How to be a Good Leader [Research + Expert Tips]

Good leadership is vital for the long-term success of your organization.

Consider, for instance, how there's a 56% reduction in burnout and 845% greater odds of employee engagement when leaders connect people to purpose, accomplishment, or each other.

Good leaders inspire and motivate their employees.

But it's easier said than done. There are many ways to be a good leader, and it isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.

If you're unsure how to become a good leader, you're in luck. Here, we'll explore research-backed or expert-backed tips for becoming a better leader at work. Let's dive in.

What does it mean to be a good leader?

While the term "good leader" can be difficult to define, it's easy to spot in practice.

A good leader should have the following qualities:

• Resiliency
• Optimism
• Flexibility
• Integrity
• Accountability
• Empathy
• Humility
• Vision

Additionally, when we surveyed 300 people across the U.S., 44% respondents marked "Ability to communicate" as the most important trait/skill of a good leader. Strong communication skills came ahead of resiliency, creativity, humility, and even self-awareness.

Ultimately, a good leader is meant to inspire, motivate, and challenge each team member to hit their goals, impact the business' bottom-line, and reach their fullest potential.

In his TedTalk "Why good leaders make you feel safe", Management theorist Simon Sinek says a good leader is someone who makes their employees feel safe and secure.

Learn more about what makes an effective leader — according to experts at HubSpot, Google, LinkedIn, and Monday.com — in this post on developing leadership skills.

Fortunately, leadership isn't a trait that you're either born with or you're not. Instead, good leadership skills can be learned. Let's explore how to become a better leader, next.

How to Be a Better Leader at Work

1. Take a leadership assessment.

The first step towards becoming a better leader is assessing your personal strengths and weaknesses to understand areas for improvement.

Start by taking a leadership style quiz to determine which of the 8 leadership styles fits how you lead. Understanding your leadership style can help you determine how your direct reports view you, as well as the gaps that might exist in your current style.

For instance, let's say you determine you're an autocratic leader. An autocratic leader doesn't ask for input from any team members before making a final decision — which can be ineffective, since it inhibits the leader from hearing different perspectives, and doesn't empower his or her employees.

Once you've determined this is your leadership style, you can work to actively request input from team members —  which enables employees to feel heard and empowered, while also helping you ensure you have all the information necessary before making a decision.

2. Be transparent and create open dialogue.

Ultimately, transparency and honesty leads to a higher level of trust between team members and leaders, so remaining transparent with your direct reports is critical.

Your direct reports want to know what's happening with the organization at-large, so taking the time to have direct, honest conversations with them about the company's goals is key.

For instance, if your department is going through a re-org, take the time to explain to each direct report why the re-org is taking place, and make space for each employee to express their concerns.

Being transparent and honest also encourages your direct reports to do the same. If they feel you hide information from them or aren't forthcoming, they'll act similarly — which can lead to confusion and an increased risk of miscommunication.  

Good leaders are also excellent communicators. As Vice President of Blue Frog, Kelsey Halverson, told me, "Good managers teach, great managers listen. A manager becomes a great teacher when he or she has a genuine desire to hear the organizations goals, challenges, and vision."

Halverson adds, "It's not the role of a manager to tell the organization what to do — Instead, it's to listen and guide the team into actionable strategy that will empower innovation and drive results."

Taking the time to tailor your communication style for each direct report goes a long way towards establishing strong relationships with them. To do this, ask each direct report to complete a DiSC assessment, which will help you better understand each team member's personality, how they respond to challenges, and how they prefer to communicate.

3. Foster deeper relationships with your team members.

Taking the time to learn who each of your team members are outside of work is vital for fostering a deeper relationship with them and establishing trust and understanding.  

Consider using icebreaker questions during team meetings, or creating opportunities for the team to bond outside of work. Additionally, ask your direct reports about their preferred way to work — including communication styles, how they like to receive feedback, and what their professional goals are.

Finally, building rapport is about taking the time to get to know each direct report. In 1:1s, rather than jumping right into your meeting's agenda, consider beginning the conversation more naturally by asking about your direct report's weekend plans, or what she enjoys doing outside of work, all of which helps you both relate on a more human-to-human level. 

4. Encourage professional development.

According to LinkedIn's 2019 Workforce Learning Report, 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn.

Providing your team members with learning and development opportunities can help you reduce turnover rates and increase employee engagement.

Being a good leader is all about seeking out learning and development opportunities for your direct reports, encouraging them to learn, grow, and face new challenges.

Additionally, it will help you make your team more successful in the long-run if you can help team members up-skill in certain areas, or nurture their own leadership skills as your team expands.

5. Show appreciation for a job well done.

Feeling recognized for a job well done can help boost an employee's morale, engagement, and productivity.

For instance, consider the last time your boss gave you specific and positive feedback, such as, "You did a great job on your presentation on Tuesday. You gave fantastic context into the problem we're trying to solve on the team, and you were clear and articulate about your proposed solutions."

Not only would that make you feel great, but I'm willing to bet it would encourage you to work just as hard on your next presentation for more of that positive reinforcement.

Research has shown positive reinforcement is incredibly effective at ensuring people's behaviors are repeated. So, if your employees do a good job, you'll want to praise or reward them for their efforts to ensure your team continues to stay engaged and motivated.

6. Remain creative and open-minded.

Good leaders are innovative, creative, and open-minded to new ideas or processes. Rather than adhering to the status quo, a good leader constantly looks for ways to streamline processes, create new opportunities for their team, and increase impact on the bottom-line.

Good leadership includes taking a big-picture vision or strategy, and assigning specific tasks to individual team members to inspire, motivate, and challenge your team.

For instance, last year my manager recognized we needed a new process when it came to working with guest contributors. Once she'd recognized this big-picture challenge, she assigned the project to me. I was excited to own the creative process of brainstorming a new strategy, which kept me engaged and motivated at work.

How to Be a Positive Leader

People with positive moods have been proven to be more creative and collaborative, so if you're able to spark positivity among your team, you'll see a real impact on results.

Positivity is contagious, so being a positive leader can go a long way towards instilling confidence, pride, and happiness in your team members.

To be a positive leader, you'll want to:

• Focus on an employee's strengths and provide positive feedback in 1:1s
• Cultivate positive relationships with your team members
• Ignite hope by painting a picture of an exciting vision for the future, and consistently reminding employees of why their work matters

However, it's important to note: You don't want to prioritize positivity over reality.

As Senior Manager of HubSpot Blog Program's Karla Hesterberg told me, "I think the best leaders balance realism and optimism really well. You want to keep your team feeling positive about the direction you're headed, but you can't gloss over challenges — you have to acknowledge when things are tough and give your team space to feel those things."

Hesterberg says, "You can't try too hard to put a positive spin on everything or you'll end up minimizing real challenges."

Hesterberg adds, "The best leaders I've worked with are really skilled at acknowledging the tough things but then convincing everyone to stay on the train anyway because where you're all headed is great."

