Common Perceptions by Entrepreneurs on Leadership Training and developing their employees.

A clarion call for all entrepreneurs to RISE to your highest potential.

 

Small Company Owners (SMEs)

 “We are doing fine. We don’t need any learning sessions…we are fine with ourselves and our growth.”

The Rationale : Small spurts of Growth is never the measure of success, given the opportunities we have in the globalized world. What is true Success is having 40% big clients who will spread your name through their brand.

Many of the organisations are satisfied with small spurts of growth- bunch of loyal clients, reasonable and meager growth, break-even with little margin of profit, and they feel they have achieved. They compare to the market’s competitors in their league who are also similar in their stature and say they are way ahead of them and feel they have nothing to worry. They are inches higher in stature to the next door competitor. They compare themselves with the local competitors and feel they have achieved.

I’m asking you what is the biggest achievement, or biggest client you bagged in the recent times??

Most of the businessmen are satisfied if they have few clients, and if they can bear the rent of their corporate office, the salaries of employees and a decent margin of profit, they feel they are the big wigs of the market. Is there anything else you can achieve? Are you satisfied with that or is there something more you can do??

Mid-level Businesses and Organisations 

“Look at us we are fine. We never face any issues and our executives are all from big institutes and with great experience. “

The Rationale :

The reality of most of the mid-level businesses: These organizations are satisfied that they have certain loyal clients and they give them steady business and those clients have sizable budgets. Their manpower is maintaining this handful of clients who don’t want much but to run their shows. They are not confident of themselves.

Much of these relationships are based on who is there in their organization that you know and who will help you keep the business transaction intact. If they stop looking at you, and stop giving you their business needs to you to serve them, or if someone else comes in their place, you lose them and you lose their business and the balance. It’s that tricky. Can you bag the biggest client in your business and service industry??

Do you have any international clients who can bring in the amount of new technology, experience, and knowledge?? Who is the biggest client your team and you could able to bring on board in the recent time??

The opinions of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs and senior level Executives :

  ” Enterpreneurship is back breaking work; Managing and maintaining companies is  tough and risky; one needs be constantly on the toes and watch the employees  over to get work done.  People don’t work and we shou*ld constantly be on vigil to get work done …there is no any respite …it’s real bad out there …”

Many businessmen/ manager/ directors and senior level executives are so drained with day to day affairs and no time for anything. Leave alone thinking of some key strategies. All these executives in responsible positions  face serious health issues.

Some businessmen work day in day out. And they never take a holiday, because they have the fear that the employees don’t work if he is not around. Many a time, these businessmen are so tired and exhausted. They are in perpetual fear that the employees run away with the clients they have and they are always in an insecure position. One look at them you will understand the weight of their frustration that is eating them.

They don’t need to go through this. They can be free from these ills. Their fear that their employees will ditch them haunts them to sleepless nights. (attend my “I’m a Millionaire Bussinessman”!!)

Guess what happens – they would definitely run away with the clients they bought and have been serving to whichever place they go. This is a typical scenario in many of the small and medium businesses. This kind of helplessness, insecurity and fearfulness, uncertainty can be turned round. We can do it. And you can be yourself.

I have been speaking to many managers, higher level executives, they always look exhausted and they always look uncertain of their jobs and such stuff. That shows that there is lack of coherence, lack of trust between people. And each of them are working because they got a job. And each of them would escape when the crisis comes. You can expect how they behave at the time of crucial decisions; they bicker at each other and pull each other down and pass the buck. This is the scenario. The reality is they suffer because of this kind of attitudes. It would be better off if you know how to handle them.

The best way there is that we should put them to learning and see if people measure up to the standards we are asking them to show. If they can’t we can very well let them go, and we move on. You wouldn’t think putting them to learning is not a wasteful investment. Do you ??

Educational Institutions

Many educational institutions don’t even think that they need to develop the staff in order to be motivated and to do their work in such great spirit. And they don’t even know that  students too are looking for guidance and support to understand their future, and to be prepared for it. Most of the students are left in a lurch and never knowing what their future holds.

Some schools, Colleges, Institutions, Universities are running their shows with the strength of their physical building asset and mere years of operation. There is no big achievement to be proud of. There will always be students for them by virtue of their buildings, infrastructure and their reputation. They thrive because of the demand in the market. But did they achieve anything so far? No. there is not much to showcase. There is no big achievement that is recorded neither by the teachers nor by the students. The teachers could come out with some breakthrough research or massive achievement working with the students. Slowly and steadily they are banking on their reputation, on their pedigree, which is becoming quite fragile, by the day.  If they could do something to develop their teachers and develop their students to have bigger visions for themselves, they would sure build the reputation of the organisations day by day with bigger achievements.

