Entrepreneurs throughout the United States have had to deal with the volatile economy, while attempting to navigate their startups toward success. Being a leader during difficult times isn't easy, however, it is a good way to learn how to step up and make important decisions that can shape a business.

When learning to make tough decisions, entrepreneurs will figure out that they may not always make the right ones. But with more practice and greater strategic planning, it will become easier to choose where to take action, and when to back off and let things ride out. A recent article for Fast Company provided a list of ways entrepreneurs can make the right moves to shape their firms.

Focusing on teamwork
When a business isn't operating to its full potential entrepreneurs will often find that the problem is a lack of teamwork. There are a number of things they can do to inspire a sense of unity among their staff, which include get-togethers, arranging group lunches and providing them with opportunities to interact outside the business. The more people get to know each other, the better the opportunity staff will have to form relationships and improve teamwork throughout the company.

Understand where success comes from
Large corporations, sports teams, nonprofit organizations, and several other entities study what they do well, and learn how to capitalize on it. If an entrepreneur sees that innovations in technology have been helping their companies, they might want to invest in business planning software in the cloud to allow for better collaboration throughout the firm, or mobile devices that allow employees to work on the go. Entrepreneurs can also look at some decisions that were failures, and learn from why those choices didn't work.

Strategically plan on a regular basisAs entrepreneurs lead their firms down the road to prominence, they must continue to hold meetings where everyone within the firm can talk about ways to improve the business. Members of the company can propose ways to grow the enterprise, as well as discuss strategies that align with the set of goals for the firm. Determining ways to meet the short- and long-term goals of the firm as the company expands can be a worthy practice.

Align for future successes
After holding strategic planning meetings, entrepreneurs should ask company members what they plan to do next to assist the businesses in meeting their goals. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of employees and delegating tasks that will put them in a position to help the company grow could be smart practices when leading the business to the next level. It's also important to make sure each member of the company is prepared and comfortable with his or her role in the upcoming six months to a year.

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