09 Sep Who’s the Boss of Your Business… Really?
by Paul Barrs.
It’s a good question, don’t you think? Of course, our instantaneous reaction is “Well… I’m the boss?’ I mean, who else could there be?
Of course, if you’re a guy reading this and you’re married, well… let’s be truthful lads – your wife *really* is the boss, isn’t she? Ok, I’m being a little cheeky. But think about it, if you’re a lady reading this and *you’re* married… you ARE the boss aren’t you! 🙂
Ok, fun aside, most likely whoever you are, at one time or another you’ve worked for a ‘boss’, chances are you had a good boss at one time and maybe even a bad boss. I know I have.
There have been times where I felt like I could do my bosses job better than them, times when I wanted to fire them – even times of frustration when I felt like I wanted to shoot them!! And of course I say that in jest, but you know when I mean. Bosses are a funny breed of people – they’re placed in a position of power over us, given the task of guiding us, managing us, pushing us and seeing that we perform our duties to ‘company’ expectations.
Therefore, *there’s the problem*. When we work for ourselves, no mater how hard we try, we cannot really be our own boss and expect the same driving results as we’d otherwise get having someone else ‘driving’ us.
I don’t know about you, but while there are MANY times when I’m able to motivate myself and get up and go to perform some task, there are also MANY times when I’m NOT able to motivate myself and get the results I need.
- I need to be watched.
- I need to be guided.
- I need to be accountable –
(Even though I don’t want to be).
But it is here that if we explore deeper, we see that no matter what *want*, or what we *do* that we ARE accountable to our boss.
(And our boss isn’t us).
At this point I figure that you’re either shaking your head and saying, “Ah.. sorry Paul, you’ve lost me”, or more likely (and hopefully) you’re saying, “Yup, got it. Know where this is going”.
Good. Because the moment you realise that you are not your own boss in your small business the better off you will be.
So then, how about we ‘choose’ a boss. If it’s not going to be you, then we need to pick someone worthy don’t we. I’ll put my hand up and suggest that my current coach / mentor is my boss – after all he’s the one that keeps me accountable isn’t he? (Or ‘she’, sorry ladies).
Are you sure? Think a little more carefully about that… yes, your coach does help keep you on your toes, he does give you set tasks to perform and then report back. He does drop in regularly and see what you’re up to (just like the old boss), but –
He doesn’t pay you. He doesn’t stick it to you if you start late in the morning, and being that you’re most probably *paying* him, he’s sure not likely about to sack you is he?? Not a chance.
So even though your mentor / coach is probably the best choice, you can’t choose him.
But let me ask you this question… are you *really* sure that you CAN choose your own boss? Did you get to choose him or her in your old “job”. I know I didn’t, he chose me!
Therefore, we must add that one single most important factor into our equation… your boss chooses YOU.
So who is it then in your business that chooses you, pays you, keeps you accountable and can sack you with just a moments notice?
Yep, that’s right – your customer.
O.M.G. For some of us that’s the most frightening reality to come our way for some time. For some of us we’re having that ‘ah-ha’ moment that leaves us shaking in our boots. For others, we sit quietly with a smug smile thinking, ‘yeah, but I already knew that. I’ve got it licked’.
Which one are you I wonder?
Has it occurred to you that your boss (your ‘new’ boss) really CAN sack you without a moments notice?
Have you thought about the consequences that if you don’t look after your boss that they will go and tell dozens, hundreds, even thousands of other bosses not to ‘hire you’?
And of course the obvious question – did it hit you yet that having just one boss doesn’t make you have to work very hard, but having tens of thousands of ‘bosses’ make your accountable to every single one of them?
The beautiful bit is though, that when you really do look after your boss and perform to his or her expectations, they pay you well for it.
And of course, here’s the key to making it all happen…
When was the last time you ASKED your boss what they wanted from you?
That’s a good question too, don’t you think?
