Be a smart leader in this era!

For a certain company or business, it is necessary to have a leader that will make a good decisions and bear all the responsibility in handling the business. Yes, that is the smart leader! Of course, who says nobody can be a smart leader? Well, everyone can be a smart leader because if you are born to be a leader, accept it and keep moving on!

One thing for sure, think back your strengths and weaknesses. Know them by yourself. With your strengths and weaknesses, manipulate them to help you in your business. For example, if you are aware of flaws in any areas of your business, remedy them now. Yes, they make you vulnerable. But, find a way to “fight” it.  Similarly, find new ways to capitalize on your strengths. You need them more than ever.

As a smart leader, rethink your sales strategy. You can start by identifying your most profitable products or services, and focus your sales efforts accordingly. Be smart to use gross profit as a measure, or better yet, your gross margin returns on investment. Of course, don’t forget to categorize your customers. Determine who's profitable, and who's not. If some customers are a drain on resources, either raise their prices or "fire" them. You can't afford to carry unprofitable customers along; you need to work lean and mean right now.

As a smart leader, keep your eyes open. Be on the “search” for fresh ideas and opportunities. You need to stay abreast of news and trends. Make sure to cooperate with other entrepreneurs to see what they're doing. Of course, be aware to learn from what's going on around you. Once you found the opportunity, poised to jump on opportunities when they come your way. Yes, you can create strategic alliances for example by forming simple partnerships can save you money.

One thing for sure, always improve your work processes. If there are excess costs in your workflow, squeeze them out, so your business will run as efficiently as possible. Perhaps you can benefit from an assessment program such as Total Quality Management. With this, you can eventually increase throughput. For example, during soft markets, customers often purchase in smaller quantities. Instead of turning small accounts away, find the ways to accommodate them. If you can shorten lead and set-up times without compromising work flow, please do so. It will add up your sales!

To sum up, all of these tips are necessary as they can help you to be a smart leader who can predict the sales in future and to handle a company. Be a smart leader who leads the business!

Credit to :  Ray Silverstein, a president of PRO: President's Resource Organization , a network of peer advisory boards for small business owners. He is author of two books: The Best Secrets of Great Small Businesses and the new Small Business Survival Guide: How to Survive (and Thrive) in Tough Times .