What are the Major problems faced by the Organisations ?

Attrition, Non- Performance, Job Hopping

Attrition is a biggest issue in the current business world. Youngsters are jumping from place to place. They don’t know what is most essential for them – money or work. In fact, the measure of anyone’s success is not money- but the person he or she becomes by the work they do.

People like to work in good places where there is a security. The CEO of Hyatt Hotels said everyone wants to work with zeal and zest and contribute to the organization; but they only want to work for someone who is a leader. Then the question is: are we leaders as business owners and entrepreneurs that people love to work for??

Who is a leader and what are leadership skills and what are the leadership abilities?? This is a big question hanging on the necks of the businessmen and organizational heads. Managing things is not leadership. It’s a managerial ability. It’s a manager’s role.

Lack of Motivation to Perform and not been able to be Productive

Many of the employees are not motivated. After the initial burst of enthusiasm on any project, when they hit some road blocks, when their ideas are not accepted and rejected, they would soon hit the bottom. Some employees come to know that there are bigger salaries and bigger companies to work for and they aim there and keep losing opportunities here. This is what they do most of the time. They couldn’t able to learn to master their skills and lose the opportunities to build some great results and opportunities.  

Marketing and Sales

Marketing and Sales of your services and products is key for your growth. You should take action to improve your Sales and Marketing Team.

Glib talking can cut the ice. But do not give any long time gains. It might get you a piece of cake. But do not give steady stream of business. Because you need to deliver time after time. Somewhere, at times unexpected, you will show your lack of confidence and do not sound off like a big guy who has the big guts. It is exactly where the boys will be separated from the men. To sustain a longer relationship you need to be a different person- A person of great strength and character. You will show greater ability, your belief in ideas and your risk taking ability will show that you’re the strongest in the whole pack in the market.

You will be an eventual winner because you have taken risk. You need to show the ability that you are capable of big things and show it in your actions and confidence.

If you are not learning and training yourself to the next level executive or leader – you are exposing yourself to a very tough market and playing with failure. You have to equip yourself with leadership skills (people skills, risk taking skills, conflict resolution skills , ability to equip to the future) which will mark you as most dynamic, challenging personality- one with loads of confidence, with a great vision into the future and always thinking like a winner (risk taker).Many leaders equip themselves, in anticipation to the greater challenges they may face in the businesses – some big international client to handle –and prepare themselves. Not only they be prepared, they would also see that their employees also should be put to lot of learning and are trained to be the leaders. Suddenly at the most opportune time they come to the rescue. Training them and putting them to constant learning is what takes them to a different level. They can bring home runs time after time.  That is where your true leadership would show.

Sustaining Clients and Service – Bringing Excellence to the table

This is even more critical. Unless you deliver excellence you can’t keep your clients glued to you. They are looking for creative solutions. This is critical.  Besides that your work speaks volumes about you. Unless you deliver great excellence in the field of your area of expertise, you would feel demotivated and market will soon upgrade itself. If you continue so, soon, you would find the distance to cover yourself and get back your turf, it seems insurmountable. Hence, it’s quite a task to get back to your original self. You need to keep high standards for yourself. Your employees have to be in unison and agreement with your vision.   Your employees to deliver excellence they need training. First you need to be a Leader to lead them.  This is quite critical.

Vision Infusion

We dedicate a One day or two Day Session in speaking about the Vision of the company into the Minds and Hearts of all the Employees. Perhaps this is so crucial initially in the Orientation or Induction Session.

This is quite important. Having a Vision is very very essential. Many do not have the vision. You should have a long term vision. What is your vision? Running a business with a vision to make some good money and pay some salaries wouldn’t excite you and neither your employees. You need to see what’s your vision- How far you want to go. And what are the measures you take to go there.

Aligning your Employees and teams with your Vision

This assumes greatest importance. This is where many people would fail. The employees do not know what is your vision – they only know what are the targets, daily and weekly. You need to get them on the same page about your vision. And make them see your vision. Your Vision will draw them to you and make them strive for excellence. How do you do that? It’s the biggest challenge many organizations are facing.