Good leadership doesn't happen overnight, and a good leader is humble enough to admit they're not always going to get it right. There are setbacks in any leadership position.

Being self-aware, open to feedback, and flexible in your approach will set you up for more success in the long-run, particularly as your team grows, or your business' needs change. 

How to be a Good Leader [Research + Expert Tips] was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

How to Design a Character for Your Brand

Have you ever searched stock image websites and thought, None of these truly represent my brand?

It can be difficult to stand out using the same cheesy images as everyone else, but creating a unique brand character can help distance you from the pack.

A brand character, or mascot, is the visual representation and ambassador of your brand. They can be an illustration, inanimate object, a person, animal or any other character of your choosing.

This is different from brand personality, which refers to the emotional and behavior characteristics attributed to your brand that help you resonate with customers.

Below we’ll explore the benefits of using a brand character and how to create your own.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Brand Character

Brand characters can fulfill a variety of uses for your company. Here are some advantages of using them:

• Improve communication: Images can often convey feelings and communicate messages to your audience more quickly and efficiently than words. Some even aim to build an emotional connection with the viewer. It’s a popular strategy for marketing products to children like cereals and toys.
• Brand Recognition: Some characters are so ingrained in popular culture that they become inseparable from the brand, like Ronald McDonald or the M&M Spokescandies. Customers will be able to identify your product or service without the brand ever being mentioned.
• Viral marketing potential: If your brand character is catchy and compelling, there’s a chance it could take off on social media. Take Kroger’s Krojis characters, which spawned several memes and parody videos shortly after their launch.

The original commercial (pictured above) used Flo Rida’s song “Low” to advertise their “Lower Than Low” campaign. Soon people were making their own versions, like this one.

However, using a brand character may not be the best choice for every business. Here are some disadvantages:

• May not be a good fit for your business model: For some products like fitness equipment, makeup, or any product that is aimed at altering the customer’s physical appearance, using a brand character is less effective. Customers will want to see a real person in advertising materials as proof that it works.
• Brand disconnect: While good brand characters can help customers recognize your brand, a bad one can have the opposite effect. The character may be recognizable, but customers have no idea what your company does. In the worst case scenario, the character could be inflammatory, or not age well like the recent rebranding of Aunt Jemima pancake products.
• Could be expensive: If you’re not creating the brand logo in-house, hiring an outside designer or agency can be cost prohibitive, especially if your business is just starting out.

Once you’ve decided having a brand character will be beneficial, you can get started on the fun part — creating your own.

Creating a Brand Character of Your Own

Henneke Duistermaat, writer and creator of Enchanting Marketing, found it easiest to reflect her true brand image, connect with her audience, and make her business memorable by hand-drawing her brand character, Henrietta. Henrietta is a cartoon character who embodies Enchanting Marketing better than any stock photo could.

Take a look at the infographic below, featuring Henneke's "alter ego" Henrietta, to find inspiration to create drawings for your business that will captivate and engage your audience.

While you may not opt to draw your own character like Henneke, you can adopt some of her thought process when creating your own. Think about:

• What problem are you trying to solve?
• How does that problem make your customers feel?
• What solution do you offer?
• What attributes do you want the character to convey?
• Where will you use this character? On the physical product, website design, or customer service chat box?

Brand Character Examples

Brand characters are not a one-size-fits-all marketing tool. You can choose cartoon characters like Henneke, anthropomorphized animals or objects, or even fictional people. If you’re stumped on where to start, we’ve pulled a variety of brand characters to get your creativity flowing.

1. Flo from Progressive

Flo is a great example of how effective a fictional person can be as a brand character. She’s highly recognizable and always communicates the perks of using Progressive over other insurance companies. Flo has more than 68,000 followers on Twitter, demonstrating the character’s reach beyond traditional commercials.

2. GEICO's Gecko

Not to be left out, fellow insurance company GEICO’s quirky gecko character also has a following of their own. Is he Australian or British? No one knows for sure, but we do know we can save on car insurance by switching to GEICO because this gecko brand character is incredibly good at what he does. To play up the character’s popularity, GEICO even facilitates Q&As with him via social media, getting the public to engage with the brand in a fun way.

3. Reddit’s Snoo

Reddit’s Snoo alien character can be found throughout its website and even has its own thread. The genderless and colorless alien has come to not only represent the company, but also its target audience: everyone. Reddit appeals to everyone and serves as a forum where users from any background can share news, their hobbies, other types of content, and host discussions on just about any topic. It’s the internet’s hub for “everyday people” (plus aliens of course), and Snoo reflects that.

4. Twitter’s Larry the Bird

 

 

It seems fitting that a site named Twitter would choose a bird for its brand character. Larry the Bird was named after basketball great Larry Bird, as co-founder Biz Stone is a Celtics fan. While small, this little blue bird is synonymous with Twitter without having to see the brand name spelled out.

It’s versatile and used on not only website branding, but seamlessly tucked into the corner of every individual’s tweet. It’s ubiquitous but not obtrusive.

Including a Brand Character in Your Marketing Plan

Including a brand character into your marketing materials should be based on both market research and your target audience’s needs. They are meant to enhance the user experience and simplify communication between the brand and its customers.

This article was originally published August 17, 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

How to Design a Character for Your Brand was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

What Marketing Leaders Are Investing in This Year

In an ideal world, marketers would have limitless budgets to invest in experimental initiatives and new programs. After all, the customer acquisition and retention landscape are evolving faster than ever. The challenge, however, is that marketing budgets are often limited around what's proven to work — which tends to look different from company to company.

That's why it's so important to have access to industry data. By knowing where we stand against our peers and competitors, we're better positioned to uncover areas of opportunity. This is especially important considering that 48% of marketers expect their marketing budget to increase in 2022.

In this post, we'll discuss data-backed areas that marketers are focusing their investments in 2022.

What Marketing Leaders Are Investing in This Year

Protecting consumer privacy.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about their digital privacy and protecting their information. Given this, Think With Google says that marketers will need to increase their investments in privacy solutions and respecting peoples data choices in 2022.

This means that consumers want to know how you’re using their data for marketing purposes, and they want to be able to review and manage the way their data is used and opt-out if they want to.

When you collect information from consumers for different marketing activities, they also want to know you’re collecting it. Recent data from Google found that consumers are happy to provide their data to companies they trust, so long as they know how you will use it.

Podcasts and other audio opportunities. 

As of April 2021, there are over  2,000,000 podcast shows and over 48 million episodes. 

The demand for audio content has exploded, and Brands recognize this opportunity. In 2022, roughly43% of B2C marketers plan to increase their investment in podcasts in 2022, and the data is virtually the same for B2B marketers. 

Marketers are also leveraging other opportunities that have risen brands to leverage, likeClubhouse and Twitter Spaces, which offer audio-only opportunities where users can participate in voice conversations with others. 

Other platforms are looking into and testing creating similar options within their apps, like Instagram Live Rooms (also incorporates video). TechCrunch reported that LinkedIn is testing a similar feature as well. 

