Small Business Growing Pains
We all face challenges in running a business, and the challenges you face as a small business will naturally differ to those of a larger one.
Growing a small business can be an exciting time – you’re successful enough to need to grow which is great. But it can also be a challenging time; especially when the enthusiasm of the start up phase wanes, as the reality of developing your leadership and management skills is required, in order to continue to succeed.
As you embark upon your growth from small to larger business you may well identify yourself with some small business growing pains, including:
- Finding the right people for the job as the roles become more defined
- The need to develop and modify systems and processes for performance management
- Growing the capability and confidence of staff to cope with the increase in demand
- Developing newly appointed managers, supporting them to manage staff
As a small business, time will work against you as you struggle to grow to meet the demand whilst clarifying the roles that will help you deliver the demand. This in turn needs training of staff and systems in place to support the management of the staff. There is so much to do, and as the founder, so much that you have always done. How do you cope with delegation? Now that you have an increasing team you have the ability to share these tasks. Learning to trust, grow and empower your team will be potentially a new experience for you.
As a business owner you need to be able to step back from the day to day demands of the business to think. This will allow you to direct and plan strategically in order to continue your growth.
The biggest challenge I see – learning when to get off the bus!
Using Jim Collins’ analogy, the business is the bus. You have to get off the bus!
So with this analogy in mind – let me help you clarify your position so you can focus your strategic growth plan for your business.
The bus needs a route planner – the business owner – to monitor the direction and make changes when there are road works ahead. The business owner needs to review and monitor and make strategic, including who stays on the bus or not.
A bus needs a driver who knows exactly where they are going – the leader with clear direction and vision and a road map (strategy) on how to get there!
The bus needs a conductor who checks that they have the right people on the bus, in the right seats – the managers in the business who engage, motivate, delegate and support the passengers (staff) to grow successfully ensuring they are in the best role (right seat) for the business.
The bus needs good suspension! If a bus goes over potholes, the staff, the leader and the managers need to be able to be resilient to deal with the ups and downs that comes with any business.
Getting off the bus is part of developing your leadership and management skills – the path to continued success. And the journey beyond the growing pains.
Do you need help getting off the bus? Are your leadership and strategy skills aligned to the growth of your business?
We support small businesses in their growth. With our Integrated Business Development approach, together, we can make you brilliant.