You want to be a successful business leader, but you’re not sure how. 

There are a lot of myths out there about what it takes to be a successful leader. You think control is the key. You have to know and do everything yourself. 

That’s not true! Successful leaders know how to delegate tasks and empower their team members. They also know how to listen and learn from those around them. In fact, trying to do everything yourself will only hinder your progress and slow you down.

Chris Gronkowski, a professional football player and owner and inventor of Ice Shaker, had the same mentality. During his first 4 years in the business, he tried to take on everything, working 100 hours a week. He thought he was doing the right thing. But after talking to mentors and people who have been there and done that, he realized that he was wrong. He was only hurting himself and holding the team back. And there was no “team” to speak of because he didn’t give them any responsibilities nor involve them in business activities.

Now, Chris knows better. 

His business is booming, which enables him to help more people. After going through and overcoming loss, struggle, and pains, he shares with us what made him an effective leader. 

Follow these three strategies and you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful leader too.

Be Coachable

You’re a go-getter. You know what you want and you’re not afraid to work for it. 

“I’m going to do this myself.”

“I’m going to figure it out myself.”

When you’re so focused on trying to do it all yourself, it’s easy to forget that other people might have something valuable to offer. You don’t take the time to listen or learn from others, and that can hurt your business in the long run. 

You have to be coachable.

Being coachable is key to success as an entrepreneur. It’s important to be open minded and humble enough to learn from those who have been where you are now – and succeeded. 

When you’re coachable, doors open up that wouldn’t have otherwise. Partnerships form, advice is given, and progress is made much faster than if you were going at it alone

Thinking you know it all is going to prohibit you from going to the next level.

Why? Because you’re not willing to learn. You’re not willing to do things differently.

You can’t ask for advice or insight and not be willing to take them. It’s one of the huge pitfalls that we people fall into—letting our ego get the best of us.

Be a student again. 

Be a beginner. 

Be a sponge.

Just absorb what you need to get off the ground.

Build Your Team

You are not taking the responsibility off you and dumping it on them. 

You are not putting additional work on people.

You are building your team.

When one person wins, everyone wins

Plan and Prepare

Starting your own business is hard. With everything on the line, you’re under a lot of pressure. Most people crumble under the weight of expectations. 

But what if you didn’t have to? What if there was a way to be ready for anything and stay confident even when things get tough? 

There is a way, and it starts with planning and preparing well.

Chris recalls how preparing well has helped him play fast in football matches. He says you have to know how to react or respond to any situation before the play even starts. During the game, a guy can walk up to the line, blitz, and shift. If you don’t know how to react, you’ll freeze.

The same goes with pitching a business. Your potential investors are going to throw questions at you that you probably don’t know of. By being 100% ready, you can show confidence even if you shake a little bit.

If you have important and urgent things to do today, list them down and put them in your calendar. Sort them in the order of priority. 

You see, urgency is a motivator. When you think of the pain you will experience if you don’t get in on it, you get motivated to finish it.

Don’t Be the Whole Value of Your Business

You’re so vital to the team that your absence will crush the business down. 

It’s hard to think about leaving your business, but at some point you have to. Part of being a good leader is making sure your team can run the business without you. 

You should know when it’s time to step down and let someone else take over. That’s why we have a process in place so that as you grow, your team does too. They will be able to handle situations that would also help the brand grow.

Learn how Chris reached the success he has now with Ice Shaker and be inspired by his stories of victory. He is the living example of leadership by demonstration. Keep posted on our latest podcast and other Coachable episodes!