Social Responsibility and Diversity Marketing 

Early 2020 brought businesses to a reckoning, as increased attention to social justice issues was at the forefront of conversations during the first few months of the year. In addition, COVID-19 highlighted employees’ struggles in the workplace, and consumers care about how brands they buy from treat their employees. 

Almost two years later, these issues have remained extreme topics of interest for consumers worldwide, and they care more than ever about the stances businesses take on public issues, demanding change and awareness from brands on diversity, equity, and inclusion. One of the ways they want to see this represented in business is diversity marketing and commitment to social responsibility. 

Given this, 82% of marketers reported that they planned to continue investing the same amount or increasing their investments in social responsibility for 2022. 

It's an effective practice for marketers to commit to, especially considering that people are more likely to consider a product after seeing an ad they think is diverse or inclusive, and 64% take action after seeing an ad they believe to be diverse and inclusive.

However, in the same vein, it's even more critical that businesses are genuine about the diversity measures they take. Consumers can see through the fluff, and Edelman found that59% of consumers think that companies need to follow up on their statements on diversity with concrete action, or they risk being seen as exploitative and opportunist. Read this post to see examples of businesses that have exemplified the practice of inclusive marketing.

Permanent Social Media Content

You’re likely familiar withInstagram Stories, which are pieces of content on the platform that disappear after 24 hours unless saved as a highlight. 

While this type of content is valuable, marketers in 2022 will also be leaning into permanent social media content —HubSpot Blog data showed that 85% of marketers plan on increasing their investments or investing the same amount. 

Permanent social media content remains on your different profiles for users to return to over and over again or to discover for the first time when they follow you. This can be in-feed posts, videos, or anything that remains and can be viewed days later after being published. 

Influencer Marketing 

Influencer marketing used to be a trend, but as 86% of marketers plan to continue investing the same amount or increasing their investments, it’s now a commonplace marketing tactic. Its popularity is due to the fact that partnering with influencers is a worthwhile investment — the ROI for influencer marketing is $5.78.

In addition, many influencers are experts of the ins and outs of how their platforms work and the industries they operate in, so they know what performs best on their preferred platforms and how to best interact with their audiences.

When collaborating with influencers, marketers also benefit from exposure to their audiences, helping generate brand awareness with followers and generate social proof.

Short-form Videos

HubSpot Blog survey data shows that 89% of marketers plan to continue investing the same amount or increasing their short-form video content investments. 

As a refresher, short-form video is considered to be any video that is up to 2 minutes and 30 seconds in length. Marketers are likely increasing their investment because of trend culture, where it’s easy for a video to go viral and get shared among audiences over and over again. 

For example, TikTok only houses short-form videos up to three minutes in length. Many businesses that use the platform leverage it to inform audiences about their products quickly so that users can get started right away. 

Investing in Marketing Technology

60% of marketers reported that, in 2020, they were set to increase their marketing technology spend. A2021 HubSpot Blog poll of over 1,000 global marketers found that 70% of marketers already use marketing technology in their roles, and 33% plan to start in 2022. 

Marketing technology, often referred to as martech, is a term used to describe the software and technology used to attract and retain customers. Many martech tools help marketersautomate repetitive marketing tasks to save time, like sending an email or scheduling social media posts. As of 2021, there are more than 8000+ martech solutions for marketers to choose from to meet their automation needs.

Join other market leaders in leveraging these trends.

Although not an exhaustive list, marketers are focusing on and investing in the trends mentioned above for 2022. Understand how each one will affect your business, and join other marketers in these investments.

What Marketing Leaders Are Investing in This Year was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

The Evolution of Content Marketing: How It's Changed and Where It's Going in the Next Decade

A sound content marketing strategy is one of the better ways a business can help shape its brand identity, garner interest from prospects, and retain an engaged audience. It lets you establish authority in your space, project legitimacy, and build trust between you and who you're trying to reach.

As you can assume, it's well worth understanding. But that's easier said than done. Content marketing isn't static. The landscape of the practice is constantly changing. It doesn't look the same now as it did ten years ago, and in ten years it won't look the same as it does now.

It's a difficult topic to pin down — one with a fascinating past and an exciting future. Out of both genuine interest and forward-thinking practicality, it's important to understand both where it's been and where it's going.

Here, we'll get some perspective on both. We're going to take a look at how content marketing has evolved in the past decade, and how it's going to evolve in the next one according to expert predictions.

How Content Marketing Evolved in the Past Decade

Google changed the game.

In 2011, Google conducted its landmark Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) study. It found that 88% of shoppers use what's known as a Zero Moment of Truth — a discovery and awareness stage in a buying cycle where a consumer researches a product before buying it. Google's research also indicated that word of mouth was a definitive factor in swaying that moment.

The study provides a unique point of reference in the context of content marketing's evolution. It captures the essence of how and why businesses needed to focus on content marketing at the beginning of the 2010s.

It was tacit evidence that companies' stories were being told online — well beyond the control of their marketing departments — and it was in their best interest to help shape those conversations.

The ZMOT study highlighted the need for sound Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Ranking for relevant keywords on search engines became all but essential to bolstering a company's online presence and holding up during consumers' Zero Moments of Truth.

But that study wasn't the only bombshell Google dropped in the early 2010s. Around the time the study came out, Google's search ranking algorithm changed to discourage "keyword stuffing" — the practice of repetitively loading a webpage with specific keywords to try to sway search engine rankings.

The change represented what is still a continuous effort by Google to provide users with positive, helpful online experiences. And it did just that. The shift that set the stage for businesses to focus on producing more high-quality, meaningful content.

Social media rose.

But content marketing's evolution wasn't exclusively linked to search engines. Social media's meteoric rise to prominence — one of the most disruptive trends in human history — also had a profound impact on the practice. As these platforms developed into mainstays of everyday life, they presented new challenges for content marketers.

As social media evolved, it popularized a different kind of content consumption than search engines. The difference boiled down to a matter of "pointed versus passive."

Consumers use search engines to find content more pointedly. Generally speaking, when you use a search engine, you're looking for a specific answer or a specific subject. Social media allowed users to consume content more passively on their preferred platforms. The content you see on your Facebook feed is finding its way to you — not the other way around.

That trend incentivized the creation of more shareable, attention-grabbing content that could easily be spread across social media channels.

In fact, as of 2021, social media is now the primary channel used by marketers, with over 80% of marketers using social media — by comparison, only roughly 40% use content marketing and SEO. 

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Video made a push.

Video also emerged as one of the prevailing content marketing mediums as the decade progressed, particularly among younger consumers.

As of 2021, roughly 70% of marketers say video is now their primary form of media used in their content strategies. 

Additionally, nearly nine out of ten people report wanting to see more videos from brands. 

Video is inherently engaging. Generally speaking, it's easier to follow than blog posts, email newsletters, or ebooks. Gradually, audiences took to it more and more as the decade progressed. By the end of the 2010s, platforms like YouTube were central to the landscape of content marketing.

