Getting Involved 

Most of my work with business owner clients is on how to create the internal structures and systems necessary to reduce the company’s daily operational dependence on the owner. Many times, though, the exact opposite is what is needed to develop that infrastructure or, more often, the team members involved in offloading tasks from the owners. 

The dichotomy is often that as the company grows the owner needs to step back and focus on sustaining or continuing to grow. At the same time, the leadership team often needs further training and clearer direction to help with offloading operational tasks. So, the owner must be able to zoom in and out effectively. 

To do this, the owner must become something like a coach. Coaches usually have not played every position on the team. The coach understands all the positions, though, and how they function together cohesively. The coach guides the entire team to ensure this cohesiveness, but also, occasionally, must pull the quarterback, running back, receiver, or another player(s) aside for individualized direction (and maybe even some hand-holding). 

The business owner is no different. Few are the owner-operators who can truly delegate, step back, and never have to step back in. The key is attentiveness when an individual team member, or the whole team, is beginning to stray too much from the proper course. Exactly what the coach does when a sequence of plays begins to fall apart. 

The effective leader keeps lead-measure data front and center, reviewed almost daily, to know exactly when, with whom, and how to course-correct. This is the leader’s and owner’s most important job. 

If you are an owner or leader and your systems are not set up to tell you who needs what attention from you, your team is at a great disadvantage and your company is potentially one misstep away from catastrophe. 

Don’t be afraid to get involved, just know exactly when, where, why, and with whom so that you make your exit plan simple. 

 

Want these blog posts delivered straight to your inbox each week? Click here to subscribe.

Follow us on social media at the links below.

Craig A. Escamilla
Craig A. Escamilla
Craig Escamilla helps you find solutions before problems exist. With fifteen years of consulting, teaching, and senior management experience, Craig brings a wealth of practical expertise to helping others work on rather than in their businesses.

Read More