Leah Marone

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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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Cultivating a values-driven environment will help align team members' actions with the core principles of your business. Company values are the guiding principles that shape an organization's culture and define its identity. However, only having values in place is not enough. To truly embed them within the fabric of a team, it is crucial to reinforce and strengthen each member’s understanding and commitment. Below, 19 Newsweek Expert Forum members share effective strategies leaders can use to nurture a values-driven team. These approaches will help solidify the team's understanding of company values and foster a deep sense of commitment. 

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Engage seasoned professionals can empower aspiring individuals and foster lasting impact through mentorship, internships, education and networking. To maintain success, it is not only essential for leaders to focus on the present but also to invest in the future by empowering the next generation. By sharing knowledge, providing guidance and offering opportunities, experienced professionals can play a vital role in helping young talent thrive. Below, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore various ways in which successful business owners and leaders can reach out and give the next generation a leg up. By actively engaging with and supporting the next generation, business leaders can foster a culture of innovation, inclusivity and continuous growth while leaving a lasting positive impact on future generations of professionals.

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Seeking out and actively encouraging employees to share their opinions is critical to making the right business calls. Businesses of all sizes are constantly making decisions that have a considerable impact on the entire organization. The gravity of these decisions as well as the chances of conversations sparking disagreement and sowing team division may cause some leaders to limit discussions to a select few. Fortunately, safeguards can be put in place to add employees at all levels into the conversation, effectively limiting conflict, keeping discussions respectful and allowing individuals to offer insight without fear of negative consequences. To help businesses create space for various perspectives and set boundaries, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members share approaches leaders can leverage to encourage vigorous, yet respectful debate in their organizations.

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While failure does come with significant downsides, actively encouraging employees to take risks can be worthwhile. “Failure” has a complex meaning in business. On one hand, failure can mean unimaginable loss ranging from the waste of limited resources to the loss of one’s livelihood completely. On the other hand, failure can also be a harbinger for great personal and professional growth.  No matter how one feels about failure, the truth of the matter is that business is all about leveraging the lessons that come out of failure to innovate. Taking risks, building on failure and encouraging your employees to do the same is the key to becoming a major player in your market.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum have directly experienced the benefits of cultivating a workplace environment that supports experimentation. Below, 15 of them share how leaders can encourage and foster a culture of innovation within their organization.

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To continuously drive business growth, leaders have to be more willing to lean on their employees and ask for help. At times, leadership can be a heavy burden. For some, being a strong leader means subscribing to the idea that a leadership role entails bearing the pressures of the position alone. And while this belief can and has led to gains, shouldering every aspect of a business on one’s own will only work to a limited degree of success. Instead, learning how to build, manage, delegate and lean on your team can positively impact the entire team and the business. To help, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer strong leaders tips for successfully managing their staff to drive business growth.

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Leaders often have many things and people depending on them. When every decision made can have far-reaching consequences, it’s not uncommon for some leaders to be stressed or apprehensive about making the wrong call. Rather than letting their negative emotions get the best of them, and potentially lead to important decisions being delayed, it’s crucial to determine what processes will produce the best decision possible for a given situation. As leaders themselves, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are well aware of the importance (and downsides) of decision-making. To make the process easier, 14 members offer advice to help leaders better manage the paralysis and anxiety that can occur while making critical decisions.

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Rather than perpetuating the same old top-down power dynamics, leaders can instead prioritize employees' needs. The role of company culture in many businesses has changed in recent years. This has meant moving away from traditional power structures where leaders decided the business path forward to systems that focus on intentionally giving employees a seat at the decision-making table.  While these efforts have proved fruitful for attracting and retaining employees, fostering a supportive internal culture is an ongoing undertaking that must regularly be assessed. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum understand the key role that leaders play in maintaining company culture. Below, 15 of them share their best advice on how leaders can create and sustain a supportive internal culture.

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Reaching out to peers for support is a great way to work through negative feelings. The last few years have brought many changes across personal and professional lives across the globe. While some of the changes have been positive, such as the prioritization of work-life balance, other changes like persistent uncertainty are causing many professionals to feel overwhelmed.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are familiar with the toll professional life can have on a person. Below 14 of them offer coping tactics that can help reduce overwhelm and get professionals back on track.

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To set first-time leaders up for success, organizations have to create processes that offer support and flexibility. Whether a first-time leader has been promoted or is newly hired into the organization, the systems a business has in place are critical for that leader to overcome the obstacles they will inevitably face. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are familiar with business procedures that can help new leaders feel supported. Read on as 13 of them offer recommendations on what organizations should do to build systems that help first-time leaders succeed in their roles.

