| One of the most dangerous and damaging | | | | Michael Gerber implores business owners to |
| practices of business owners is MICROMANAGING | | | | implement systems and procedures into their |
| their business. And this practice is entirely too | | | | business that ensure daily tasks are completed |
| prevalent in today's business world and it wastes | | | | correctly. In any well run business, all current |
| valuable resources of time, talent and financial | | | | systems and procedures need to be evaluated |
| assets. It is particularly prevalent in entrepreneurial | | | | based upon results and updated as needed. In |
| businesses. And the reason behind that may be | | | | addition, documentation for all procedures, policies |
| rooted in the fact that entrepreneurs are | | | | and systems need to be created to have a |
| motivated to start their businesses so they could | | | | reference for employees and new trainees. |
| be their own boss, make more money and gain | | | | Another good proactive and strategic business |
| more freedom. | | | | practice is to cross-train your employees before |
| So, with that being said, I need to ask those of | | | | the need arises, not after the panic has set in. |
| you out there who are entrepreneurial business | | | | Please read this very carefully - Trust your |
| owners a couple of questions. My first question is: | | | | employees. One of the common major issues I |
| If you had to leave your business for an | | | | hear from employees in my business coaching |
| extended period of time, let us say a couple of | | | | practice is that they are not trusted by the |
| months, would you come back to a business that | | | | owner(s) of the business. What a sad |
| is still running smoothly and profitably? My second | | | | commentary that is on business today. If you |
| question is: What would your answer be if we | | | | cannot trust your employees to complete the |
| changed the time frame of your absence to two | | | | daily tasks and act in the best interest of the |
| weeks? Let me say that if your answer was | | | | company, then maybe they shouldn't be |
| anything other than yes, then you probably don't | | | | employees. In the long run, the more hands-off |
| really own a business, you own a job. | | | | you can be, the more time you will have to work |
| Well guess what? The good news is that you are | | | | on the strategic issues and the larger vision for |
| not alone. It is well known that small business | | | | the business, which is what a business owner |
| owners are among the hardest working people in | | | | needs to do. |
| the world. However, it cannot be said that they | | | | Boiling all this down to a single thought: you should |
| are among the smartest working people in the | | | | run your business; it should not run you, your |
| world. To be successful in today's business world, | | | | family or your life. You need to have a |
| it is imperative you adopt and develop a strategic | | | | systems-dependent business, not an |
| thinking mind-set. As a strategic thinking business | | | | owner-dependent business. Many of these |
| coach, I emphasize repeatedly to my clients that | | | | concepts are very challenging for owners. And |
| a major goal for them is to develop a | | | | some owners will never "get it" and will continue in |
| self-managing and systems-oriented business that | | | | a vicious cycle of turnover in their business and |
| still runs predictably and profitably while they are | | | | failure to achieve full potential in their business. |
| not there. And this enables them to "work on the | | | | Other owners will recognize the error of their |
| business" instead of having them only "work in the | | | | ways and transition into a new way of thinking |
| business." | | | | and managing. The owners that understand this |
| The first commitment a business owner must | | | | will survive and thrive, while those who refuse to |
| make is to stop acting like an employee and start | | | | let go of the "micromanaging mentality" will |
| thinking land acting like a CEO. A transition is | | | | experience turnover of employees, less than |
| necessary for the business owner to think and | | | | optimal performance of employees, continual |
| behave more strategically and less tactically in | | | | dysfunctional behavior and decision-making in their |
| their role as owner. The business owner must | | | | business and therefore be destined to be under |
| stop micromanaging and delegate. The business | | | | -achievers and failures in the long run. |
| owner must start reducing the amount of time | | | | The Dangerous Consequences of Micromanaging |
| they spend involved in the daily transactions of | | | | Your Business |
| their business. | | | | By: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Chief Executive of J. G. |