Bala Sathyanarayanan

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These traits are not innate gifts but acquired through dedication, making them accessible to any aspiring leader.

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Before taking on any investors, take the time to do proper research and assess each investor’s expectations and needs. Securing the support of multiple investors can be a big boost to a business just getting off the ground. While the guidance and funding these investors offer are critical to building a successful business, entrepreneurs must also become adept at balancing competing feedback and expectations. To create truly positive relationships with investors, it’s key that entrepreneurs put processes in place to ensure all sides are aligned, have space to communicate openly and are dedicated to working toward common goals before accepting any funds. Below, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one piece of advice to help entrepreneurs ensure that their investors feel heard and happy with how things are progressing.

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In shedding the need for total control and embracing empowerment, we can transform ourselves as leaders and inspire those around us to reach greater heights of success.

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Inviting employees to share their input in workplace changes helps ensure the creation of an inclusive and empathetic space. The idea of what constitutes a safe working environment has changed significantly in today’s global business environment. Where before the focus was primarily on physical safety, many organizations have evolved to now include well-being and psychological safety as well, resulting in increased productivity and decreased turnover.  While many businesses are committed to creating and maintaining a safer work environment, knowing where to start and what to focus on can be challenging. To help, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one essential factor business leaders should consider when working to build a safer working environment in a business.

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To make lasting, sustainable change, leaders have to be willing to throughly examine their existing culture and make needed changes. A business’s culture is its organizational backbone. As potential customers and employees have become increasingly interested in learning what a business is all about beyond its product or service offerings, culture can set an organization apart from its competitors on the market.  Leaders, however, have to be mindful of the culture that is created and preserved. Maintaining the wrong kind of culture is an action that can devastate a brand long term, but the damage can be reduced if leaders seriously commit to making a change. To help, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one essential step leaders must take when they begin the work of cultural change.

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Though an uncertain market can be challenging for entrepreneurs, it can also be an opportunity to grow. While market downturns can devastate companies across industries, they can also be full of potential. By leaning in on being agile and flexible, business leaders can effectively navigate uncertainty, find new opportunities and execute needed change.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum members have dealt with their own share of market challenges. Below, 15 of them each share one way companies can look for new business opportunities in a market downturn and secure a bright future.

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A calling gives you the passion and purpose to weather leadership challenges, while a clear vision provides the strategic direction necessary for you and your team.

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Doing a thorough examination of their own habits can help leaders see which behaviors are holding them back. Leaders play an essential role in organizations, helping to establish workplace culture and acting as examples for employees to model their behavior after. When leaders have good habits, it results in increased satisfaction, productivity and morale in employees. However, when leaders have bad habits, even when the intention isn’t to set a bad example, it limits and decreases the amount of success a leader and business can achieve. To help leaders identify which habits they should consider eliminating completely, 20 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one seemingly harmless habit that can actually hinder leadership success.

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Committing to building a culture of unwavering customer centricity can effectively transform your business for the better. From Fortune 500 companies to startups, companies that prioritize customer centricity stand out in the market. They understand that customers are more than just revenue sources—they are the foundation of business survival and expansion. A customer-centric culture places the customer at the heart of every decision, fostering trust, loyalty and long-term relationships. But how can businesses truly embed this philosophy into their culture? Below, 20 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore the most effective strategies to cultivate a customer-centric culture within an organization and delve into the reasons why these approaches are vital for sustainable growth.

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Leaning on the perspectives and expertise of the entire team can help ensure decisions are made with care. Leaders are often faced with critical decisions that can significantly impact a company's success. However, the process of decision making can often be clouded by preconceived notions and assumptions. To make the best possible choices, leaders must step back and evaluate their own biases—but they may not always be sure how to do so. Below, 18 members of Newsweek Expert Forum share top strategies to help leaders set aside their assumptions and approach critical business decisions with an objective eye.

