Start-ups demand leaders and not just bosses

Every successful company was once a start-up and behind the growth and success of each, there were pillars called leaders. There is no place in the world where a strong leadership is not required to achieve substantial growth. When it comes to a start-up, a strong and positive leadership is needed to help the company to sustain the hectic environment where the odds are most stacked upon you. If you are leading a team in a start-up and really want to see your employees contributing to the growth of the firm, then you have to act like a leader and ward off all the qualities of a horrible boss. The distinction between being a leader or a boss may seem small to you, but it really means a whole world to your subordinates.

Start-ups demand leaders and not just bosses

Are you a leader or a boss?

  • A leader always learns while a boss knows it all
  • A good leader listens more than talks while a boss talks lot and listens less
  • A leader encourages while a boss criticizes or blames
  • A leader recognizes your natural talents while a boss identifies the weaknesses
  • A leader finds solutions while a boss gives just answers
  • A leader takes the accountability while a boss passes the blame
  • A leader reveals his vulnerability while a boss protects his ego
  • A leader demands performance while a boss demands results
  • A leader trains while a boss directs

Every team has a boss but what they look for is a leader. So start leading today and win the hearts!

When a company is getting off the ground, there is no room for the bosses, it demands leaders. Here are the qualities which are demanded in the leaders to be successful in start-ups.

Quality to set the path and get everyone in the right direction

A good visionary can well set a path for the start-up and a strict boss can execute it but only a true leader can perform both the activities right. There is a huge scope of setting a long term strategy and day to day tasks based on that. A visionary leader has to do both the things well and should recognize each and every opportunity coming on the way and should well execute the plans based on that.

A leader knows how to generate resources, not just allocate them

A boss can organize an army. He takes the given set of resources and allocates them wherever required. But a smart leader leverages the given set of resources. In the environment of a start-up company, the most important thing is to hire the best people and then train them in the most efficient manner, so that they help in the faster growth of the start-up. A leader knows it all and works with the long term prospects in order to build a great foundation of the firm and not just focusing on small term achievements.

Passion for work

Passion for work is the most desired thing for a leader. It is not just 8 hours of your office schedule, what matters is the amount of dedication towards your work. Even after leaving the office, leaders find some time to think about new innovative ideas for innovation for their work and management. This gives a positive impact on the minds of the employees that their leader is the person who is actually leading everyone in all aspects and is the ideal for the job. As said ‘Work is worship’ and this thing is followed by the leader in every dimension of his job, whether it is managing the core job or managing employees and other resources.Start-ups demand leaders and not just bosses

Knowledge is Power

It is rightly said that one who has stopped learning has stopped growing and this is what done by the bosses who think that they know everything. ‘Knowledge is Power’ and a 360 degree thirst for knowledge is what desired by the leaders in a start-up. When a company is growing, it is important to understand the workflow, business scenarios and profit making initiatives. Having a sound knowledge is desired but learning in parallel is more needed by the leaders. One who wants to be the boss only will avoid listening to the employees but the real leaders keep their eyes and ears open when the staff or client provides feedbacks or suggestions. A good learner is a good listener and that applies to a good leader.

Identifying the real talents and attract them

The key to success of a start-up is to identify the real talents of the employees and use them in the positive growth of the company. A pool of talented employees can change the scenario and they can lead to a sharp rise in the growth trajectory. While a leader should identify the talented people, he should also become a powerful magnet for them. History has shown that people choose leaders and then follow them up to hell and that should be the quality of a start-up leader. If a boss can’t create a talented team of his own, then there is no way by which he can lead a team well.

So the success mantra for a successful start up is “Not Bosses but Leaders”. In today’s world of fast growing competition, it is the effective leadership only which can help companies to grow and succeed in the competition. Whichever services you provide or whichever products you create an effective leadership of your employees and production is vital for stepping up. The productivity of your organization can only reach the expected levels when there is leadership and not just rules and regulations. It is better to be your own boss but not to be a ruling boss of others! Anyone can start a business but only those succeed who have effective leadership in the center. So, the bottom line is “As a startup leader you need to make things happen by acting as a leader and not just a boss”!


Ashish Singh Parihar ( Class of 2008, IBS PUNE )