AFFILIATE MARKETING

Why Being a More Generous Leader Will Create a More Successful Business

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2024

Why Being a More Generous Leader Will Create a More Successful Business

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It’s a common perception of company culture; images of trendy startups with perks like swag, free snacks and nap pods often come to mind — a scene reminiscent of Google’s early days. However, for us at Market Veep, the value of “give generously” wasn’t initially formally part of our core ethos. It wasn’t until several years into our growth journey that we recognized something crucial was missing.

Here’s how we stumbled upon this realization: hiring experiences. We brought several individuals on board; it became swiftly apparent that their inclination towards generosity — be it with their time, knowledge or support for colleagues and clients — fell short of our expectations. It became a constant conversation, and we kept thinking, “shouldn’t this just be the standard of how people work with each other?” There was no denying that their values differed greatly from the company’s. It did not make them bad people, but they were not a company culture fit. That’s when it hit us: we needed to make “give generously” a core value formally. It’s now interwoven throughout our entire ecosystem..

One of my favorite interview questions is, “What is the last nice thing someone has done for you — and on the flip side, what is the last nice thing you have done to brighten someone else’s day?” Some things people have said that made my heart grow three sizes:

Made homemade soup for their sick neighbor.
They brought their roommate a lunch they had forgotten at home.
Spent time with their elderly grandparents cleaning their house.
Donating time to the local shelter.

For me, it’s not about the big gestures. It’s about the small details, the accumulation of many small “cares” that add to an embodiment of kindness and freely giving it. Similar to anniversaries, birthdays and holidays, they come around a couple of times a year — but wouldn’t you feel so special if every day felt like your birthday? Many companies we talk to say I’d love to do that, but I don’t have the budget for that. I’ll tell you a secret: it’s not about the money.

When we had no budget, we did things such as :

Smiley balloons on employee appreciation day on everyone’s chair as a surprise when they come in.
Post it notes on their computers.
Take off your birthday paid time off.
Bike rides around the complex.
Pumpkin painting.
Halloween contest.
Valentine’s Day cards as a team to the people who lived at the senior center.

Here’s the beauty of it: many times, it’s the free things or minimal expenses that people end up valuing more, finding more profound connections with and building memories off of. There is a huge misconception about saving up to do one to two big things to show your team you love them, but think about all the time in between, months on end, without telling them you care. Would you not tell your kids you love them every day?

Now, things are different than before pandemic. We had a physical office, so the sky was the limit. Once the pandemic happened, it was a whole new evolution, and learning how to build a team, create happiness and give to them generously without physically being able to hand them something. It also introduced a new obstacle to measuring happiness through a computer screen. It’s a lot easier when you can read body language in person, notice if they are quieter throughout the day, etc., but when we started hiring all over the country, it made it a challenge. The pandemic taught us a lot about generosity and gratitude. As much as it was one of my most challenging times as a leader, it was also, by far, a period that taught me the most. I’ve seen the amazing character of people and their mental strength. Their ability to bind together to find solutions to difficult problems. Their kindness when there are difficult conversations. Their giving spirit when organizations barely had enough for themselves but still continued to support others.

Even when unsure of what would happen, we promised to continue giving generously because kindness always wins. Someone is always worse off, has more struggles, and needs something you may take for granted daily. Giving generously helps us stay humble and focus on others’ needs above our own. It reminds us we are fortunate.

What it looks like now
- Flexible hours.
- 45 days off a year.
- Sabbatical and a bonus for longevity.
- Half-day Fridays.
- Cookies in the mail for spotlight moments.
- A 401k match.
- Bereavement.
- Personal time.
- Happy hour Fridays.
- Paid volunteer time off.
- Medical, dental, eye.
- Life insurance.
- Health advocate services.
- Work-from-home stipend.
- Paid training and certifications.
- Meditation as a team before the day starts.

