership

What is extraordinary leadership? What makes an extraordinary business owner stand out above the multitude of mediocre leaders that have come before him?

Being extraordinary—pursuing something extraordinary—is a mindset. We believe three practices of extraordinary leaders are that they:

  • Share the vision
  • Lead by example
  • Facilitate opportunities for growth

Share The Vision

Always think of leadership in terms of the “horizon effect”: the horizon represents your company’s vision—it’s a constant guide, it’s always visible, but it’s not easily attainable. You will never fully “arrive” at the horizon—your vision—but it’s a deeper purpose your company collectively and constantly strives towards.

An extraordinary leader shares his or her vision with others and invites others to add their own impact to the company’s vision. People won’t buy what you have to offer if you don’t communicate your vision to them and share it often. As an outstanding leader, you invite your team not only to share your vision, but to strive for the vision as well.

Life coach and business strategist Tony Robbins said, “Never assume that your employees already ‘know’ your vision if you haven’t told them specifically. Put your vision statement everywhere. When announcing decisions or accomplishments, always relate them back to your vision.”

An extraordinary leader clearly outlines in great detail his or her vision for the company. They incorporate into their vision the idea that the company is about something much bigger than simply obtaining the bottom line. If attaining wealth is your only goal as a leader, you have missed the mark entirely.

Lead by Example

An exceptional leader leads by example. He or she doesn’t just talk the talk—they walk the walk. As an extraordinary leader, you should demonstrate the behaviors you want your employees to emulate as they strive toward the vision you have for your business. Three attributes you will want to model for your employees are:

  • Humility
  • Integrity
  • Curiosity

Humility

Being humble as a leader means you are teachable and willing to admit your shortcomings. You admit your mistakes, but you don’t let them deter you. You pick yourself up and keep striving toward your company’s vision.

Integrity

As an extraordinary leader, you are a man or woman of your word. You demonstrate a healthy work/life balance. You prioritize time for yourself and time with your family when needed. Your career doesn’t overtake your entire life. By exemplifying a healthy balance of your professional and personal life, you signify to your team that work is not just about money.

Curiosity

A leadership quality that is sometimes overlooked is curiosity. An extraordinary leader should be a life-long learner. He or she should demonstrate an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Exceptional leaders never “arrive” when it comes to knowing everything.

In an article published on Medium.com, the author discusses the benefits of setting an example for your team: “Leaders seed the idea for change by showing its feasibility and then by empowering and inspiring people to take action.”

Demonstrating attitudes and behaviors that you want your team members to emulate is the most effective catalyst for change within your company.

Facilitate Opportunities for Growth

An outstanding leader not only chases after the vision and leads by example, but he or she also facilitates opportunities for growth in the business. An extraordinary leader accomplishes this in one of two ways. He facilitates growth opportunities a) by encouraging individuals within the company to develop specific skill sets that they can use to drive the vision forward, and b) by stepping back to allow collaborative efforts between team members that also benefit the collective vision of the company.

An extraordinary leader is also a transformational leader. What is a transformational leader? According to a piece published on the Umassglobal.edu website, “Transformational leaders focus less on making decisions or establishing strategic plans, and more on facilitating organizational collaboration that can help drive a vision forward.”

Transformational leadership is a leadership style that demonstrates open-mindedness and innovation to effect change and foster independence in the workplace. Extraordinary leaders understand that driving their company’s vision forward must be a cooperative effort. There must be a meeting of the minds. By fostering both independence and collaboration among your team members, you are developing their leadership potential.

What is the End Goal of Extraordinary Leadership?

As an extraordinary leader running an extraordinary business, you’re not just running a company—you are driving a sustainable vision and producing tomorrow’s leaders. At Aepiphanni, we would posit that the goal of extraordinary leadership is not just to run extraordinary businesses, but also to produce future generations of extraordinary leaders.

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