Don’t be afraid to make decisions. When you can effectively demonstrate to people why you’re taking a certain course of action and what the benefits ultimately to the organization will be after you’ve weighed the risks involved in making that decision, typically, you’ll be able to convince people.
Even if you can’t convince them, the entrepreneur has to make the decision and sometimes you might drag a few people kicking and screaming.
We had a situation back in the late ’90s at our company where we were convinced that we needed to start our national TV advertising program. When we decided we were going to implement the program, we did have some resistance from a small faction in our organization.
Our management group, led by our chairman and CEO at the time, decided, ‘Well, we need to do this. These are the benefits.’ We implemented it. Ten years later, after experiencing up through late 2008 and early 2009, we had double-digit growth. Sometimes, the decision has to be made one way or the other, whether it’s popular or not. That’s why ultimately one person or entity has to be in charge. If you try to make decisions based on popular consensus, sometimes decisions just don’t get made. Then you wind up a ship without a rudder that’s being moved by the waves.
Build a strong board. When you interview and network, you have to drill down in terms of what are the respective strengths and weaknesses of the candidate? What is their experience outside the boards that they serve on? What accomplishments have they experienced beyond serving on a board?
Talk to the CEOs of other companies who are recommending these people to see what type of input, advice and counsel they offer. You don’t just want your friends on the board who sit around the table, pat you on the back and say, ‘Great job,’ even if you did a bad job. You don’t want people who come to meetings and offer nothing other than taking up space.
You want people that are enthusiastic about your business, that are interested in your business, that know you and perhaps know your strengths and weaknesses and are willing to put personal relationships aside from time to time. They can offer you the candor necessary to give you good insight, advice and counsel and also challenge some of the things you’ve done as to the advisability of doing them.
How to reach: Stanley Steemer International Inc., (800) 783-3637 or www.stanleysteemer.com
