Once you’ve navigated your startup past launch and are beginning to scale, you’ll be focusing much more of your time and energy to thinking about the future of your business.

Once you’ve determined what the goals are, there’s no reason to keep them a secret. In fact, you should communicate those goals to not just your management team, but to all team members. After all, they care about the future, too – both theirs and the company’s.

So, as you become a more successful business with longevity, here’s how to become a future-focused leader who is truly effective:

 

Clearly communicate the future

Running a company means that you’re constantly busy, especially as the company grows. And though it may be tempting to send an email or presentation around to the team via email to fill them in on business plans, resist that urge. Schedule a company meeting with everyone, and take the time to tell them about your plans for the business. Keeping your employees in the loop is never a bad thing, after all. They’ll likely be as excited about what comes next as you are, plus, this will give them the confidence that they know the company is doing well, and that they have a future in the business.

 

Listen to feedback about the future

When you unveil plans for how the company will grow and evolve moving forward, it’s entirely possible that some employees will be hesitant to embrace change. Or, it could be that everyone has ideas that are different from your own on how to make that future a reality. Learn how to listen to your employees’ concerns and suggestions – it’s likely they’ll raise good points that will not just help you learn how to be a better communicator, but will also steer the company in the right direction.

 

Know what your employees hope for the future

Whether it’s through one-on-ones or a survey, knowing what your employees want to achieve in the future will help you better understand their goals. Having a sense of where employees want their careers to go, what they’re interested in, and how you can help them continue learning or upskilling, will not just help your staff grow on a company level, but on a personal one as well. What’s more, employees who feel as if their company values them, are more invested invest and are likely to stick around longer.