As a business owner, you spend lots of time working out your company’s long-term plans and leading your employees to be successful. While it’s important to focus on your business and the people you work with, you also need to focus on yourself. Follow these tips to improve your leadership skills so that you can better expand your business.

Continue Your Education

Some people claim that you do not need an education beyond high school to run a business. While this might be true, a bachelor’s degree in business does not hurt. If you have already completed a four-year degree, consider getting a master’s degree in business administration, information sciences, or another relevant field. Your studies will help you to learn more about your industry and how you can best address issues. Additionally, getting a new degree or certificate is an excellent way to improve your resume in case you eventually want to switch career paths.

Listen to Your Employees

You have important knowledge about your vision and the big-picture aspects of your company. However, your employees are more knowledgeable about the day-to-day operations of the business. They interact with customers frequently and implement and experience your ideas in action.

To hear their perspective, host town hall meetings where your employees give you feedback and explain their ideas for improvements. Send out anonymous surveys asking for their opinions on your plans. Not only will their perspective help you to better understand your company, but it will also help you to understand your managerial style. Listening to your employees also helps build trust and loyalty.

Investigate New Technology

New technology that streamlines businesses’ functions is constantly being produced. Some people are paranoid about these developments, worrying that robots will take over humans’ jobs. In reality, most of these inventions simply make you and your employees’ jobs easier.

Attend business technology conventions to learn about new methods for clocking in and out, tracking productivity, and increasing efficiency. Volunteer to test new apps or machines for developers as most new technology offers beta testing. Usually, if you participate in such studies, you receive a discount or another form of compensation. Not every invention is beneficial, but you should keep an open mind and regularly try new technological solutions. In fact, at FemFounder.co, we test out every piece of technology and tool before we make a purchase to ensure it will serve our business well.

Take Breaks

Most entrepreneurs struggle to separate themselves from their work. This makes sense; you created your company, and you want to ensure that it flourishes. However, one of the best things that you can do for yourself, your employees, and your business is to take regular breaks.

Allow yourself as many vacation days as you give your employees and use them all. When you go on vacations or take days off, do not answer work emails or calls. Let your employees know that you will be unavailable and set an automatic reply on your email account that states when you will return and who people can contact if they need help immediately. After stepping away from your company for a few days, you can better analyze and respond to its needs.

Don’t be afraid to try new things years into your career as an entrepreneur. By continually educating yourself, trying new technology, and giving yourself breaks, you can increase your leadership skills and make your company even better.