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Adopting practices like mindfulness can be a great way to reduce stress and take back control of one's life. Between managing employees, monitoring the market and setting and achieving business goals, leaders have a lot of pressure on their shoulders. All of these responsibilities and expectations undoubtedly contribute to making stress a routine and ever-present part of the job for many leaders. While leadership and stress can go hand-in-hand, pursuing practices like mindfulness could help leaders better manage their stress and take back control. To help leaders prevent stress from negatively impacting their productivity and morale, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice for how leaders can adopt or practice mindfulness on a regular basis.

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While a productive workforce is vital to a successful business, leaders must balance good management with giving employees autonomy. For many business leaders, having a hand in every aspect of their business has allowed them to ensure that each and every client is well taken care of. This method is an effective way to maintain high-quality products and services while also maximizing what each additional hire is able to contribute to the business.  However, if a leader is too heavy-handed, this management strategy can have an adverse effect internally over time, straining manager-employee relationships and negatively impacting workplace morale. A productive workforce is an essential component in building a successful business, but leaders must be careful not to become a hindrance to their employees. To help leaders adopt a management style that works with and not against employees, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer a piece of advice for increasing employee productivity without resorting to micromanaging.

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Taking notes on how the world's largest and most innovative corporations operate can help businesses of any size emulate their success.  There are certain companies you hear about nearly every day, whether they're new or have been around for decades. These powerhouse companies find a significant problem that needs to be solved and develop innovative, pleasing solutions for customers. Many startup leads aim to achieve that kind of notoriety, and there is much to be learned from observing powerhouses like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared some important lessons they've learned by watching the strategies of other successful businesses. 

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In operating a business, the one thing entrepreneurs can undoubtedly expect is to encounter challenges. Even with a solid business plan, well-developed products or services and a network of established customers hungering for said business offerings, organizations have no guarantee of challenge-free success. In fact, if there is one thing a business owner can expect, it’s that they will encounter adversity.  Despite this fact, adversity should be regarded as an opportunity for businesses to regroup and innovate. Learning strategies for effectively handling and overcoming these obstacles can allow entrepreneurs to operate their business in an even better way than before. To that end, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice below on how entrepreneurs can strategically leverage adversity for business success.

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Leveraging data from the past year as well as feedback from employees and customers can give businesses insight into what initiatives to explore next. With the end of 2022 fast approaching, many businesses are already deep into planning for 2023. And while a new year offers a chance to try something new, market instability and the looming threat of a potential recession are increasing the amount of pressure felt by business leaders. Luckily, they don't always have to start from scratch when it comes to finding fresh ideas. Looking back at the successes and failures of the current year can offer insight into what initiatives would be best to explore or where an organization can pivot if something isn't bringing in the desired results. However, it's also key for businesses to keep a close eye on markets and customers because they too can provide guidance. To offer further insights, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members share additional tips for business leaders as they continue planning for Q1.

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Demonstrating the unique value your business offers can help set your business apart from the competition. A crowded market can present entrepreneurs with a number of challenges. In addition to building up the business and establishing connections with prospective customers, entrepreneurs also have to know how to navigate competition. Others in the market may offer similar or even the same products or services, so learning how to best appeal to potential customers helps set your business apart. When customers have a variety of choices, demonstrating the value your business can offer is essential to attracting and retaining those customers. To help, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share how entrepreneurs can approach differentiating their products or services in an oversaturated market.

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Before taking on any additional work, it's best to ensure you and your team have the capacity to complete the work. An increase in workload is one indication that a business is doing well in a market. However, if the capacity of the current team is not considered alongside growing responsibilities, a business may end up with too much work and no ability to ensure it’ll be done in a timely manner.  To help dial back and shift focus before efficiency decreases, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one critical sign that a leader or business has too many projects going on at once. 

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Creating a culture that actively encourages employees to generate and share ideas is a great way to keep your company competitive in the market. Once an employee has been in an organization for enough time, the fresh perspective they brought with them may start to dwindle. Learning more about the organization and the clients it serves as well as becoming entrenched in already established systems can make it difficult to branch out, especially if leadership isn’t open to making real changes that impact the business in significant ways. Contrary to popular belief, the best ideas don’t necessarily always have to come from the top, and devising ways to keep employees part of the conversations happening within an organization can only lead to business wins. To help leaders create a workplace culture that fosters innovation, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share methods they've adopted for keeping their teams curious and innovative.