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Obviously, content marketing underwent several shifts in the 2010s, but as I said at the beginning of this article, the practice isn't — and will never be — static. There are still plenty of changes to come.

How Content Marketing Will Evolve in the Next Decade

Video content will continue to rule.

As I just mentioned, video was emerging as one of the most — if not the most — important mediums for content marketing at the end of this past decade. There's no indication that that trend is stopping anytime soon.

In 2020, media uploads increased 80% year-over-year, demonstrating how the pandemic accelerated the popularity of video creation and consumption. 

And, as Canva's B2B Head of Content Rachael Perry points out,
"Video content is positioned for massive growth now, especially as video-first social platforms like TikTok continue to rule."

Perry says, "Almost everyone creates and absorbs visual content in today's world, and video is a great way to bring your brand to life and build more personal connections with your audience."

Perry adds, "Until now, video creation has been complex, but there are new tools making it easier. If you can understand what your audience truly needs, video can help you provide that value in a memorable way."

All told, it looks like the exploration and expansion of video as the preeminent medium for content marketing is going to continue. The priority for marketers is going to be a matter of standing out.

That could mean emphasizing the quality of the content you produce — ensuring it's enriching, well-crafted, and relevant to viewers. You could also try looking to emerging platforms like TikTok.

CEO & Co-Founder of Slidebean, Jose (Caya) Cayasso, told me he encourages brands to step outside the more traditional avenues of content marketing — blogging, email marketing, and SEO — to create "wider moats" around their content efforts. 

He says, "[At Slidebean] we decided to bet on YouTube, and it's become our most significant source of revenue and brand awareness. Alternatively, companies like Morning Brew and Duolingo are killing it on TikTok — but [video marketing] requires us to reinvent ourselves constantly, and to break the status quo of typical corporate content."

Cayasso adds, "You have to be incredibly clever and adaptable to succeed in video content — even more so if you're a brand, versus an individual."

No matter how individual producers and companies manage to innovate when it comes to video marketing, the medium is going to be a mainstay in the evolution of content marketing going forward.

Adjusting for mobile will be essential and present new opportunities.

According to Statista, global mobile data traffic in 2022 will be seven times larger than it was in 2017. Mobile device usage is increasing astronomically, and it's in every content marketer's best interest to keep pace with that trend.

In 2021, 61% of Google searches took place on a mobile device, and that trend is showing no signs of slowing down. Having a website optimized for mobile devices will be central to successful SEO efforts. And a lot of the content you create will need to fit that bill as well.

Blogs should be easily navigable on smartphones. Readily accessible video content that your audience can watch on mobile devices will be a big help as well. Prospects and customers will need to be able to get as much out of your mobile resources as your desktop ones.

This shift towards mobile will also present new opportunities through emerging kinds of media. More novel mobile technology — like virtual and augmented reality — will have a very real place in the future of content marketing.

As people continue to rely more on their mobile devices, content marketers will have to as well.

Successful content will be more empathetic, purposeful, and customer-first.

Google's ranking algorithm aims to prioritize the content that will mean the most to searchers. Ideally, by Google's standards, the first ranking search result for any keyword is the one that best addresses whatever users are searching for. And in all likelihood, they'll keep tinkering with their process in pursuit of that interest.

While there's no telling exactly how the algorithm might change going forward, one fact remains — marketers need to focus on high-quality content that will register with consumers. That means understanding your audience and putting considerable effort into how to reach them best.

As HubSpot Senior Content Strategist Amanda Zantal-Wiener puts it, "Where I'm starting to see content turning a corner is in the area of empathy. In the years to come, marketers are going to start creating more content that's truly created in the mindset of putting themselves in the shoes of others — be it their customers, prospects, partners, or someone else within their audiences."

She adds, "They'll ask questions like, 'What does my audience need from me right now? What can I create that's truly going to help them?' That's going to become a requirement for marketers when they begin brainstorming content."

Research, outreach, and community engagement will become even more important in the context of content creation. Content marketing is trending towards audience enrichment as opposed to product promotion. If this shifting tide holds true, content marketing will continue to become more targeted, purposeful, and customer-centric as the practice evolves.

As Katelyn Seese, Content Strategist at Blue Frog, puts it, "Content marketing has the power to make real connections with your audience and educate them of the value of your brand beyond your services, products, or offerings. Consumers care much more today about the who and why of your brand rather than just what you do. Understanding who your audience is and why they need your brand is the key to creating meaningful content that truly resonates with your audience."

Historical optimization will become increasingly important.

Basha Coleman, a Historical Optimization Marketing Manager at HubSpot, believes the future of content marketing will include an increased awareness and dedication to historical optimization.

She says, "As we enter an era where competitive content is appearing each minute, content teams will find it worthwhile to extract more value out of every minute spent on content development."

Coleman adds, "That means existing material that is updated with new data and trends can compete with brand new content on the same topic, while spending less time and resources to produce it."

If you don't already, consider investing in a strong optimization strategy for 2022 and beyond. This will help you create consistently relevant and high-ranking content without constantly starting from scratch, and is a critical SEO tactic for maintaining authority in the SERPs. 

Marketers will use more interactive content on their websites.

Nowadays, consumers are interested in easily-digestible, interactive content. In fact, 45% of B2B buyers say interactive content is one of their top three preferred content types, and interactive content gets 2X more engagement than static content.

To serve your audience's needs, consider how you might implement more interactive content, which breaks up long paragraphs of text and provides the viewer with an alternative method for consuming content. 

As VP of Marketing at Trusted Health Jill Callan puts it, "With average attention spans dwindling down to less than that of a goldfish, brands can no longer afford to have one-way conversations with their audience."

Callan says, "Interactive content on your website or blog can help engage visitors and make complex information easy to digest."

Callan adds, "At my company, Trusted Health, we’ve used this approach to engage our nursing audience with things like our Salary Calculator, which helps nurses get detailed salary and cost of living information for every state. The best part? Creating contextual user experiences needn't suck up precious product or engineering resources."

If you aren't sure how to begin, you're in luck. Callan shared with me three tips to kick-start your interactive content journey:

• Embed an ROI calculator on your website to show potential customers how you will save them money. An interactive tool immediately shows your product's value versus relying on text-heavy copy to explain it.
• Crowd-source product innovation. Tap into your brand advocates and loyal customers to learn more about their pain points and product wishlist. Use those insights to inform a product roadmap.
• Create a quiz. Not only are quizzes a great way to engage visitors, they also give you a better understanding of your audience so you can create more targeted campaigns in the future.

Zero-party data will become the preferred option for collecting prospect and customer data.

The way we use cookies and other ad-tracking tools in the next decade will change dramatically. 

Marketers will need to continue prioritizing the security of their prospects and customers' data, or risk losing their consumers' trust. 

To do this, many marketers will switch from using first, second, or third-party data to using zero-party data, which is data collected voluntarily from customers in exchange for value. Zero-party data goes beyond email address or phone number, and instead can include personal context, interests, and preferences — in return, prospects and customers can expect a more personalized consumer experience. 

