Staying in Touch

Being the owner of a rapidly growing business is exciting, yet it places challenges for the leader that can turn success into failure, if not dealt with properly.  One major challenge is remaining the Finder.  Our firm’s book describes Finders as the leader of the company described by the following terms:

• Visionary
• Idea generator
• Innovator or dreamer
• Catalyst for future change
• Relationship builder or creator

“You will notice that all of the above attributes or functions require “future” action(Mills, p.25,26).”

Obviously, the key for continued success is for the leader to remain in the role of the Finder.  At the same time he is making sure the business is running on all cylinders, staying profitable, and cash flow positive.  How can the leader stay future focused and at the same time keep in touch with the day to day issues?

• Build a Talented Team– The company leader simply must have people on the team that allows him the peace of mind knowing details are being handled in all key areas. They should be self-starters and have track records that reveal stability, integrity, and hard work.  Once on board and trained, excellent people must be rewarded in accordance with the company’s success.  This will assist them in viewing the business like an owner.
• Create Scoreboards– Create scoreboards within the company that measure all key areas of the business and can be reviewed at regular intervals (weekly, monthly) with a minimum of time. The scoreboards must tell the leader if the company is financially healthy and where the company is headed based on current knowledge and known future likelihood.
• Be Time Efficient– Organizing time to be as efficient as possible is a major challenge. Fortunately, there are a number of resources available to the owner to assist in managing time effectively.  Read books, take advantage of technology, and attend seminars that teach time effectiveness.  With these resources available, there is no excuse for not learning time efficient methods.

Remain the Finder and stay in touch by building a talented team, creating scoreboards, and managing time effectively.

* Mills, Jerry L.  (2006), The Danger Zone