GROWING A BUSINESS

BEING A LEADER

As your business grows, leadership becomes increasingly important. Read articles on what it takes to be a leader, developing your leadership skills, and how to lead your growing business through challenging times. Get the latest management tips, read how to stay motivated as your business grows, and chart a course to leadership success.

The opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and not those of Optus. The articles on this website contain general information only and are not intended to be relied on as legal, financial or professional advice. Readers should seek their own advice based on their specific business [or personal] needs.

The entrepreneurial factor

Leadership is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to growing a business. It's also crucial to take lessons from other great entrepreneurs on board.

Under the microscope - leadership lessons from Australia's leading biotechs

Leadership lessons can be found almost anywhere - and when looking to grow your business, where better to take them from than an industry where Australia is leading the way?

The value of expertise

What happens when someone steals your idea and then competes with you? I recall this happening to me with an enterprise resource planning software product.

Manufacturing more time

Many owners of manufacturing businesses often complain that there aren't enough hours in the day. Manufacturers can create great products, but unfortunately no one is able to manufacture more time. Or can they? Stay with me on this one.

Put the service in customer service

There's a general business rule of thumb that says 80 per cent of your new business will come from your existing customers. Therefore, ensuring customer service is consistent across the board for all your clientele is crucial.

Leadership secrets from the skies

When seeking the secrets for business growth, it's tempting to look to the sky and ask why. Jetstar, the budget airline carrier, is one business that has the answers.

Home-grown heroes - regional business leaders

Drayton's Family Wines owes its survival to regional leadership.

From your region to the world

For any regional business that wants to get noticed, thinking outside the box is a must. And for Susan Daubney and her husband Matthew, owners of Bannister Downs, doing just that has created an important point of difference

For success in regional business, spread your arms and saw

Leaders need to have a clear vision to ensure their business can branch into bigger markets. And where better to learn leadership skills than a regional business, where lessons passed down may mean the difference between life and death?

Making a regional business bloom

Regional business success often boils down to finding a market niche and making the most of it. To do this, small businesses - especially those in regional areas - should think big.

Under Construction - the road to success

American comedian Lily Tomlin wrote, "The road to success is always under construction". And as anyone who has worked in the construction industry will know it can, at the best of times, prove a hazardous environment.

Turning up the heat in the kitchen

If necessity is the mother of invention, then opportunity is the father of the entrepreneur - as a business leader you have to harness opportunity to grow your business.

Are the Boring Bits of Business Costing You Money?

If you look at Australia's Top 10 companies you'll see 4 banks, 2 miners, 1 insurer, 1 Telco, 1 supermarket and a hardware chain. Their products aren't all that glamorous but what do they do really well that makes them successful?

Making a regional business bloom

Regional business success often boils down to finding a market niche and making the most of it. To do this, small businesses - especially those in regional areas - should think big.

For success in regional business, spread your arms and saw

Leaders need to have a clear vision to ensure their business can branch into bigger markets. And where better to learn leadership skills than a regional business, where lessons passed down may mean the difference between life and death?

How to manufacture great leadership

Whether you are manufacturing household appliances, boats, cars, or food processing machinery, the success of your business comes down to one person -- you.

Web savvy

Is your business online? If not, these survey results may make you think twice.

Good to great performance

When growing your business, it's important to get great people around you who can help take you business from good to great.

Tech route

A bank predicably playing hardball might have been the kick in the butt that Greg Roebuck had to have. It certainly put him on the road to create a car business that attracted some of the country's best connected equity partners.

Bumpy ride

In tough times its important to review your business and see how it can be improved in order to ride out the storm and be improved when things recover, especially in the personal services industry.

Give Gen Y a chance

It's important that staff, especially Gen Y staff, have a great leader to look up to. Motivation and inspiration is key.

Thinking about growth

Many businesses want to grow their business, but don't know how or where to start. Here are some tips to consider.

The evolution of your management team

Have you given any thought to what your business might look like at two or five times its current size? It is an exercise well worth undertaking because it provides insights into how the business will need to develop.