It’s not always about presents — it’s also about understanding where someone is in life. Your team shows up to help each other and the company, but it is not the driving factor of their life. When you see someone struggling, it’s more impactful to say, “Hey, how can I help? It seems like you have a lot going on. It’s just work. We’re not heart surgeons. Please get offline and take care of XYZ.” We’ve had people want to come in a day after a family member passed away, work from their family vacation or take meetings from a hospital. Respect and protect your team’s time, mental health, and boundaries. Give generously to them, and they give generously to your company, your team and your clients. Be their advocate even when they think work is more important.

Have you considered what your team needs to live a generous life? What makes them feel appreciated? How can your company build deeper relationships and help them live their best lives? Think about the moments in your life where you felt the most cared for, supported and ultimately most appreciated. Because no one ever says, “I want to work someplace where I don’t feel appreciated.” Then, take it one step further and ask your team. Start a dialogue, and you’ll be amazed at how creative and thoughtful the ideas will be. Keep your focus on giving generously, and you can’t go wrong.

Source link

Up Next

5 Ways Kamala Harris Can Support The Franchise Community

Don't Miss

5 Ways Startup Founders Can Become Team Players and Grow Their Businesses

AFFILIATE MARKETING

Invest in Yourself with a Lifetime of StackSkills Courses for $29.97

Published

19 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Invest in Yourself with a Lifetime of StackSkills Courses for $29.97

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

As a busy professional, finding time to invest in your education can be challenging. But what if you had lifetime access to an online learning platform that lets you learn whenever and wherever you want? That’s exactly what StackSkills offers—and right now, you can get lifetime access for just $29.97 (reg. $600).

StackSkills is an intuitive, user-friendly platform that’s perfect for anyone looking to enhance their skills without committing to a rigid schedule. Whether you’re a parent returning to the workforce, a business owner looking to gain new skills, or simply someone looking to keep up with ever-evolving industries, StackSkills provides the tools and flexibility you need to stay ahead.

With instant access to a pre-selected library of more than 1,000 courses—with new courses added monthly—there’s something for everyone. The platform’s range of beginner to advanced courses covers professional topics like IT, development, graphic design, finance, business, marketing, and more.

There are even personal growth topics like mindful meditation. And with more than 350 of the web’s top instructors, you’ll be learning from some of the best in the business.

One of the greatest advantages of StackSkills is the flexibility it offers. Instead of being tied to a specific time or place, you can access the platform from anywhere and learn at your own pace. Whether you have 15 minutes during your lunch break or a few hours on the weekend, StackSkills is designed to fit seamlessly into your busy life.

Consider a business owner looking to improve their finance skills to better manage their company’s growth. They can browse the available finance courses, find what suits their needs, and immediately start building the expertise necessary to take their business to the next level. And with course certifications, they can demonstrate their newly acquired skills to clients and stakeholders.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to take your knowledge to the next level, StackSkills has something for everyone.

Get lifetime access to all of StackSkills courses for just $29.97 (reg. $600) through September 29.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Source link

AFFILIATE MARKETING

Best US Cities to Start a Business, Entrepreneurship: Report

Published

2 days ago

September 7, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Best US Cities to Start a Business, Entrepreneurship: Report

What city is best for starting your business? While several factors should play into a decision, a new report from fintech company SumUp has identified the top 10 for entrepreneurship based on tax data, the number of millionaires in the city, and even Google searches.

New York topped the list because of the opportunities it offers across industries, from tech to fashion, and its 4% sales tax, which was the lowest of the group. New Yorkers also frequently Google “how to get rich” and “how to make it in business,” the study found. The city also offers access to over 30 WeWork coworking locations, the most of all the cities in the report, which theoretically could help startup employees collaborate.

Chicago came in at No. 2, with SumUp researchers highlighting its 120,500 millionaires and high interest in entrepreneurship through tracked Google searches. They also found that Chicago stood out for finance startups.

Rounding out the top three was Miami, “where the weather is warm and taxes are low,” according to the study. Travel, tourism, and commerce startups thrive in this city, which has 0% personal income and capital gains tax.

Here’s a complete list of the top ten cities for entrepreneurship, according to the report.

