Entrepreneurship has proven to be a character building journey. Studies have shown that only a small percentage of entrepreneurs that attempt to start a business succeed. This is because a large part of entrepreneurial success is attributed to leadership growth. Marco Calamassi is a digital entrepreneur who understands the value that digital marketing can offer brands. Marco Calamassi is in the percentage of the few entrepreneurs who have succeeded. In following Marco Calamassi’s entrepreneurial journey, we discovered that he himself has key leadership skills that he has developed over the years. These are Marco Calamassi’s top 8 skills on being a successful entrepreneurial leader:
- Decisive decision-making
Leadership entails of constantly having to make decisions, even when the entrepreneur is unsure. Given reliable evidence, unpopular views and within the uncertainty of the environment, once they have made a decision, they do not change it. Marco Calamassi was intrigued by President Trump’s decision when he banned immigration from seven Muslim countries, many business and political leaders opposed the move. Yet, he followed through with the policy.
- Organize your team
Tom Peters, noted, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” Great leaders understand that they cannot do everything themselves, so they delegate a team to help them. This means fully trusting a team to complete tasks without having to micro-manage people. Marco Calamassi also encourages leaders to understand the importance of scheduling tasks because it helps in organizing teams and conveying the intentions of the leader. This way, a common vision is shared and objectives can be achieved.
- Team’s success comes first
One of Bo Schembechler’s most famous quotes says, “The Team! The Team! The Team!”
For the leader, the team comes first. Another constructive quote from Ian Fuhr goes, “A leader’s priority is to serve its team”. A leader relies on strengths that are different from their own, strengths that the team possesses. Marco Calamassi goes on to emphasize that leaders of successful organizations know that their success depends on the success of those they lead. If your team is growing, the business is growing.
- Learn from failure
A leader can stumble on many failures. Gary Vee is an advocate for failure because it makes you fearless. Learn from your mistakes and start again. Do not take failing too seriously. The important thing is to learn from it to get back stronger. As long as you have tried everything you can, do not be embarrassed about your failures. Failure just shows us there is not one universal key.
- Be unmotivated by money
A very funny skill but it ensures longevity of the business. Being an entrepreneurial leader needs perseverance. Leaders need to understand why they are doing what they are doing. A successful skill in being an entrepreneurial leader is to be really passionate about your business offering. Marco Calamassi goes on to explain that even notorious criminals are not motivated by money/m. Instead, all big corporations engage in social responsibilities because the leaders understand how you create customers and followers by giving back.
- Review performance periodically
A leader cannot lead others, if they cannot even lead themselves. Leaders have to personally monitor the process of reaching their goals. Reviewing performance also means taking constructive criticism. There are questions the leader would have to ask themselves. Questions such as, what are my goals? What incremental steps am I taking to get there? It is crucial to put a time period and journal much of what needs to be done.
- Be curious
A successful skill in being an entrepreneurial leader is to always be curious. Humans are born curious but grow up to suppress their curiosity. Little do they realise that curiosity is what keeps human beings young. Do not let reality kill your curiosity. Ask questions that intrigue you. Marco Calamassi found that one key quality leaders of super successful companies have in common is that they are curious and bold.
- Never stop learning
Often people use age as an excuse to stop being interested in the simplest, progressive and fun activities. Learning is one of them. Write down one thing that you want to learn more about periodically. Marco Calamassi strongly believes that Great leaders understand that success is incremental and there is always room for improvement.
Are leaders born or are leaders made? This is a decade long debated question that still stands with no final conclusion. Although, it can be agreed to that regardless of natural abilities, talent still needs to be nurtured and developed. Marco Calamassi learned these 8 top entrepreneurial leadership skills over a period of years, not from a single moment through birth.