The Liberated CEO: The 9-Step Program to Running a Better Business so it Doesn't Run You

CHAPTER 7

KEEPING A LOYAL CREW

Numerous business owners have a problem they don't like to talk about. They tend to be embarrassed about it and hope it goes away without their bringing it out in the open. Many don't realize that far more people share this affliction than they suspect, and they continue to suffer in silence. It's a subject that even our most admired leaders find hard to articulate. Do you know what I'm talking about? It's managing your people. It's dealing with all the issues that arise from getting to know people as we do in the workplace. It's responding to the issues that arise as your people develop their own work relationships. As I've written earlier, many of us got into our own business because we like working with clients on our own terms and in our own style, and are pretty good at that. Translating our passion and vision to others can be a lot harder than it seems at first, and that's only an early step. We need to do more than communicate well; we must align our business goals, values, and leadership style with how we compensate and reward our staff. We need our crew oaring in the same direction and for the right reasons. Otherwise, the CEO will be stuck in the middle of the boat for far too long, trying to tell individuals when and how to row, rather than choosing the course for the boat to take.

The first step in pursuing change is admitting you have a problem, and when it comes to managing people and keeping a loyal crew, we should all just admit it ...