Sir Richard Branson is a renowned British entrepreneur and business magnate. He is the founders of Virgin Group, which is a cadre of more than 400 companies including an airline, cruise line, retail empire and space tourism concern.
Branson is regarded as one of the world’s most influential leaders, and was knighted at Buckingham Palace in March 2000 for ‘services to entrepreneurship.’ He first ventured into the business world at age 16, a magazine,. At age 20, he set up a mail-order record business that eventually became Virgin Records, a highly successful music store chain.
Taking it upon yourself to learn from the leadership style of Richard Branson will certainly work to your advantage. After all, it embodies a unique blend of charisma, innovation, and fearless entrepreneurship.
In this article, we delve into the core principles and strategies that make his style so effective and revered. Let’s get started!
Employee Empowerment and Engagement
Sir Richard Branson is a strong believer in empowering his employees. He often places a lot of emphasis on the importance of giving a listening ear to employees at all levels and encouraging them to contribute ideas. This leadership approach creates a sense of ownership and engagement among members of staff.
Branson even went a notch higher by contributing to a book, WEconomy, co-written by his daughter Holly, in which he espoused his empowerment beliefs. On one instance, as reported in a Forbes article, faced with 7000 applicants for a position and humbled by his company’s popularity, Branson took the time to record a video message for the rejected candidates.
Stop Trying to Prove Yourself
While Sir Richard Branson may be a Knight of the British Empire, he cares little for formality. Actually, he is refreshingly unaffected by his fame or fortune without the need to prove himself to anyone, a hallmark of every genuinely inspiring human being you’ll ever meet.
Of course, that’s not to say he lacks a health sense of self-worth, but he isn’t driven by a need to continually prove his significance. Not only do you not have anything to prove to anyone, but when you try to do so, it doesn’t enhance how others perceive you, it diminishes. Nothing speaks more loudly than someone who is at home in their own skin.
Resilience and Adaptability
Throughout the course of his career, Sir Richard Branson has encountered a host of challenges and setbacks. His resilience in the wake of adversity and ability to adapt to changing circumstances have been key to his success as a leader.
Some of the most notable failures from which Virgin has bounced back strongly include Virgin Cars, Virgin Brides, and his round-the-world ballon attempts. Sensibly, Sir Richard Branson seems to shrug off such failings, learn from them, and move on.
Be Open to Listen and Learn
Sir Richard Branson us known to practice a participatory form of leadership, offering his managers a significant voice in the governing of his companies. On matters employee turnover, he famously commented, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
It is expected for employees to be active participants and governance depends on team building, communication, consensus, autonomy, commitment, and balance. Branson teaches, ‘Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader; you have to listen to the people who are on the front line.”
Branson’s adventurous spirit, customer-centric approach, and willingness to challenge industry norms propelled Virgin’s growth. His emphasis on brand identity and employee empowerment fostered innovation and loyalty.
