Be a Leader not an Operator!
An operator has a small team that they tell what to do, they also spend all of their time doing the work that their business does. In the beginning this is required, but if you are building a business then this is not where you should be aiming.
(If you only ever want to be a solo operator then that’s OK, but if you want to build a business then read on)
A Leader has a team of people working for them that doesn’t need their constant management (what I call micromanagement where you are the head and everyone else is just like extra sets of hands to do what you say)
If you want to be a Leader then you need to behave like a leader.
Lesson 3 – Eyes on Hands Off
This is an expression that I use (a lot) to explain a simple concept of leadership, a good leader
It’s hard to leave others to do something when you have a better way of doing it, or can do it faster, but to be a leader you need to start reducing the time you spend doing the work your business does – move from being an operator to a leader.
One of the key strategies for being a leader is to remain in control without doing the work, this is best achieved through monitoring what’s happening. When setting up key performance indicators (KPIs) you need to think about three directions of measure, the past, the present and the future.
I like to compare this with driving a car.
So, are you a leader or an operator? If you would like to transition to a Leader or want some help being a better leader then book a call to develop a strategy for moving you from operator to leader or upgrading your leadership skills.
An operator has a small team that they tell what to do, they also spend all of their time doing the work that their business does. In the beginning this is required, but if you are building a business then this is not where you should be aiming.
(If you only ever want to be a solo operator then that’s OK, but if you want to build a business then read on)
A Leader has a team of people working for them that doesn’t need their constant management (what I call micromanagement where you are the head and everyone else is just like extra sets of hands to do what you say)
If you want to be a Leader then you need to behave like a leader.
Lesson 3 – Eyes on Hands Off
This is an expression that I use (a lot) to explain a simple concept of leadership, a good leader
- Defines a direction or outcome
- Trains people to deliver what is required to achieve that outcome
- Monitors their progress
- Corrects where they deviate through training and encouragement
- LEAVES THEM TO DO IT
It’s hard to leave others to do something when you have a better way of doing it, or can do it faster, but to be a leader you need to start reducing the time you spend doing the work your business does – move from being an operator to a leader.
One of the key strategies for being a leader is to remain in control without doing the work, this is best achieved through monitoring what’s happening. When setting up key performance indicators (KPIs) you need to think about three directions of measure, the past, the present and the future.
I like to compare this with driving a car.
- As leader you are the GPS, you set a course and show them the way, when they go off course you give them new directions.
- Like looking at the rear view mirror you need to see where you have been, these are measures of the past, like sales last month, profit last month etc.
- You need to see the road in front of you, this is looking at KPIs about your current progress, like work in progress, jobs requests older than a certain benchmark, progress on projects etc.
- And finally, you need to be looking down the road into the future, like quotations outstanding, resource demands for the next 4 weeks etc.
So, are you a leader or an operator? If you would like to transition to a Leader or want some help being a better leader then book a call to develop a strategy for moving you from operator to leader or upgrading your leadership skills.