1. New York

Number of millionaires: 349,500

Personal income tax – highest income: 10.90%

Sales tax: 4.00%

2. Chicago

Number of millionaires: 120,500

Personal income tax – highest income: 4.95%

Sales tax: 6.25%

3. Miami

Number of millionaires: 35,300

Personal income tax – highest income: 0.00%

Sales tax: 6.00%

4. Los Angeles

Number of millionaires: 212,100

Personal income tax – highest income: 13.30%

Sales tax: 9.50%

5. Dallas

Number of millionaires: 68,600

Personal income tax – highest income: 0.00%

Sales tax: 6.25%

6. Austin

Number of millionaires: 32,700

Personal income tax – highest income: 0.00%

Sales tax: 6.25%

7. Houston

Number of millionaires: 90,900

Personal income tax – highest income: 0.00%

Sales tax: 6.25%

8. Seattle

Number of millionaires: 54,200

Personal income tax – highest income: 0.00%

Sales tax: 6.50%

9. Washington

Number of millionaires: 28,300

Personal income tax – highest income: 10.75%

Sales tax: 6.00%

10. Boston

Number of millionaires: 42,900

Personal income tax – highest income: 9.00%

Sales tax: 6.25%

Source link

AFFILIATE MARKETING

What Is Founder Mode and Why Is It Better Than Manager Mode?

Published

3 days ago

September 6, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

What Is Founder Mode and Why Is It Better Than Manager Mode?

Paul Graham, the founder of famed startup accelerator Y Combinator, coined a new term this week that has taken over social media: founder mode.

In an article released on September 1 and publicized on X over Labor Day weekend, Graham separates “founder mode” from the traditional “manager mode” route by noting key differences in management styles and organizational structure. Graham’s X post has over 21 million views at press time.

Founder mode means that the CEO interacts with employees across the organization, not just their direct reports. The startup, even as it grows into a large company, is less hierarchical; the CEO could do “skip-level” meetings with employees, for example. Graham gave the real-world example of Steve Jobs running an annual retreat for who he thought were the 100 most important people at Apple — regardless of where they were on the corporate ladder.

Manager mode, meanwhile, is less hands-on and involves more delegation to other people. Founders can grow companies and run them effectively without switching to manager mode, Graham stated.

“Hire good people and give them room to do their jobs,” Graham wrote. “Sounds great when it’s described that way, doesn’t it? Except in practice, judging from the report of founder after founder, what this often turns out to mean is: hire professional fakers and let them drive the company into the ground.”

Graham gave the example of Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, who tried to follow conventional “manager mode” wisdom to hire good people and let them do their jobs.

“The results were disastrous,” Graham wrote.

Chesky had to pivot to a different “founder mode” style of management and explained in an interview last year that founders have multiple advantages over managers: They have owned every part of the process of building a company, from start to finish; They have built the company up, so they can rebuild it; and they have permission to rebrand the company or make major changes.

This is it: @bchesky on founder mode.

Three reasons why founders differ from managers:
1. Being the biological parent
2. Full permission to make change
3. Knowing how to rebuild the company pic.twitter.com/VhuQ70B8FK

— Yana Welinder (@yanatweets) September 2, 2024

In the past few days since Graham released his essay, the social media world has begun exploring what it means in humorous and insightful ways. One post drew a comparison between micromanaging and founder mode.

founder mode pic.twitter.com/LWOlaFq4UJ

— ST (@seyitaylor) September 2, 2024

Other posts from women founders addressed the question: Can women be in founder mode too?

Chesky wrote on X earlier this week that women founders had been reaching out to him since Graham released the essay about how they can’t run their companies in founder mode the same way men can.

“This needs to change,” he wrote.

Remember when the female founders did founder mode and all got cancelled for it?

— Sara Mauskopf (@sm) September 3, 2024

It happened to me first — headlines portraying me as a “toxic leader” when I had to make the same, often unpopular, decisions that my male peers did without critique.

For them, it’s called Founder Mode, and it’s celebrated (a proper noun! With its own merch! And trademarks… https://t.co/rF0IM1huy3

— Sophia Amoruso 3.0 (@sophiaamoruso) September 5, 2024

Source link