Whether You Think You Can Or You Think You Can’t, You’re…Wrong?

Entrepreneurs wear many, many hats. It is not at all unusual for a small business owner to perform several different roles. But, this Jack of all trades, master of none can’t go on in perpetuity. The longer it lasts, the less chance there is that the business can scale up. In order to grow a company, it’s necessary to have help and many business owners reach a point where it is unavoidable. So, they make a few hires but still continue to perform various functions until they realize that a new position will free them up to pursue their main goals. Hiring should Equal Growth It’s very common for small business owners to be nervous about their first hires. However, they eventually get past this and the team settles into a comfortable routine. This can easily result in a false sense of security and it’s not at all unusual for the owner to slip right back into or continue bad habits. If a heavy workload causes your employees to feel overwhelmed and frustrated, it may be time to add new positions to your department. Hiring an additional staff member or two can help you split tasks between employees more equitably and give employees the time they need to devote to their work. —Houston Chronicle Sure, someone has to perform those functions and the owner typically feels it is his or her responsibility. But, there comes a time when it’s clear that handing off at least some of those tasks to someone else would be very beneficial. What generally holds a business owner back is not having a clearly defined position, as they did with previous hires. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to create a new employee position. How to Create a New Employee Position for a Small Business When it becomes obvious that you’re taking on too much, be it administrative tasks or something else, it’s time to seriously consider hiring someone to do that work for you. Here are some steps you can take in order to create a new employee position: Estimate its ROI. Before you start posting job openings, take some time to work out the most likely return on investment. Ask yourself if one or more of your current employees can assume these responsibilities. If not, then it is more likely you need to create a brand new position. Just work out a realistic scenario on how much this will add to expenses and what size return of investment you’ll get for this potential hire. Determine if it’s part or full time. Next, you’ll need to determine whether this is a part-time or full-time position. Go over your schedule and create a ballpark figure of how much time you spend on these tasks. This will give you a pretty good idea of the number of hours you’ll give over to a new employee. Plus, it will tell you how much time you gain back doing more important things. Compile a list of applicable skills. Now, you’ll need to create a list of applicable skills that a new employee would need to possess. This will also tell you if these responsibilities are truly interrelated or if they are a mixed bag. What’s more, it will point you in a more specific direction and help you to hone in on the right personality. Advertise the new position and interview potential candidates. Last but certainly not least, it’s time to fill the new position you’ve created. Write a job description that defines the role and your company’s expectations, then advertise it in trade publications, and on social media. What other suggestions do you have for an entrepreneur who is considering creating a new team member role? Please share your experiences and thoughts so others can benefit from your input! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Just one word can serve as your most powerful ally in a coming post-pandemic business world. It’s actually one of the shortest words in the English language, but wields an incredible amount of influence. It’s a single syllable that can save you from a lot of trouble, and even one that can help you realize a profit. This magical word? It’s “no,” and it will be very difficult to utter in the coming months. Why “No” will Become Absolutely Necessary Risk is inherent in entrepreneurship, and that’s why it’s so difficult to turn things down. Business owners realize when they do not seize upon a seeming opportunity, they ostensibly lose out in one way or another. Call it FOMO or fear of missing out. Call it pride or even stubbornness. Whatever it is, there’s an impulse to accept things as they come. It’s easy to say yes and hard to say no. Anyone who has children knows how effortless it is for kids to learn the word ‘no.’ They love to say it—all the time! So, it’s curious that as we get older, the word ‘no’ becomes a distant memory and ‘yes’ is the order of the day. This is especially true if you are a people pleaser. Let’s face it, deep down we all want to be liked. For an entrepreneur, learning to say no is crucial because it can mean the difference between success and failure. —Forbes This isn’t to say it’s necessary or even smarter to avoid risk, but rather, to measure it on a case-by-case basis. And in a time when you’re in a position to help others out in their time of need, it will be extra tempting to accept rather than pass. This can easily become detrimental to your business in a very short period of time. So, it’s critical that you learn or relearn how to say “no.” How to Say “No” The real problem with saying “no” is that you’re not saying “yes.” If you think about it for a moment, that becomes fairly profound. In other words, “yes” carries a positive connotation, while its antonym is, understandably negative. But, that doesn’t mean that saying “no” can’t have a positive income. Here’s how to say “no,” when you impulsively want to say the opposite: Suggest alternatives. Instead of just posing an objection and leaving it at that, suggest alternative scenarios. It will help you to feel a sense of usefulness and even a sense of accomplishment, perhaps pride. This way, you’re offering solutions rather than shutting the other person out. Explain your reasoning. Although we’ve all heard the phrase “No is a complete sentence,” in many instances, it’s just not enough. So, take a moment to explain why you’re saying “No thanks,” and don’t belabor the point(s). After all, if you do prolong the situation, you’re opening yourself up to self-doubt. Don’t rationalize your decision.This goes right along with the last point. If you begin to rationalize, you’ll send yourself out on a path to going the opposite way to “yes.” And, that defeats the entire purpose of saying “no” in the first place. What other suggestions would you add? Please share your thoughts and experience by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

No manager or business owner sets out to sabotage their employees. But, that’s sometimes the end result, brought on by a number of different behaviors. For instance, it’s well known that holding unnecessary meetings is a great way to agitate and irk team members. After all, they know superfluousness when they’re unwillingly subjected to it. So, it only serves to bother and anger people. But, that’s not the only way entrepreneurs and managers alike aggravate and annoy employees, there are others. Employees’ Needs are Important Your employees’ needs must be met in order for them to respect you. That doesn’t mean giving them everything they want. But, it does mean treating them the same way you’d want to be treated if you were in their shoes. For instance, unclear communication. Being unclear is just as bad as being unkind. Without clarity, you’re not providing ample direction and that is a real source of frustration for your employees. Toxic company culture often starts at the top in the active bad behavior of a senior leader or by those who have supervisory responsibilities. To get the root of the problem follow the toxicity wherever it leads because people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. —Entrepreneur.com Conversely, there’s also such a thing as providing too much detail. It’s the true-life version of drinking from a fire hose. You’re providing way too much information to process. This inevitably results in bewilderment and/or confusion. Unsurprisingly, employees don’t really understand the overall picture because you’re losing them in the minutia. 3 Sure-Fire Ways to Exhaust and Infuriate Good Employees Although the above examples are ways to run down employee morale, three other behaviors will outright cause them to sour. Here are the three ways that entrepreneurs and managers effectively ruin their teams: Micromanaging. This is probably the most hated and counterproductive managerial trait of them all. By not giving people their independence and autonomy, you are disrespecting them. Plus, this stifles them intellectually and creatively. Moreover, it results in feeling unappreciated and resentment builds. In short, there’s nothing good that comes from micromanaging. Making too many changes. While change can be a good thing, and sometimes it’s absolutely necessary, too many changes will only cause chaos. Employees will lose track of what is acceptable and what’s not and will eventually fail to recall the latest policies and procedures and even goals. Being indecisive and too emotional. When you lead with enthusiasm and vision, that’s a great way to get your team members excited. But, If you lead by raw emotion only and worse yet, can’t make a decision at critical moments, you’ve clearly demonstrated your not cut out for a role in leadership. Yes, there will be difficult decisions and times when emotions will run high or low, but you have to stay calm and avoid rash decisions. Or, failing to make any decisions whatsoever. What other managerial behaviors do you think irritate and/or undermine employees? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.