What’s the true secret to success? Business leaders have to ask themselves this question all the time.
Even though the most successful leaders don’t all have the same leadership style, they all have wisdom to share about what makes their companies so successful.
Here are three people who absolutely embody innovative leadership, and the lessons you can learn from them.
- Jeff Bezos
Amazon recently became the third most valuable company in the world, making Bezos the wealthiest man on the planet.
Bezos is focused on the customer… in fact, at every meeting he leaves an empty seat at the conference table to represent them. He considers the customer to be the most important person in the room, even if they aren’t physically there.
Making the customer a key component in your business strategies will help you cultivate customer value more efficiently, and your company will be better off for it.
- Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful leaders in the world… and he’s only in his 30s. One of his keys to success? Passion.
Zuckerberg believes in recruiting for passion over skill (you can’t teach passion). One requirement Facebook has when hiring candidates is whether or not they fit within the company’s culture. Employees are also encouraged to work on ventures they’re passionate about before their assigned projects. This passion leaks into their motivation in other aspects of their work.
It makes sense that the most motivated and engaged employees are those who feel excited about their job. Employee motivation is crucial to company success.
- Reid Hoffman
Reid Hoffman was the cofounder of LinkedIn. In 2014, Hoffman co-authored a book called The Alliance, about rethinking the relationships between employers and employees. Hoffman wants managers to consider their employees allies, and describes the necessity of rebuilding trust between both parties.
One quick tip to build trust? Hoffman says to open up, and learn what your employees care about. Power dynamics can be intimidating, so make sure you open up first about your personal goals and aspirations.
