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Author E.M. Kelly once said, “A boss says, ‘Go!’ A leader says, ‘Let’s go!'” And it’s true. There is so much more to being a leader than just being in charge. Great leaders are necessary for the growth and longevity of an organization.

Kick-Ass Leaders:

1. Motivate, inspire and grow employees

2. Inspire others towards greatness

3. Create loyal customers

4. Achieve long-term goals

5. Create passionate brand ambassadors

There is no overnight serum to becoming an amazing leader, but fortunately, there are a few things you can implement right now to put yourself on the right track.

#1: Uplift your team.

An employee who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected. As a leader, compliment your team and magnify their strengths, not their weaknesses. Uplifting your team will not only create a more positive work environment, but will also motivate your employees to go above and beyond.

Uplifting your team also involves being in-tune with each members’ well-being. Take the time to show you care with simple gestures such as asking about weekends, vacations, family members, and more. These simple engagements can go a long way towards morale. Connecting with team members also bridges the gap in position hierarchy. Your team will feel less distant and more confident to approach you as their leader.

#Communicate. Like. a lot.

As a leader, communication goes two ways. If you can’t clearly communicate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal. Additionally, making yourself available to listen and having open discussions with employees is vital to the health of your team. Your employees will learn to trust and depend on you.

Hosting weekly or monthly meetings with your team will strengthen your team’s communication. This allows everyone to recap and communicate goals, issues, obstacles, achievements, and more. Increased communication will ensure that your team is on the same page and working together to propel your business to greater success.

#3 Lead by example.

As a leader, part of your job is to inspire the people around you to push themselves—and, in turn, your salon or spa—to greatness. To do this, you must show them the way by doing it yourself.

Leading by example requires:

1. A high standard of excellence

2. Delegation and cooperation

3. Resolving conflict quickly and effectively

4. Transparency and honesty

5. Responsibility for words and actions

Stay positive. Hustle. Don’t give up. We want you to be the best leader you can be; that’s why in addition to this blog post, we also made you this guide. It contains all the information you just read, as well as goals, mantras, and compliment cards for your team. It’s also nice on the eyes, so we know you’ll want to hang it up at your business. You can download it here.

Becoming a great leader takes time, but a few small changes can make a huge difference in how others perceive you. Kick-ass leaders are usually the inspiration behind a powerful team, and an unstoppable team is a force to be reckoned with. Watch out, world!