From Good to Great

As a business owner, a key to the success of your business is your leadership skills. Last year on the business speaking circuit I shared a speech with my audiences called Taking Your Business from Good to Great.

If you're a boss, you're a leader

In these troubled times a couple of clear messages have emerged. Firstly, the world - both the public one we share and our personal one - is in need of leadership. And secondly, the one area where we are all lacking has to be conflict resolution.

The 'L' word

Leadership is always in the news. A leading speaking agency principal who arranges business briefing breakfasts says when evaluation forms ask attendees what subject they are most interested in, 'leadership' always tops the list.

Balancing act

Many companies nowadays are being more proactive about helping staff achieve the elusive work/life balance. Business owners need to lead by example when it comes to managing time effectively.

Follow the leader

There are many common concerns when it comes to leadership in challenging times. What are some effective strategies to improve your skills?

The power of positive thinking

We've all heard of the power of positive thinking and how it can make you succeed in business, careers, sport and even relationships, but how do you make it happen?

The growth dilemma

Hey, if you don't want to grow a world-class business, don't worry, you're probably in the majority! These are the controversial findings of small business researcher Ross Cameron of Cameron Research Group.

How to be a good boss

OK, hands up those people who have had a nightmare boss? You're smiling, aren't you? Remembering that boss years ago who made your working life miserable, unpleasant and largely disappointing.

Do you want, or do you need, growth?

Growing a business can be a pretty tough thing to do. If you're committed to it, set goals, develop systems and strategies then you will get through the growing pains.

Do you want, or do you need, growth?

Growing a business can be a pretty tough thing to do. If you're committed to it, set goals, develop systems and strategies then you will get through the growing pains.

Learning from big business

Is a very small business different to big business? There are a lot of people out there who pass themselves off as business experts who want to tell home-based businesses ...

How to create results

Turn on the TV or flick through a magazine or newspaper and you'll see stories about high flyers. They could be holding up a book they've written or celebrating the growth of their business ...

Divine intervention

When starting a new business, it's important to develop a vision that states what you want your business to achieve.

Ethical operation

Being on top of your business means having a vision. As Sir Isaac Newton once said: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."

Dream big

Great advice I have never forgotten goes simply like this: "Never be afraid to dream big." The same goes for your business and a smart way to make it happen is to aspire to make your business world-class.

Live by the rules

Some time back I went to a World Masters of Business conference starring ex-communist Mikhail Gorbachev, I have to say it was a doctor who stole the show.

Different kettle of fish

Educating yourself in areas of business where you are not strong, rather than spending long hours on tasks you don't understand, is important in order to help your business grow.

The key ingredient

Over the years talking to some of the greats of business who have created household name business - the people behind these organisations never tell the truth, the whole truth, when explaining how they grew their business.

Being a leader

As the owner or boss of a business, it's important to have good leadership skills. Here are some tips to help you be the best leader you can be.

How to communicate

Good communication skills can help your business immensely. We think we're good communicators, but are we really?

Tips for leadership

For a business to succeed, it is important to be a good leader. Here are some tips to help you be a leader in your business and to your employees.

Being a leader

As the owner or boss of a business, it's important to have good leadership skills. Here are some tips to help you be the best leader you can be.

The retiring type

Here is the irony - planning to put your feet up in retirement is one of the toughest business challenges you can face.

Rules to Grow

Just about everyone wants to grow their business, so here are some rules to take on board to make it happen.

On top of the world

at's the common trait between Margaret Thatcher, Westpac CEO Gail Kelly, Kiwi Prime Minister Helen Clark, netballer Liz Ellis and Boost Juice's Janine Allis?

Finding a winning formula

To learn the skills you need to grow your business, you only need to look at the leaders who have been successful.

Leadership makes great customer service

Good customer service will get your customers' tongues wagging to other businesses and ensure they return to do with business with you.

Learn from abroad

There's a lot to learn by going overseas and seeing other businesses in action - and sometimes success comes down to simply knocking on doors.

In the black

Making your business unique is crucial to attracting not only clients, but good staff as well.

A job well done

When starting a new business, looking for areas of the market that are lacking in some way is important. Great leadership is then requires to make the business a success.

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