As Senior Director of Marketing at Microsoft Advertising John Cosley told me, "Zero-party data is the foundation for a relationship built on trust and a value exchange. For consumers, it holds the promise of a personalized and more relevant experience with brands. In return, brands and businesses receive better insight and a longer-term relationship."

Using zero-party data enables you to create trust between your brand and its consumers, while also ensuring you're delivering the most personalized content possible for your customers. As other types of data collection are phased out — including third-party cookies — you'll see marketers shift to zero-party data in the next decade.

If there's anything to take away from understanding the previous and upcoming evolutions of content marketing it's this — don't get too comfortable. New trends and challenges are always emerging, and it will always be in your best interest to stay abreast of them.

And above all else, focus on consistently creating high-quality content that your audience will always be able to get something out of.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

The Evolution of Content Marketing: How It's Changed and Where It's Going in the Next Decade was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

Developing Leadership Skills: How to Become an Effective Leader [+ Expert Tips]

It's very easy to spot good leadership when it happens.

Take, for instance, how an old manager of mine used to ask my advice on business strategy in our weekly 1:1s — and then provide constructive feedback on it.

While I might not have recognized it at the time, I now see he was teaching me to think about how my role fit into the company's bigger mission.

Or, consider how my current manager seeks out learning and development opportunities for each of her direct reports. Whenever she finds a workshop or online class that could help me grow, she passes along the information.

All of which is to say: Good leadership doesn't look, sound, or act just one way. There are a myriad of ways for a good leader to educate and inspire others.

Which means leadership is a harder skill to master than others. It isn't like mastering Excel, which requires knowledge of specific, fixed formulas. Instead, good leadership is more ambiguous, and mastering it is less of a linear path. There will be setbacks, and moments where you feel you didn't act as a good leader should. But there will also be incremental moments of true growth.

Whether you're an individual contributor or already a team lead, there's always room for improvement. Here, we'll cover leadership development on various levels — from individual contributor to senior management and above. Plus, hear leadership tips from Google, LinkedIn, Monday.com, and HubSpot.

We'll also explore how to achieve your career goals through actionable steps you can take to level-up and become a stronger, more effective leader.

Let's begin.

What is a leader?

Before we dive into how to become a leader, it's important we cover what a leader is.

At its most basic definition, a leader is someone who leads a group of people towards a common goal through inspiration, motivation, and strong vision setting.

For instance, a teacher leads her students towards the goal of learning and uses motivation and inspiration to help them reach that goal.

The motivation and inspiration aspects are key. A leader isn't just someone who barks orders and hopes people obey. Instead, an effective leader is highly emotionally intelligent and connects with his or her direct reports to create stronger relationships before driving the group towards change.

Additionally, a good leader is someone who is effective at big-picture strategizing, and equally adept at communicating that vision to the rest of the team.

If you're still unsure what a leader is, here are a few quotes from leaders who've defined the term for themselves:

• "As a business leader, I think of myself as a coach. It’s my responsibility to build a strong team, design a winning strategy and execute the strategy with excellence to bring the team to victory." — Thasunda Duckett, President and CEO of TIAA
• "Ensuring that people have everything they need to achieve the missions of an organization. That's it, all else is footnotes." — Hans Vestburg, CEO, Verizon Communications
• "Leadership is helping believe in a better tomorrow or a better outcome than you have today."  — Marissa Mayer, Former CEO, Yahoo!
• "Leadership is helping people succeed, inspiring and uniting people behind a common purpose and then being accountable." — Paul Polman, Former CEO, Unilever
• "A leader is someone who can think strategically, simplify the strategy so everyone in the organization can understand it and communicate that strategy simply, enthusiastically, and in a caring way." — Ajay Banga, CEO, MasterCard

Now that we've covered a more broad, basic definition, let's explore some skills, traits, and qualities of good leadership to understand the definition on a more actionable level.

The Skills, Traits, & Qualities of Good Leadership

Good leadership looks different for every leader. Some leaders are quiet and calm; others are rambunctious and extroverted. There isn't a specific personality that lends itself best to effective leadership. And that's a good thing — at its core, leadership is about leading people, and people are diverse, so you want your leadership teams to reflect that diversity.

However, there are a few specific skills, traits, and qualities that have been identified as strong indicators of good leadership.

A few high-level leadership skills include:

• High emotional intelligence
• A growth mindset
• Strong communication skills
• Reliability
• Ability to give and receive feedback
• Decisiveness

To learn more about leadership skills (and how to improve them), take a look at What Are Leadership Skills? [+ How To Get Them].

For now, let's explore which skills are most relevant for various leadership roles.

Leadership as an Individual Contributor

You don't have to manage a team to be a leader. Instead, many individual contributors are strong leaders who need to develop leadership skills to manage projects or outcomes.

As an individual contributor, it is oftentimes your responsibility to have influence across the organization to drive projects across the finish line. This includes having the confidence to convince stakeholders that what you're doing matters to the organization, and that you're the best leader for the job.

Some of the most critical skills of an individual contributor include strong communication skills, time management skills, ability to work autonomously, and ability to collaborate effectively.

Here are a few specific examples of how individual contributors might need to demonstrate leadership skills:

• A social media marketer spearheading a new campaign across channels.
• A website designer who is in charge of re-designing the new company homepage.
• A blogger who notices a gap in an existing editorial strategy and wants to pitch a new topic cluster to leadership.
• A product marketer who needs to work with various teams to drive traffic and leads to a new product launch.

All of these employees need strong leadership skills — including the ability to empathize, remain flexible, listen actively to other team's agendas, and communicate their own vision effectively — and yet, none of them lead a team in a traditional sense.

To develop leadership skills as an individual contributor:

Learn to seek out feedback from the employees with which you work. Once one project is complete, ask them to complete a survey that requests information related to your time management skills, communication skills, or collaboration skills.

Leadership as a Manager

Once you're a manager, developing leadership skills becomes more a practice of trial-and-error.

To develop or strengthen key leadership skills, you'll want to request regular feedback from each of your direct reports, as well as your manager, to determine areas for improvement. Ask clear, actionable questions such as, 'What is one thing you'd like me to start doing? (Specific examples are helpful)' and 'What is one thing you'd like me to stop doing? (Specific examples are helpful)'.

Additionally, take the time to reflect on situations to determine how you might shift your behavior moving forward. Good leaders are the first to admit their mistakes.

For instance, if you're managing an entry-level employee and recognize you didn't give her enough context or support before suggesting she meet with her first client, you'll want to reflect and decide how you'll change moving forward.

Then, in your 1:1, you can tell her: "I apologize for pushing you into a client situation without ensuring you had all the context and information you needed to succeed. Moving forward, I've altered our team training schedule to ensure employees have more time to find their footing before meeting with a client."

Finally, as you move into a manager role, take the time to identify your management style. Understanding your management style can help you uncover inherent strengths (and weaknesses), and expand upon those.

