elitefts™ Sunday edition

Spine and Balls

This tip is coming right off my head without any thought because the more I think about this, the more wrong it will become.

What do I mean? I mean when people think too much, nothing gets done except thinking. You need to be able to jump into a project and start working. This is not saying planning isn't important, but you can plan yourself right out of business.

Values

Many years ago when discussing the values of the company Jim Wendler made a statement I still remember today. Jim said that if I was going to create governing values for the company, I had to be willing to live by them. I doubt if Jim even remembers saying this, but I do because it stayed on my mind for weeks, months, and now years. It was a simple statement, but it drove home the company values couldn't just be words on paper or a plaque on the wall. They had to be alive and real.

This is not to say you will not stray from your values. We ALL do! They are guidelines on how you will run your business as well as what you will and will not stand for. They are your home base, but there are times when we will foul or strike out. Other times, we need to make a sacrifice, bunt...or just hope for a base hit. What I'm saying is you're not going to hit a home run every time you're at bat.

What is Important?

Regardless if you have 1 or 1,000 employees, there are some things "I" feel are very important when placed in a leadership position.

  • You need to EARN the respect of your team. This shouldn't be automatic, and if it is it won't last long. You earn by the quality and ethic of the work you do, as well as what you stand for. Your name and position will only get you so far.
  • You need to work! Just because you have a team doesn't mean you can get lazy. I would argue and say the more people you have working for you, the harder you need to work.
  • I believe the owner should never be outworked by anyone in the company. Your team is paid to work a set number of hours per week. YOU are paid to RUN a business and this is a 24/7 job – if you like it or not. You have to question your success if you aren't working the hardest. How can you lead by example if you're the laziest person on the team? If you are not working hard(er) how hard do you expect them to work?
  • This also means you need to hire people who will push you to get better AND work harder. You do this by hiring people who are better and smarter than you in certain area's.
  • No job is to big or to small. If your staff needs help, then HELP them! Delegation is one thing but people get overwhelmed and you need to step in and help out. This will show them you are not just "the boss" but the guy who is willing to step up and help get the job done.

Screw You!

Do you have better things to do?

Hum...

I hear this one all the time, "I would help out but I have to do this or that. I just don't have the time."

Really?

You don't have the time to help the people who are working to help build your business? If this is how you feel, I have two words for you...

SCREW YOU!

Harsh?

Yep, but that is exactly what's going though the minds of those people you aren't willing to help out. Think about this when you look at your P and L statement and Balance Sheet. There are many things that are NOT line items that seriously effect your bottom lines.

Trust me. You will still be able to get your work done.

Your staff is the heart and soul of the company. They need to be treated with respect, care, courtesy and understanding.

You, on the other hand, are the spine and balls of the company. You need to carry the load when being pressed and need to have the guts to step up when nobody else will. If you're expecting your staff to carry ALL the weight and blame for all the mistakes, then you are spineless and have no balls.

No Spine.

No Balls.

No Business.

Good Luck.

Now what did I just write?