What’s the best mindset for leaders & entrepreneurs?

I am being interviewed as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week on the Entrepreneur Mindset. As I thought about it, there is no difference between the mindset of a great leader and an outstanding entrepreneur.

Here’s what I think the Leadership Mindset and Entrepreneur Mindset is:

1. Clear vision – All leaders need a clear vision of what you want to do. Whether you are a leader inside an organization, or an entrepreneur starting up your own venture, you need to know the problem you are solving in the world, and whom you serve. Without a clear vision you will have difficulty making choices – on where you spend your time and resources, and what projects to resource. With a clear vision, it is simpler to decide where to focus your efforts.

2. Action oriented – It is fine to have a clear vision. It is wonderful to have a strategic plan. But leaders must take action! Choosing to move forward, to harness your skills in the right direction is more important than 100 plans on paper.

3. Learn from mistakes – No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. The important part is to learn from those mistakes so that you don’t repeat the same ones again & again & again! I like the phrase “fall forward”, even if you take a misstep, learn from it so you are making progress towards your vision even while falling.

4. Continuous learning – Great leaders and entrepreneurs plan for their own learning. They decide where they want to develop skills and take action to acquire and practice those skills.

5. Remember yourself & your family – Your work can take over all of your life. Don’t let it! Take care of your health – work hard but also eat well, exercise and get proper sleep. Nurture your important relationships – your family and close friends deserve your time.

6. Let go of what doesn’t serve you – Whether it’s negative people, an outdated idea on how things should look, or an old way of processing invoices, have the courage to let go of things that take your energy but don’t help you get where you want to go. It might be difficult to let go of some things, but dragging them with you takes energy that you could better use to be an outstanding leader or a successful entrepreneur.

Being a great leader or an amazing entrepreneur takes skill & knowledge, but more importantly it takes a mindset of clear vision, action orientation, learning from mistakes, continuous learning, remembering yourself & your family, and letting go.

If you’d like to be a stronger leader or exceptional entrepreneur, I coach leaders & entrepreneurs on thinking strategically and moving ahead. Contact me: Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com