As an entrepreneur with big dreams, at some point you are going to be faced with the reality that to grow, you are going to have to have a team. Hiring, managing, and delegating can be exciting and scary, but how you step up and handle it will help determine just how successful you can be at reaching your goals.
Building a team means one thing that many entrepreneurs fail to realize. That you need to lead and whether you like it or not, this is no longer a party of one. You are now the CEO and it is time to step into your role!
Here’s three ways to step up and act like the CEO:
LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
The focus should be on fixing systemic issues that impact long-term success versus getting stuck in micromanaging minute details. As a leader, you need to ask leader-level questions. Instead of asking why a deadline was missed, you may ask what systems you can have in place to ensure client deadlines are met every single time. See the difference? Being able to look at the big picture ensures success in the long-term instead of jumping from fire to fire putting them out.
UNDERSTAND YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE
As a leader, every single one of us has certain quirks that we need to understand. Having insight into and embracing these habits or expectations can help you hire the right types of people for your team and ensure you have the right players in place. If you don’t like speaking on the phone, you can hire an account manager who lives to chat on the phone all day long. Or if you are very stringent about grammar, you can make sure you hire people with strong writing skills. As an entrepreneur, you have the freedom to build a team that works with your leadership style, so own it!
LEARN HOW TO DELEGATE EFFECTIVELY
Delegating can be risky business. If you put the time in to delegate, you want it to be done right. If you delegate without maintaining some control, you may have a final result that is below your expectations. If you control too much, your team members may be paralyzed or not be able to get the job done. To delegate effectively, you need to lead and manage simultaneously. You need to balance inspiring, coaching and encouraging with communicating goals, requirements and the conditions around the project.
Moving from business owner to CEO thinking can be challenging, but getting your CEO Smarts working for you can help you grow your business faster, and help you enjoy the process that much more. Remember, becoming the CEO will be a work in progress as your business evolves, but if you can get yourself started, it will make a tangible impact on your way to achieving your big dreams.
AMBER McCUE // NICE OPS
Amber McCue is the CEO of Nice Ops, a business consultancy that works with entrepreneurs to help them go from startup to CEO with leadership developments and business coaching. She has over 10 years of experience working in business and change management with Fortune 500 companies. You can sign up for a Get Efficient Prioritization Workshop here.