To develop leadership skills as a manager:

Ask your direct reports for candid, honest feedback. Reflect on situations and iterate on your behaviors over time. Finally, identify your management style and be self-aware about your areas for improvement.

Leadership as a Senior Manager and Above

When you become a senior manager, your job shifts significantly — because you're now leading a team of managers.  

To be effective as a senior manager, you'll want to ensure you know how to ask the right questions. In skip level meetings, for instance, you might be speaking with employees who feel intimidated and hesitant to point out issues they're seeing on the ground-level — but their perspective is invaluable for spotting weaknesses within the organization.

Skip level meetings can also help you determine which areas your direct reports might need coaching, as well as patterns of challenges and inefficiencies across the team.

As a senior manager, it's also your responsibility to identify and nurture future leaders. Seek out opportunities to coach and mentor lower level leaders to ensure your organization is prepped with leaders who can drive positive change.

Finally, a senior leader is someone who motivates and inspires the department at-large with visions of the future of the company — two, five, and even ten years out. She is someone who is able to clearly articulate where she sees the business, and industry, headed, to create a sense of purpose among employees.

To foster this skill as a senior manager, you'll want to be intentional about staying up-to-date with the competitive landscape and consistently making note of existing customer pain points and how your company might reduce friction and stay relevant in the years to come.

To learn more about this, take a look at How to Set & Achieve Marketing Objectives in 2021.

To develop leadership skills as a senior manager or above:

Practice the art of active listening and asking the right questions to discover weaknesses and gaps in your organization. Keep up-to-date with the competitive landscape. Find mentors or senior manager peers who will provide you with leadership feedback, and attend conferences or seminars to network with other industry leaders.

How to Achieve Your Leadership Career Goals

1. Identify your leadership style, and know your strengths and weaknesses.

Leadership isn't one-size, fits-all. So when you first decide you want to become a leader, it's vital you take the time to determine what type of leader you want to be.

If you've never been in a leadership position before, you can start by taking a leadership style assessment to determine your style.

Alternatively, if you have been a leader in a previous position (even informally), take a look at The 8 Most Common Leadership Styles & How to Find Your Own [Quiz] to see which style you feel you fit most accurately.

For instance, let's say you've determined you fit a 'Coach-Style Leadership' style. Coach-Style leaders are focused on identifying and nurturing individual strengths of each team member.

Since Coach-Style leaders focus on growth and success of individual employees, it's vital you're efficient at communication and relationship-building.

Alternatively, if you felt better suited for a 'Strategic Leadership' style, you'd want to hone skills related to strategic, big-picture thinking.

Once you've figured out your leadership style, it becomes easier to identify areas for improvement and areas of potential weakness.

To create a more comprehensive list, take the time to make a list of your strengths and weaknesses (and collect external feedback as well) — this can help you determine, with your manager, which areas of growth will be most necessary before you can earn a leadership position.

2. Seek out opportunities to become a role model or mentor.

To become a leader, you'll need to vocalize to your manager that you want to become one. Then, he or she can help you identify opportunities to begin practicing leadership informally.

Alternatively, try seeking out those opportunities for yourself. There are a myriad of ways to test out your leadership skills. Perhaps you sign up to become a mentor to a new employee, or grab coffee once a week with a new team member to provide guidance and support.

Outside of work, you can look for areas in your community to become a leader. For instance, you could volunteer as a mentor for a local high school.

3. Develop your communication skills.

A core tenant of strong leadership is good communication skills.

Leadership requires you to communicate constantly with various stakeholders, effectively sell them on your goals or vision, and create rapport to build trust among your team.

In a given day, a leader might go from a meeting with executives in which she needs to communicate the resourcing needs of her team, to a meeting with individual contributors where she needs to build trust, inspire, and motivate.

 All of which is to say: Good leadership and strong communication skills go hand-in-hand.

To develop stronger communication skills, you'll want to start by practicing your active listening skills, learning how to assert your opinion in a helpful way, and asking for feedback from others on your existing communication skills. You might also seek out public speaking opportunities to strengthen your public speaking skills.

Empathy and emotional intelligence are equally critical to communicating effectively, and can help you build stronger relationships with colleagues.

For instance, let's say a colleague comes to you with a problem. She expresses that she's been overwhelmed and, as a result, won't be able to meet the deadline you'd initially agreed upon for a project.

While you might be frustrated or even angry initially, empathy can enable you to put yourself in her shoes, and understand that missing deadlines can happen to all of us. Additionally, emotional intelligence can help you monitor your own emotions and react appropriately.

As a result of having empathy and high emotional intelligence, you might respond like this: "Thanks for letting me know, and I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling overwhelmed. We've all been there. Give me some time to think over how we can come up with a solution to ensure we don't get behind on the project as a whole."

Rather than reacting purely based on personal feelings, emotional intelligence ensures you have the skills to keep your emotions in-check and respond to situations in positive, effective ways.

4. Ask big picture questions and learn to think about strategy.

When asked, "What skills are vital to being a good leader?", over ⅓ of HubSpot survey respondents reported 'ability to think strategically and to think about the big picture'. That skill alone won out over communication skills, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.

Thinking strategically doesn't happen overnight. When you're in a role that requires you to be focused on ground level details, it can be difficult to suddenly pull back and analyze bigger trends, challenges, and solutions — but it's vital for any leader to be able to do so.

Here are a few ways you can begin exercising that 'strategic thinking' muscle:

• Ask more big picture questions in meetings, even if it's not directly tied to your role. For instance, if you're a social media marketer and you're required to post Instagram stories for an upcoming product launch, you might explore questions such as, 'Why did our executive team choose to focus on investing in development for this product in particular?' 'How will this product expand our value proposition?' and 'What narrative are we telling around this product and how it fits into our existing product stack?'
• Expand your network outside of your immediate team. Grab lunches with members of the sales or services organization, and take the time to speak with those outside of your team. This will help you begin to understand what's happening in other areas of the organization, what other teams are working on, and challenges other teams are facing.
• Get organized with how you spend your time. While your day-to-day tasks are important, it's equally vital you carve out intentional time to focus on bigger projects or professional development opportunities. To do this, you might block off one hour every other week to focus on personal brainstorming — during this time, you might write down a list of higher-visibility projects you've been wanting to test out, or seek out workshops and courses in your area that will help you develop skills that your team currently lacks.
• Be willing to speak up. Beyond asking question in meetings, practice feeling comfortable sharing your own perspective or opinion. Show your colleagues you're willing to communicate new ideas or get creative when it comes to existing strategies.

Research Credit: Lucid

5. Take on more responsibility.

To begin levelling up in your career, you'll need to seek out additional opportunities to expand your skillset and demonstrate your willingness to grow professionally.

The easiest way to do this is to have an honest conversation with your manager in which you ask where the team's needs are, and how you can help your team meet those needs. Alternatively, perhaps you've observed a weak spot on your team and you feel confident you know how to fix it — in that case, you might bring your proposal to your manager.

