What’s your family – oops, I mean BUSINESS style?

Working for a large corporation is a lot like belonging to a family.  You know your role, the rules and the punishments.  The upper management serves as the parents and the middle management your older brother or sister (yea – they think they’re the real boss… or least they like to throw their weight around).  You might not always like the situation, but at least you know what’s expected of you.  When you wake up in the morning, you know what to do.  Functional or Dysfunctional… you know what to expect.

What about the entrepreneur?  There’s no ‘family’ structure dictating the rules. There’s a blank sheet of paper waiting to be filled every morning.  And it’s YOUR job to decide what to put down.  What if you get writer’s block?  What if there’s SO much to do that you freeze – a deer in the proverbial headlights.

 Here are my Five Fundamentals to a Functional Entrepreneurial Style:

1. TAKE A WALK: Put yourself in a situation that lets you mentally ‘float’.  This gives your brain space necessary to let in the creative ideas. Plus, it helps you blow off steam, if needed. Envision the end result of a project or idea.  You’ve got to have a goal… big or small.  Do you just want to make a nice living?  Do you want to create something?  Why are you doing what you’re doing?  Think about the details while you’re on your walk.  Fine tune it in your head.  You need the picture before you can color it in.
2. SOCIALIZE, SHARE AND LISTEN:  Explaining your ideas and dreams to others helps to define them.  Listening to what’s happening around you can help tweak your plans.  Maybe there’s an opportunity that’s just right for your idea.  Plus, it’s the cheapest publicity available.  Just talk and listen.
3. BREAK IT DOWN: Here’s where the paper (or computer) comes in.  Create columns for each department needed to accomplish the BIG goal, then write down the ‘to do’s’ in each category.
4. DELEGATE: Get help from specialists if you can afford it.  They’ll make the work easier and keep you on track.  It will save you money in the long run.  Choose one individual for each ‘column’ or ‘category’.  The ‘to do’s’ in their column are their responsibility.  They all report to you.
5. REST: You’ve got to sleep on it and let it simmer.  Start over at #1 as often as possible; it will help push you toward your goals.  It will also give you the insight to make adjustments where and when needed.

Guess what!  You’ve just created your own business ‘family’ and YOU’RE the parent!  These are your rules now… make them Functional!

Suzette Jones, Raven5 Ltd, May 2010

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