A look at the leadership roles business managers should fill

If you are a good and conscientious business manager, there is very little doubt that you are trying to find a good balance between being a manager and being a leader.Sometimes you need to show your employees the correct way to work by your example (or leadership skills), and other times you will need to essentially "tell them what to do" (as a manager).However, there are also a lot of specific leadership roles that business managers should fulfill in their work.Here are a couple of leadership roles which are important to business management:

- The role of an "includer":One of the important roles that you will have as a business manager is to make sure that everyone feels included.Involve all of the employees in their particular projects and responsibilities.Make sure that no one is left behind when you are involved in a project or activity.As a manager, you will want to make sure that everyone is pulling their own weight - and you can achieve this through your leadership skills of involving everyone who should be involved.

- The role of a provider:Another one of the leadership roles that business managers should fulfill is the role of "providing a vision" for your employees.You need to be the one who is capturing the vision of potential and success within your business.This vision and excitement that you portray as a leader will motivate your employees to catch this same vision.As a business manager, you can't simply force your employees to get excited about their work, but as a visionary and excited leader, you have a better chance of getting your employees do be inspired.
- The role of a coach:Another leadership role that business managers should fulfill is one of a coach.Some people find it important to stress that a coach is different from a teacher - a coach often means more of a person who guides, directs, and roots for the people they watch over, whereas a teacher sometimes isn't as person with his or her students.You want to have more of a personal, friendly, coaching role as a business manager.Show your employees the right things to do, but don't approach things in a condescending or "I'm better than you" attitude.Instead, gently guide and coach your employees into the roles and positions that they need to fill.
- The role of "motivator:" Motivating your employees is also an important responsibility for business managers.Not only are you supposed to provide a vision for your employees, but you need to also encourage and motivate your employees to follow this vision.This is an important leadership role for business managers, because you can never let up on motivating your employees.You constantly will need to push and motivate your employees to push themselves further, so that your business will constantly be improving and succeeding.
- The role of innovator:Some find that the role of innovator is the most difficult leadership role that business managers should fill.This is because innovation often can take a lot of work, and sometimes it's not easy to consistently come up with new ideas and solutions to problems.As a business manager, your employees will be looking to you to innovate and find ways to improve the company.However, when you use innovation to your advantage as a leader (and not just a manager), you will also notice how your employees will begin to think and innovate on their own!Show your employees how to innovate, and they will follow your good example!