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If you’ve ever been in a situation in which a person in a position of leadership was irrational or verbally abusive and didn’t listen, you understand leadership is about actions, not titles. When a so-called leader adds to the dysfunction of a situation rather than contributing to its improvement, leadership is damaged and even destroyed. People come to distrust this person and loyalty evaporates. They lose the willingness to listen to this leader and respect for the person vanishes along with their desire to follow.

There are two ways to view marketplace competition. You can focus on others in your sector and take yourself and your company away from the success and happiness you desire. Or you can turn your attention toward your own company and your path to being the best you can be. The second choice offers a self-disciplined approach that will position you to make changes, improve operations and enjoy the fruits of your intentional efforts.

Business owners typically dream of creating greater freedom, wealth and happiness — to exert greater control over their destinies. More specifically, they usually start companies to achieve professional, personal and financial independence and often use these to travel, relax, give back and enjoy their lives as much as possible. For many, however, this remains a dream only because they lack the mindset, skills, processes and people to make it a reality. There are a number of key factors that contribute to a business not being able to run effectively without the owner’s constant presence. Understanding these and making the necessary adjustments will position you to realize your dreams.

There’s a tendency among some business owners and managers to simply supply answers rather than invest time with team members to help them find the answers. There’s a prevailing belief this saves time. That might be accurate in the short term. But this approach costs more time in the long run, weakens businesses and adds to the responsibilities of owners and managers as team members remain dependent on them for solutions.

The desire to feel good about ourselves and the efforts we put forth is a very real human need. As a leader, it’s wise to get a firm hold on this understanding and change your perspective and behavior to consistently offer the praise and recognition your team members appreciate and need to continue advancing. Positive reinforcement offers a more effective leadership strategy than negative conditioning.

Effective listening constitutes one of the most fundamental and powerful communication tools of all. The first step to improvement is to have a good understanding of what you can do or stop doing to become a better listener. From here, the ill effects of your ineffective listening are all but eliminated. Interactions become more successful and pleasant as you learn to stop talking or thinking and develop the habit of truly listening.

Most businesses employ skilled team members with decent and even great attitudes. They come to work, perform their jobs to a satisfactory or higher level, and contribute to the work environment in mostly positive ways. But what about those team members who have the skills to do their jobs, but damage culture, morale, and operations with their bad attitudes? Chances are, you’re thinking of these people right now.

There’s a vast difference between being a leader and being a boss. A leader influences, collaborates, guides, inspires, mentors, and supports others to foster movement in a desired direction. Conversely, a boss controls, dominates, demeans, and uses fear and intimidation to get even more out of the individuals he or she oversees.