When it comes to business, being a good leader is essential to success. Good leaders have many qualities that they display consistently. Monica Bradley, the award-winning founder and Managing Director of Cheam-based mortgage brokers, MB Associates, talks about her own personal leadership style and how she inspires her team.
Whatever industry you’re in, if your business is going well, sooner or later you’re going to need to recruit more staff in order to grow. I’ve grown my business considerably over the last several years, and I’ve hired some hugely talented people. I think it’s crucial to bring talent into the business, but I also think it’s essential for my staff to feel valued, motivated, and respected. They have to be good at what they do, but without the right leadership, they may not perform at their best.
Earlier this year, myself and several colleagues spent a considerable amount of time putting together a mission statement for the business.
A mission statement is a brief description of what your company does, who your customers are, and your goals. Creating a mission statement can actually be very helpful as it gives your business direction and can help you stay focused on the big picture. It also lets your clients know what to expect from you. They should be able to look at your mission statement and immediately have a good sense of what your business is all about. This can help them decide whether or not they want to do business with you.
Our mission statement is to be our clients’ lifelong partner for their financial goals’. In other words, they’re not just a one-off transaction for us – we believe in forming long-term relationships with clients that will serve them throughout their adult lives. Our company culture is all about honesty and transparency and we’re so proud of what we stand for that we’ve published it on our website.
Having a mission statement can also help you attract the right employees who share your values and will be committed to helping you achieve your goals. The right employees will be drawn to businesses that align with their own personal values.
Every member of the MB Associates team has been given a company handbook which clearly outlines our goals, mission statement, working practices and company culture. Newly recruited staff also receive a copy when they first join us, along with a welcome package featuring a pen and a classy MBA branded notebook!
One of the key highlights of our company handbook is “Meet Your Colleagues”. This is a visual illustration of every member of our team, who they are and what they do in the business. We add the new recruit to it when they join us, so that they feel part of the business from the very beginning. Our company motto, which is printed on the Meet Your Colleagues visual, is: “Together everyone achieves more”.
As for my personal leadership skills, I strive to follow these principles:
Have a clear plan and business vision
Having a clear vision and goals will help you communicate better with your team and help everyone stay on track.
Use positive body language
Your team will take their cues from you, so it’s important to always appear confident and positive, even if you’re feeling stressed. If you’re looking around the room while someone is speaking to you, it sends the message that you’re not invested in what they’re saying.
Encourage creativity and new ideas
One of the most important qualities of a good leader is the ability to think outside the box. If you’re always shooting down new ideas, your team will eventually stop offering them to you. I encourage my team members to share their ideas. You never know where the next great idea is going to come from!
Effective communication
A good leader always communicates effectively, both with their employees and with their clients. This means being clear and concise when conveying information, as well as being open to hearing feedback from others.
Show passion
A good business leader is passionate about their work. Even after years of being in financial services, I’m more motivated than ever. Enthusiasm and passion are infectious.
Overall, being a successful business leader requires more than just ambition; it takes hard work, dedication, and most importantly, passion. If you can follow these principles, you could be well on your way to being a successful business owner!
More Information
MB Associates has been serving clients locally and nationwide for over 20 years. The company works with over 90 lenders and has access to thousands of mortgages. For a free consultation, visit https://www.mbassociates.net/contact-us/ or call 020 8652 5240.
What Monica’s team think about her leadership skills…
Neil Standring
Mortgage & Protection Adviser
Monica always leads by example. She is extremely hard-working and doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. She’s as passionate as ever about ensuring the best outcomes for the client. I’ve always found her to be approachable and a good listener.
I enjoy helping my clients achieve their financial goals and I know that’s so important to Monica as well. I admire how she tries to empower her clients financially so that they can make sensible and informed decisions about their futures.
Kirsty Lambert
Office Manager
Monica is understanding and always has time to help you. She never considers herself the boss and instead sees herself as part of the team that makes up MB Associates.
Monica is very good at sitting and taking the time to listen and reply with constructive feedback on any situation, whether it’s a personal issue or work situation. She never judges and wants to help resolve any issues. This is a great quality to have as you know you can go to her for help and advice.
Phil Leivesley
Sales Manager
I’m pleased to say that Monica isn’t a micro manager. She trusts me to get on and do my job and is always open to suggestions and ideas. Not all of my ideas are good ones, but Monica will never say ‘no,’ and instead will ask whether I’ve considered looking at whatever the situation is in a slightly different way.
Monica understands that praise loses its value when it’s given unnecessarily and too often. However, I was recently taken to one side by a senior member of the management team within the network we’re part of who told me that he’d heard from Monica that I’d been doing a fantastic job. I usually try to be pretty self-deprecating and brush off praise with a shrug, but I felt very proud.
Steve Dale
Equity Release Specialist
I find it very easy to sum up Monica as a leader – she’s focused, honest and has integrity. She has a clear vision of where the company should be heading and leads by example, bringing everyone along with her.
I have known Monica for the best part of 20 years, as a friend and running my own financial services business locally to hers. When I suffered a serious illness, Monica immediately offered to assist, helping to look after my clients and taking the pressure off me. I subsequently joined the business.
Christina Neal
Content & Marketing Manager
I’ve known Monica for over 15 years and have always admired her focus, drive, and determination to succeed. She has genuine compassion for people and wants to do the best for them. She’s a dynamic and inspiring leader, and her work ethic is second to none. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s not uncommon for her to be at her desk having already worked out by 7am!
Monica was particularly helpful to me back in 2013 when there was an unfortunate financial situation in my family that needed sorting. She went above and beyond the call of duty to help me resolve the matter. She will always go the extra mile for her clients, even if it’s not part of her job.