It's vital you have buy-in from your manager since taking on more responsibility outside of your existing role could look unprofessional if your manager doesn't know why you're adding tasks to your plate.

If you're interested in becoming a team manager, for instance, you might tell your manager: "I noticed we're hiring a summer intern. If we don't already have a plan in-place, I'm wondering if I could become the intern's mentor or manager for the summer to strengthen some of my leadership skills?"

6. Go where the needs are.

I received this advice early in my career after I'd pitched a lengthy project to my manager. The pitch was strong — except my solution didn't solve a big problem, it solved a small one.

My manager said, "It looks like you created this pitch with your own personal interests top-of-mind. While it's always great if your passions can match business need, first and foremost, you need to work from the perspective of, 'What will help our business the most?'"

She had a point. After some reflection, I realized our team didn't need infographics designed for blog posts as much as the team needed more SEO knowledge and input. Rather than looking for design courses, I pivoted and signed up for a workshop on SEO. It was less interesting (personally), but it impacted our business on a broader scale.

Effective leaders don't just suggest random ideas when it suits them. Instead, they start by asking the right questions and analyzing existing weak spots. Then, they work to fill in those gaps and create real change for their organizations.

7. Practice self-awareness.

Self-awareness is an incredibly vital skill for any leader.

For instance, leaders who can see how their employees view them are usually more effective, and have stronger relationships with their employees. Additionally, self-awareness can help you correctly identify what you do well, and which areas you can potentially improve.

But if you think you're already a master in self-awareness, think again. One study estimates only 10-15% of people are truly self-aware. And, even if you are self-aware, there is always opportunities to strengthen the skill.

In this context of developing leadership skills, self-awareness can help you:

• Assess your current relationships with your colleagues, and how you might improve it. (Example: You recognize you were dismissive of another colleague's ideas in a recent meeting, and she's been avoiding you since. With that self-awareness, you can apologize for your behavior and practice more open-mindedness moving forward.)
• Analyze your own internal thought patterns, and recognize which ones aren't serving you, to build confidence. (Example: You feel imposter syndrome every time you present to your team, and you're self-aware enough to know it's because you're constantly thinking, 'I don't deserve to be here'. As a result, you work on self-affirmation, and create a folder on your desktop of positive reinforcements from colleagues.)
• Figure out which skills you lack that you'll need to develop before moving into a leadership role. (Example: After some reflection, you realize you aren't often honest about your mistakes, which can make you seem untrustworthy. As a result, you put effort into admitting when you've failed to your manager or team.)

8. Take the time for quiet reflection.

Becoming an effective leader doesn't happen overnight. And, unfortunately, there's no 'end' to becoming a good leader. For your entire leadership journey, you'll continuously iterate and grow.

When setbacks and failure happens, it's important you become adept at reflection. As you put these leadership tips into practice, take the time to regularly assess how you're doing. Leadership is trial-and-error, and as you practice new behaviors to grow your leadership skills, you'll want to determine which feel most authentic to you.

Ultimately, good leadership doesn't mean mirroring what others have done. It means figuring out what works for your personality and style, and expanding on those innate qualities. Since authentic leadership is the single strongest predictor of an employee's job satisfaction, it's imperative you take the time to grow into a leader in the way that's right for you.

Why Goal Setting Is a Critical Component of Good Leadership

As you move into a leadership role, you might feel pulled in many different directions by stakeholders with different goals.

This is why setting goals is vital for leading a team successfully: It keeps you focused on what matters for your team.

When you create goals for your team, you're effectively prioritizing what you will say yes (and no) to over a given period. Additionally, you're ensuring your team clearly knows where they're headed and how to get there — an essential component of good leadership.

Here are a few other reasons goal setting is a critical component of good leadership:

• Goal setting helps you enable your employees to work more autonomously. If they know what results you're expecting from them, it doesn't necessarily matter when, where, or how they reach those.
• Goal setting helps you stay focused on what matters most for your business. It ensures you don't get distracted with quick wins, and instead remain fixated on long-term success.
• Goal setting can spark more engagement from employees. If your employees understand the purpose and long-term vision behind their daily tasks, they'll likely feel more motivated.
• Goal setting increases a team's creativity and collaboration. Once you've decided where your team is headed, you don't necessarily need to dictate how to get there. Instead, empower your employees to brainstorm and test out interesting strategies to drive the team forward towards that goal. It's more interesting — and likely more effective — to gather unique perspectives when driving towards a common goal.
• It helps you know when to say no. When your employees come to you with interesting projects or experiments, it can be tempting to say yes. By setting clear team goals, you're ensuring each team member uses their time intentionally in pursuit of that goal alone.

When setting goals, consider using a SMART framework to ensure your goals are clear, actionable, and specific.

The Eisenhower Matrix can also help you figure out which tasks are highest priority once you've determined your team's short and long-term goals. The Eisenhower Matrix enables you to categorize your tasks in order of urgency and importance.

Now that we've covered goal setting as a vital component of leadership, let's explore a few other critical factors according to Google, LinkedIn, Monday.com, and HubSpot.

What Makes an Effective Leader? Tips from Google, LinkedIn, Monday.com, and HubSpot

1. Effective leadership is humbling. 

Anders Mortensen, Google's Managing Director of Channel Partners, says effective leadership is humbling. 

He told me, "In my early years of leadership, I was focused on the what — the results — while my team was focused on the how. It took me six years to realize that you don't define your leadership success, it's defined by others, and the how matters more than the what."

Mortensen adds that he believes your definition of team will either limit leaders, or elevate them.

"To become an effective leader," Mortensen says, "you have to make people around you better. Success is collaborative and your definition of 'team' will either limit you, or elevate you."

"The broader you define 'team', the more holistically you'll lead, and you'll become the bridge-builder that solves for the entire company, versus optimizing for just your own."

Ultimately, being a good leader means more than delivering exceptional results. It also means consistently motivating and supporting your team — through the highs, but also through the lows. 

2. Effective leaders show compassion and encourage authenticity.

Alyssa Merwin, Vice President of LinkedIn Sales Solutions, told me compassion is a key characteristic of effective leaders.

As Merwin puts it, "For many reasons, employees may struggle to show up as their full selves at work, creating barriers for them to be successful in certain parts of their roles. Whether because of caregiving responsibilities, mental health concerns, being part of an underrepresented group, or any other number of factors that make them feel different from the broader group, employees may experience increased stress of showing up to their desks — or Zoom, these days — on top of the pressure to perform in their roles."

Employees desire the opportunity to show up as their authentic selves at work, which is a critical factor for long-term employee satisfaction and engagement. 

Merwin says, "To truly support their teams, it's imperative that leaders not only recognize that these challenges may exist for some team members, but that they also commit to integrating diversity, inclusion, and belonging into their day-to-day operations."

"Creating and enabling great cultures and welcoming environments is just the starting point," Merwin adds.

"Effective leaders focus on how each individual team member is feeling and showing up to work, and they facilitate safe spaces for open discussion about how team members can better support one another."

