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Key Takeaways Start with what you know about yourself. Identifying your innate tendencies early on is essential because when running a business gets stressful, you want to understand your default settings.
Once you identify which traits come naturally to you, you can start to brush up on the ones that may be more awkward-feeling.
If you run your business for a long time, things are going to change. What should remain fixed throughout is your values.
When I launched Jotform in 2006, I had never worked as the head of a company. In fact, I’d never so much as managed a team. I had a background in computer science and an idea that was clearly marketable, neither of which did much to prepare me for what was to come. Should I rule with an iron fist, inspiring fear among my employees, à la Steve Jobs? Or should I emulate Warren Buffett, famously hands-off?
Ultimately, I did neither. To be honest, it took me a few years to develop my own style, which itself was guided by my core belief that the recipe for a successful company is hiring good people and setting them up to succeed.
I learned the power of being vulnerable with employees, which helped when it came to leading through the pandemic. I also learned that you don’t need to be a loud, charismatic extrovert to be a good leader — for me, quiet empathy was much more my style.
If I could do one thing differently, though, it would be to begin to figure out who I was as a leader before I actually stepped into the role. Here’s what I know now that I didn’t know then.
Start with what you know about yourself
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