| In the book It's Not the Big that Eat the Small, | | | | Next, communicate the business goals clearly to all |
| but It's the Fast that Eat the Slow, the authors | | | | employees. In the E-Myth, Michael Gerber looks at |
| revealed that the majority of executives and | | | | how entrepreneurs need to let go and not be |
| business owners spend less than 15 minutes a | | | | everything to everybody. When your goals are |
| day working on their business. Their time is | | | | known and expectations are set, you are |
| devoted to fighting yesterday's and today's fires. | | | | empowering your people to take responsibility and |
| Think about last week and how much time did | | | | accountability for achieving these goals. |
| you spend on small to large fires. These fires | | | | Finally, make sure your people are able to handle |
| ranged from late employees to unsatisfied | | | | the fires. No employee comes to work to |
| customers. The results were unproductive | | | | intentionally mess up the business. However, very |
| meetings to a lot of re-working or re-do's. Stress | | | | few employees have been developed to be |
| was high and you had an occasional thought | | | | excellent communicators, effective |
| questioning your sanity in starting this business. | | | | decision-makers and consistent goal achievers. |
| So how do you transform from being a firefighter | | | | Human capital is the greatest asset of any |
| to becoming a results driven, forward thinking | | | | business and usually the most underdeveloped. |
| business owner? First thing is to make an | | | | Begin today by establishing a 30-day goal to work |
| appointment with yourself each day to think | | | | at least 30 minutes each day on your business. |
| about the future of the business. Take 30 | | | | When a fire erupts, ask yourself if one of your |
| minutes early in the morning to review current | | | | employees can handle the fire. If the answer is |
| goals, assess your business dashboard of key | | | | No, then ask yourself why? Remember, the |
| performance indicators and revisit the vision you | | | | choice is yours to be a firefighter or a business |
| established for your company. | | | | owner. |