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While business can sometimes seem like an extrovert’s playground, introverted leaders can network effectively with other professionals to build lasting relationships. As a leader, being able to make solid connections with professionals in and outside of one’s industry is key to running a successful business. Though introverted leaders may dread networking, the long-term benefits of cultivating both personal and professional business relationships can significantly boost a business and give a leader access to new opportunities.  From scouting potential contacts online to joining community organizations with a focus on their hobbies, there are numerous ways for reserved leaders to put themselves out there without it being too much of an obstacle. Below, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how introverted leaders can overcome the challenge of networking while making it more natural and fun.

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Making the effort to take full advantage of personal and professional growth opportunities can help leaders achieve significant goals. Many business leaders will attest that running and maintaining a successful business happens only with a continued investment of countless hours. While this time investment is crucial for ensuring that the business is performing well and on track with goals, it can limit the amount of time leaders have to spend on other pursuits, such as acquiring new knowledge and the development of a leader’s skills.  Despite this, there are steps a leader can take to reprioritize and dedicate more time to investing in themselves and their own personal and professional growth. Below, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share specific ways a business leader can pursue further education and ongoing growth opportunities when they have limited spare time.

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Being in constant communication with customers can help businesses ensure they are following the right trends. Customer trends are constantly changing in response to societal, environmental and technological advancements. To continually meet and even surpass customer expectations, it’s critical that businesses keep up with and adapt to these emerging customer trends. However, with so many trends appearing regularly, it’s difficult for business leaders to know which trends are short-lived and which ones have the potential to disrupt the industry for good. This distinction is key, as the wrong investment in a particular trend can mean wasting limited time, effort and resources. To help, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how a business can stay on top of emerging customer trends and leverage them wisely.

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By embracing these melodies in your life and business, you can conduct the symphony of leadership, creating a harmonious impact that resonates with your team and society.

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Organizations can invest in developing their employees in several ways, including through training initiatives, coaching and mentoring, leadership development and career development opportunities.

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E-commerce businesses are a dime a dozen, but those that provide standout customer service are the ones that will ultimately thrive. In the competitive world of e-commerce, providing exceptional customer service is crucial for building a loyal customer base and staying ahead of the competition. However, with so many brands vying for attention, it can be challenging to stand out and provide a consistently positive customer experience. Below, a panel of 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared essential tips for e-commerce brands to better serve their customers. By implementing these tips, e-commerce brands can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately leading to increased sales and business growth.

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To create an effective leadership team, it's important to consider everything each candidate can offer the business. Across industries, leadership plays an essential role in the success of a business. These leaders set the tone of the organization as a whole, impacting not only operations and decision making, but employees and customers as well.  To build the right leadership team, companies have to be willing to take their time with the process as every misstep could potentially negatively impact the business long term. Below, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore common mistakes organizations make when assembling a leadership team and share advice on how those errors can be corrected.

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In order to keep moving toward set goals, leaders must ensure that the organization's purpose is prioritized. In life, the only constant is change, and the same is true in business as well. While businesses are typically created around a vision or specific purpose, the evolving reality of running a business can cause leaders to gradually stray from the original mission. Purpose-driven organizations do work that benefits stakeholders on all sides, so having a guide when making decisions can help leaders manage change better and more efficiently. To ensure that their organizations remain focused on their mission, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how industry leaders can keep purpose at the forefront of everything they do.

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Even the most experienced of leaders can struggle when it comes to managing several different priorities. Between catering to the needs of customers, ensuring employees are engaged, remaining true to the values of the organization and staying compliant on changing laws, running a business naturally requires entrepreneurs to balance several different priorities all at once. No matter how experienced a leader is or how top-notch their juggling skills are, any person would struggle with these responsibilities. Stepping outside of the mindset that they have to handle everything alone is a key first step for many leaders. Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one additional approach leaders can take when managing multiple projects and priorities.

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Leading your company through a perennial crisis can be daunting, but it is possible with the right mindset and approach.