Too often small businesses fly by the seat of their pants in terms of Operations – their focus is on “The Sale”, “The Placement”, “The Big Win”.  The pre and post-win activity is relegated to the lowest paying member of the staff.  Usually an Administrative Assistant who makes sure that all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.  This person’s expertise in business, law, and hr codes is usually limited.  Their ability to negotiate, communicate, and set policies and procedures is likewise limited.  And so the person in that position – well meaning and trying hard to meet the needs of the business – often burns out and leaves.

Whether the small business experiences tremendous turnover in the admin slot – or whether they are just frustrated by why they cannot seem to break through a “glass ceiling” of sales/placements/wins – they are stuck there because of their inability to see how important the “details” are and to allocate resources to the areas that are weak.  

If you are on a sports team, your coach will tell you to play to your strengths and analyze the other teams weaknesses in order to leverage your strengths.  The coach will also analyze the overall strengths and weaknesses of his/her team as a group and seek to augment the “holes” by finding appropriate talent with those strengths to recruit to their team.  That is deemed good leadership.  Yet the “coach” of a small business “team” often tries to play all positions, and expects their team to do so as well.

Is it any wonder why so many small businesses suffer from “arrested development”?

What can be done to “fix” this? 

First, as with so many self-help programs – you must acknowledge you have a problem.

Then take stock – BE THE COACH – and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your TEAM.  Where do you need help? What strengths and skills are in your team that are not being utilized?  Where are there mismatches between resource and task?  Where are the holes?

Sometimes you will find that you have big gaps in the strengths needed and the resources to provide them.  Here is where you really can shine as a coach – because not all teams have all the strengths they would like to have, but a good coach can still direct his/her team to win by playing to the strengths present and minimizing the losses.  

Remember it is okay to know what resources you will be looking for in the future, it is understood that not every team will have ideal conditions, resources, and members. This way you have a PLAN.

To get out ahead of your competition, you have to understand what you have to work with, and make best use of it.  And you have to know what you need, so you will recognize it when you find it.  For Example: knowing you need a strong office manager, means knowing what that person will be doing, the skills and strengths needed for the job, and how that person will interact as part of your team.