I recently had a discussion with a business owner about his management team and how that team functioned within the business. In time, the conversation turned to growth, how far the business had come over the years, what had been built and how the business had gotten to where it is today. I asked him, where does the credit belong for its success? He replied with the familiar refrain of small business owners far and wide, “I built this business.”
My initial thought when I heard this response was that this owner did not fully appreciate those that contributed to his current level of success. Could he have achieved the same level of accomplishment without them? Were his employees disposable, interchangeable sources of labor, or were they integral members of an effective team? It is impossible to build a truly impactful organization alone—those who try will quickly encounter the limits of their own skills and knowledge which will forever mark the boundaries of their possible success. So what impact does this kind of thinking have for the prospects of long-term success?
The business owner in question had enjoyed five years of consistent growth, but was reaching the storied and infamous “Business Ceiling,” a bubble of $500k to $750k in annual revenue that so many small business find themselves locked into. This “I built it” attitude can doom a company to slowed growth and won’t allow the organization to evolve and grow through that ceiling. Owners with the “I built it mentality” often find themselves locked in a holding pattern—spending more time working in the business than they do working on the business. An unwillingness to delegate, train and elevate employees will stymie innovation and disempower the engines of success. The solution to this problem is to develop and maintain a truly aligned management team.
What does it take for a management team to be properly aligned?
Shared Beliefs—Business owners and managers don’t need to agree on everything, but they must have a consensus on the core beliefs of the organization. A recipe for an ineffective operation is one where the owner’s idea of what is and should be happening within the business is different than what is actually being carried out by front line employees.
Shared Purpose—Successful organizations start with “Why”. A purpose is created out of the desire for something bigger or better. This vision of “better” is based on the shared beliefs of the team. Organizations that can agree internally on significant shared purposes and relevant impacts will achieve immediate, as well as long-term success.
Shared Vision—Where are we going and how will we get there? What does the organization look like when it is fully executing its purpose? Have you ever seen two or more people trying to move a heavy piece of furniture and they end up pulling in different directions? If your management team isn’t moving toward the same goals you are, you won’t be going anywhere.
How do you achieve this alignment of beliefs, purpose and vision? As with so many aspects of society, the key is in clarity, communication and collaboration. With clarity of purpose, your management team should be given the opportunity to participate in the “building” of the organization. Goals and strategic planning should be developed in consultation with the management team.
True leaders will encourage and inspire those around them, through positive reinforcement and earnest enactment of the concept that a rising tide lifts all boats. Leaders who wish to move through the small business ceiling will do so by recognizing that “I built this” might get you some short-term wins, but “We built this” can help form strong, vibrant, growing success for the long term.