During our 7 Tips Seminars, we ask the participants why they decided to get into business for themselves. Most of them respond that they wanted freedom and they were more talented than their leaders.
As a result of their desire for freedom and autonomy, we have a group of entitled know-it-all small business owners who don’t want to be managed. If you’re offended right now it’s okay. You are one of them, and so am I.
To keep small business owners on the right track, we still need leadership in order to “right” the performance of business in the marketplace. If every business owner was just doing their own thing with no system of checks-and-balances, small business would no longer be the spine of a healthy economy.
Some of the systems of check-and-balance are customer satisfaction scores and repeat buyers. Sometimes a check-and-balance will come from a mastermind group or a business coach.
What business owners really need to do is give each other authentic feedback about how they’re running their business.
A new referral partner of mine came to my referral team meeting last month. After the meeting, I asked him what he thought of the meeting. He said that it was run well, but he was disappointed that there weren’t more people there.
At first I was offended. How dare he come into my team, which is one of the best in the association, and tell me that we weren’t up to snuff! But, he was right. We were slipping, and it took an authentic outside perspective to shine a light on where we needed to grow.
Help the small business community get stronger by giving authentic feedback to your colleagues. Tell them where they’re falling short, and where they’re shining through.
They need it, and you need it too.
Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for reachmore, which teaches small business owners how to build a business that runs without them. For more resources on business leadership, please visit http://blog.goreachmore.com.