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Rather than let the idea of change hold them back, business leaders can see change as a way to increase their chances of future success. When a habit shows success, it can be difficult to adopt different practices, even when success is limited or comes at a cost. This is a common occurrence in business when leaders become so dedicated to doing something the way it has always been done that they are unintentionally sabotaging their future success.  Knowing where to start when making changes isn’t easy, but one of the first steps leaders can take is simply committing to the act of making changes for the better. Below, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share further advice on what leaders should do to address and break their own bad habits.

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Offering resources and opportunities for employees to further develop skills helps ensure the creation of a supportive workplace.  Every employee starts out with certain skills that help them do their job, as well as the expectation that they’ll pick up other needed skills along the way. These skills can be learned in one’s own time or gleaned from a mentor; however, for an employee to truly progress and move to the next level, there needs to be support from leadership. To provide some guidance on how to do that, 11 Newsweek Expert Forum members share essential steps for creating a workplace that actively supports the personal and professional development of its employees.

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As burnout continues to negatively impact employees on all levels, it's essential to build in processes to mitigate it. Accepting a leadership role comes with the recognition that managing others will not be an easy endeavor. Between ensuring business goals are continually being set and met and taking care of the personal and professional needs of the employees working with you, being a manager can take a heavy toll. Combine these duties with the stress of the last few years and you’ve got a recipe for manager burnout. To help these leaders tackle and manage their burnout, 12 members from Newsweek Expert Forum each offer advice on how managers can reduce the stress and successfully get back in the game.

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  In business, a “leader” is typically defined as the person in charge. This can range from executives at the top down to the managers who preside over individual departments or teams. However, having an official leader position isn’t what makes someone a good–or even an effective leader. Great leaders are those who are able to balance the big picture of the company mission with the finer details of how employees contribute to the achievement of business goals. Developing that balance means leaders need to actively acquire and refine their skills. As experts, Newsweek Expert Forum members know that refining those skills is an ongoing process, so below, they each share one skill every manager needs to effectively lead and coach employees.

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To keep your top employees around, it's important to show them how much you value their contributions and talents. A significant portion of one's life is spent at work, so finding value in that work is critical. As a leader, you want your employees to feel their time is being well-spent and their contributions matter. Happier, more engaged employees will result in stronger trust and higher-quality work. To help your organization achieve this, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members shared 15 ways you can help your employees feel valued.

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Feel awkward when you network? Try these tips to make it feel more organic and even fun. Many people network with the intention of trying to sell a business leader on their product or service, whether to get seed money or to try and create a partnership. Because of this, networking events may end up feeling awkward and uncomfortable when it's all about the hard sell. However, networking doesn't have to feel like you're "schmoozing." Business leaders can use these events to make real connections and build solid foundations for future business relations, all without pitching an idea. Below, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members offered their best advice for making networking more natural and fun to build long-lasting connections. 

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It's easy to choose a path based on preconceived notions, but business leaders must be as objective as possible when making decisions that impact their company. Objective decisions are vital to the success of a business. Sometimes, leaders have to make tough choices that may feel personal, like letting an employee go or hiring one candidate over another. Leaders may also be too close to the business to see a problem that needs to be fixed or a solution that might work better than a system already in place. These decisions and considerations contribute to a business's bottom line and are therefore important to carefully consider. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members give their best advice for making sure leaders let go of assumptions about their business and make decisions more objectively. 

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Chapters that ignite stress and high levels of intensity are inevitable.

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An exceptional leader is defined both by the accomplishments of their organization and their personal characteristics that contribute directly to that success. A business leader may be defined by the work their company does or the goals it accomplishes, but their individual status as a great leader comes down to the characteristics they possess that set them apart from others.  Leading a successful organization requires that leaders are able to effectively handle any circumstances the business may encounter, but this isn’t the only quality that matters. Below, 14 members of Newsweek Expert Forum each share one characteristic that is critical in a great leader and how that trait influences their ability to effectively lead.

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Before moving your business to a new industry, it's best to get a full understanding of that current market. Moving your business into a new industry can bring with it the opportunity to expand your current business offerings or go in a completely different direction. However, before jumping into a new endeavor, it’s important to carefully think through each move and fully understand the potential consequences of what you do. While an entrepreneur may have experience in a given field, that experience may not translate well to a new setting. To help entrepreneurs make a successful change, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members share common mistakes entrepreneurs encounter as they attempt to pivot into a new industry.

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If you want a loyal customer base that keeps coming back, you need to put consumers at the center of everything you do. Many companies claim that their customers are their highest priority. While this is a nice thing to say, there's a difference between simply delivering what a customer asks for and truly being a consumer-centric organization.  Today's consumers expect that the businesses they buy from will go the extra mile to ensure an experience that exceeds their expectations. To help your company become more consumer-centric, 15 members of Newsweek Expert Forum members offered their best tips below.