Is your business your dream job?
by Shivani Gupta,
Newcastle Herald Small Business Column,
published Monday, 27 September 2010
I am just back from Japan where I delivered a keynote address at a leadership conference for managers of a global manufacturing company.
I spoke about the importance of people taking personal responsibility for their careers.
This is an important topic for small business owners too. Some small business owners will say that they are too busy keeping the wheels turning to be thinking about careers. They don’t have a career, they have a business.
As I have said many times, small business people need to make sure they are working on the business, not just in it. And if your business is your career, then where do you want it to go and what role do you want to have within it as it grows?
I want you to write a list of the key criteria you want from a job. This may include money or flexibility. If it is money, then you need to ask how much money you want your business to generate.
What are the features of your dream job? Is it where you are now? If there is nothing on the list to match your reality then perhaps this business is not the right vehicle to achieve your dreams.
For most there will be some match. Rather than just throwing it all away, think about what you can change to make running your business your dream job. Do you need to change roles, delegate, hire different staff or outsource?
You may also need to invest some time in your own professional development to take your business, your career, to the next level. You probably say to your staff what I said to the managers in Japan – you can’t just wait for opportunities to be handed to you on a plate. It is your role to make it happen.
Be the change you want to become as the wise Gandhi once said.
The second reason why focussing on careers is important is to ensure you retain productive staff. You need to support your staff taking responsibility for their careers. As their leader you should be challenging and supporting them to have a career, not just a job. Reward staff for meeting KPIs and offer them a chance to develop and grow. If you are meeting their criteria, you are much more likely to retain them.
Take responsibility for the things that will enable you to move your business in the direction in which you want to move it.