3. An effective leader is someone who walks side-by-side with their team. 

Effective leaders are able to provide strong, actionable support and guidance for their team. 

As Hila Levy-Loya, VP of Customer Success at monday.com, told me, "Being an effective leader is about choosing to walk side-by-side with your team — not forging ahead and looking back to check where they are."

Being able to walk side-by-side, Levy-Loya adds, requires you to take the time to have deeper conversations with your team and understand their daily activities. "The first step in achieving this is to take the time to understand the details of your team's work and what keeps them up at night. Get to know their day-to-day responsibilities and stresses, and in turn you will become trusted to lead an informed discussion with your team."

Along with discussing your team's responsibilities, you'll want to remain transparent about the bigger picture — including your long-term vision and goals. 

Levy-Loya says, "The second step is granting your team access into your motivations so they can understand your 'zoomed out' view just as you do. Sharing the good, the bad, and the unknown creates an environment of trust and transparency that is crucial to achieving incredible results. With that ability to tap into each others perspectives, you and your team are able to pave the way together."

4. An effective leader always assumes good intent.

Lisa Toner, HubSpot's Director of Content Network, told me effective leaders always assume good intent, even when a team member makes a mistake. 

As she puts it, "No one sets out to make a bad decision or mistake. When it happens, they're likely going to be more upset about it than you are, so no matter how frustrated you are, approach the issue with empathy, and calmly and supportively lead your team member towards a better outcome."

"Always assume good intent," Toner adds. "Reacting negatively will only knock their confidence in themselves — and you — in the long run."

Ultimately, good leadership doesn't happen overnight. To become an effective leader, you'll want to consistently request honest, candid feedback from your direct reports, and practice self-awareness to recognize — and improve — your leadership weaknesses. 

Fortunately, your direct reports don't expect you to be perfect; they expect you to be human. Be humble, admit when you don't know, and collaborate with your team to leverage each person's expertise — all of which will bring you that much closer to truly leading effectively. 

Developing Leadership Skills: How to Become an Effective Leader [+ Expert Tips] was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

Fixed Cost: What It Is & How to Calculate It

"Business is personal — it's the most personal thing in the world."

These are famous words by Michael Scott from the TV show, The Office. And although this quote conflicts with the universal belief that business isn't personal, Michael's point of view is perfect when learning about a business's fixed costs — or those costs that don't change as a company grows or shrinks.

To identify and calculate your business's fixed costs, let's start by looking at the ones you're already paying in your personal life. Then, we'll explain how a business manages its own fixed costs and review some common fixed cost examples.

Fixed costs are distinguished from variable costs, which do change as the company sells more or less of its product.

To better understand how fixed and variable costs differ, let's use personal finances as an example. As a single adult, your expenses would normally include a monthly rent or mortgage, utility bill, car payment, healthcare, commuting costs, and groceries. If you have children, this can increase variable costs like groceries, gas expenses, and healthcare.

While your variable costs increase after starting a family, your mortgage payment, utility bill, commuting costs, and car payment don't change for as long as you're in the same home and car. These expenses are your fixed costs because you pay the same amount no matter what changes you make to your personal routine.

In keeping with this concept, let's say a startup ecommerce business pays for warehouse space to manage its inventory, and 10 customer service employees to manage order inquiries. It suddenly signs a customer for a recurring order that requires another five paid customer service reps. While the startup's payroll expenses go up, the fixed cost of a warehouse stays the same.

To get the full picture of what costs are associated with running your business, it's important to understand the total fixed cost and average fixed cost.

Total Fixed Cost

The total fixed cost is the sum of all fixed costs that are necessary for running your business during a given period of time (such as monthly or annually).

Average Fixed Cost

Keep in mind you have to keep track of your business's fixed costs differently than you would your own. This is where the average fixed cost comes into play.

Average fixed costs are the total fixed costs paid by a company, divided by the number of units of product the company is currently making. This tells you your fixed cost per unit, giving you a sense of how much the business is guaranteed to pay each time it produces a unit of your product — before factoring in the variable costs to actually produce it.

Let's revisit the ecommerce startup example from earlier. Assume this business pays $5,000 per month for the warehouse space needed to manage its inventory and leases two forklifts for $800 a month each. And last month, they developed 50 units of product.

The warehouse and forklift costs remain unchanged regardless of how many products they sell, giving them a total fixed cost (TFC) of $5,000 + ($800 x 2), or $6,600. By dividing its TFC by 50 — the number of units the business produced last month — the company can see its average fixed cost per unit of product. This would be $6,600 ÷ 50, or $132 per unit.

How to Calculate Fixed Cost

To calculate fixed cost, follow these steps:

1. Identify your building rent, website cost, and similar monthly bills.
2. Consider future repeat expenses you'll incur from equipment depreciation.
3. Isolate all of these fixed costs to the business.
4. Add up each of these costs for a total fixed cost (TFC).
5. Identify the number of product units created in one month.
6. Divide your TFC by the number of units created per month for an average fixed cost (AFC).

Fixed Cost Examples

So far, we've identified a handful of fixed cost examples since considering the costs we already pay as individuals. A home mortgage is to a lease on warehouse space, as a car payment is to a lease on a forklift.

But there are a number of fixed costs your business might incur that you rarely pay in your personal life. In fact, some variable costs to individuals are fixed costs to businesses. Here's a master list of fixed costs for any developing company to keep in mind:

• Lease on office space: If you rent office space to serve as headquarters or employee workspace, these costs tend to be relatively stable.
• Utility bills: The cost of utility bills in company offices may fluctuate as seasons change, but it is generally not affected by business operations.
• Website hosting costs: When you register your website domain, you pay a small monthly cost that remains static despite the business you perform on that website.
• Ecommerce hosting platforms: Ecommerce platforms integrate with your website so you can conduct transactions with customers. They typically charge a low fixed cost per month.
• Lease on warehouse space: Warehouses are paid for the same way you'd pay rent on your office space. The cost is relatively stable but you may run into storage and capacity limits that can impact cost.
• Manufacturing equipment: The equipment you need to produce your product is yours once you buy it, but it will depreciate over its useful lifetime. Depreciation can become a fixed cost if you know when you'll have to replace your equipment each year.
• Lease on trucks for shipment: If your company sells physical products, transportation may be a regular cost. Truck leases work the same way as a car payment, and will not charge differently depending on how many shipments you make.
• Small business loans: If you're financing a new business with a bank loan, your loan payments won't change with your business's performance. They are fixed for as long as you have a balance to pay on that loan.
• Property tax: Your office space's building manager might charge you property tax, a fixed cost for as long as your business is on the property.
• Health insurance: Health insurance costs might be a variable cost to an individual if they add or remove dependents from their policy, but to a business, the recurring costs to an insurer are fixed.

Calculating your fixed costs isn't always the most fun part of growing your business. But knowing what they are, and when you'll pay each one, gives you the peace of mind you need to serve and delight your customers.

Fixed Cost: What It Is & How to Calculate It was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns