Who will be the Business Leaders of the Year in Winchester and the South Coast?

Have you ever been asked the question -“Which leader whether past or present would you like to have dinner with?” I certainly have. Some of the names which frequently spring to mind to me include Sir Winston Churchill, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs, Sir Richard Branson. I am sure that you have others.

Another question is which business leader during your working life has had most influence on you and why? I am sure that there will be one or two who you admired and inspired you to go that extra mile for them, to feel a real sense of pride when he or she congratulated you on a piece of work or a pitch won.

The influence of leaders in life and in business is immense. They can be positive or detrimental. Undoubtedly they have a significant positive impact on business outcomes and performance.

Business leaders can impact the culture of an organisation, its brand, the perception and feel of the business both within and from the outside.

What characteristics do the best business leaders have? There are a number of qualities which they share. First and foremost they can articulate their own sense of purpose and that of their business. This is more than what they do or how they do it. It is why they do what they do and why should anyone care. They each have a clear set of values to which they commit and by which they live their lives and are seen to do so. They are visionary and strategic in their thinking for their businesses paying due attention to the short, medium and long term in equal measure. Emotional intelligence is high and they know how their words and actions will be interpreted by others. They are consistent in their decision making particularly when it concerns their people. They have an inherent sense of fairness. They are willing to display vulnerability when appropriate to do so. The best business leaders recognise that they don’t have all the answers and reach out to others for help and advice when necessary. Finally each of them strives continually to improve and develop as a leader. They recognise that throughout life and each day one can learn something new and that by doing so one can be better than ever before.

Paris Smith recognises the importance of leadership in business and for that reason is delighted to sponsor the Business Leader of the Year category for each of the Winchester Business Excellence Awards and South Coast Business Awards 2019.

So if you can answer “Yes” to the following questions for yourself or another leader who either runs a business in Winchester or Southampton, then now is the time to enter the Winchester Business Excellence Awards 2019 or The South Coast Business Awards 2019.

• Are you inspiring the people in your business through your leadership of the organisation?
• Do you have a clear vision for your business and have you communicated to your team? Do they share it?
• Do you manage your staff and the resources in your company in business in a positive and supportive manner?
• Does your leadership style deliver strong commercial performance and results?
• Are you creating an exceptional customer/client experience?

Do you have a positive and effective business relationships across sectors in the community? A great opportunity to raise your profile and that of your business. Let your team be proud of what you are doing for them and to share it with others. Success will undoubtedly help you attract and retain the talent you need to grow your business. To enter follow the following links:

For Winchester Business Excellence Awards

• email 100-250 words to wbeawards@localiq.co.uk. The category, name, address, website, contact name and telephone number must be submitted with each nomination. Closing date for nominations will be May 6, 2019.
• Click the link for category criteria

For the South Coast Business Awards

• By 3 June 2019 E-mail 100-250 words to scbawards@localiq.co.uk
• The category, name, address, website, contact name and telephone number must be submitted with each nomination. All fields must be filled in.
• Click the link for category criteria