5 Mad Skills Small Biz Owners Should Develop

No one said that being an entrepreneur or small business owner would be easy. You are constantly being challenged by "issues": technical, people, equipment, economical. And while putting out fires all day and sometimes all night, you are trying to sustain your own motivation. It can be difficult to know what areas you need to begin or continue developing. As a small business coach, I think there are 5 areas that will not only drive success but also sustain motivation.

• Emotional intelligence. Successful and liked people hold themselves accountable, do not shift blame, recognize changes in their own and other people's behaviors, and can articulate their thoughts and feelings about issues. Get with a trusted mentor or colleague (NOT an employee) who is not invested in whitewashing the truth and ask them how you are doing in this area.
• Leadership. Leadership is fueled by emotional intelligence, but is not the same thing. A leader has a vision that is well-developed and explained, keeps herself and her staff motivated, and builds enthusiasm. They are also honest and ethical. You can recognize when your leadership is failing by talking to employees and gauging their performance.
• Online marketing skills. Face it. Online marketing in areas like email, newsletters, social media, blogging, banner campaigns and more are rapidly replacing, or at least supporting, more traditional marketing methods. We can help keep you educated on these areas. Check out the articles section and continue reading the blog!
• Basic IT skills. Are you an owner who needs help with the most basic of IT skills? Does your admin or IT support fellow do everything for you (including set up appointments in Outlook or a basic Excel spreadsheet...and not because you are busy but because you never learned)? Next time, have them teach you. Don't own all of this, but your time will actually be saved by learning some basic skills!
• Financial intelligence. You must, must, must understand basic things like insurance, investing, benefits, taxes or you can put your business and money at risk. Make sure you are not passing the buck on all of these things. It is your responsibility to be educated.

A coach helps hold you accountable, works with you on attaining goals, clarifying a vision, your emotional intelligence and leadership skills. My Small Business Mentor's site is a one-stop-shop for your small business education needs and support. Finding business and personal success is far more difficult today. I have mentored and coached many others to success. Call or email me right now to get started!Are there any skills that you think were not covered here? Let us know! by Steven Schlagel