We all know that a sweet lie feels better than a hard truth, but in business it’s supposed to be all about the facts. In a world where perception can be skewed as quickly as a tweet is posted, how can you make sure that your business is telling you the hard truth all of the time? The truth is that you can’t. You can’t make sure that everything that reaches your eyes is beyond reproach, but you can instill a culture in your company that is based on doing the right thing no matter how hard it is. Here’s what you will need:
The right people
When I say this I don’t mean the people that will make you look smarter or the people who will only say yes because they don’t want to lose their jobs. These are not the people that will push you to make those calls that will cause you to lose sleep at night. The people that will push you to be this kind of CEO are the people that will most likely inspire you. They are the people that care about your company the way you do and believe in your ability to lead it. They hold you accountable in ways that make you feel pressure that isn’t necessarily there. These are the people you need, the people that see the very best version of you and your company. They will push you to be better, act better and think better and you know what? You will be better.
A Willingness to Make Mistakes
I say this in all seriousness, you have to have a company willing to make mistakes. It has to be okay to fail. Now I don’t want you to fail on a massive scale but I do want you to be aware of how much failure your company can comfortably withstand and then I want you to withstand it. If your people are afraid to fail, they are afraid to innovate and create solutions as well. Without this creativity, your company is missing a valuable component of success. All roads lead to success, even failure.
A strong Compass
Morality is a funny thing, mostly because it means very different things to each person. While there may be some basic agreements, everyone’s line is different for a variety of reasons. The best thing you can do for your company is to know definitively where your line is and where it is not. When you lead a company, you should not waiver and you should know your end goal. If you don’t your company will have a variety of personalities, none of which may be the true one. The goal is to create something sustainable and to do that you have to be aware of what you will and will not do.
In the end it all comes down to you, what do you chose? A good company? What does that mean to you? Define, refine or guess, but you have to know where you stand. So tell me, what kind of empire will choose today?
Hello Susan,
I publish 406 Woman, a reginal publication in North West Monatana. I would love to publish your articles in the business section. I’m a huge fan of your articles and blog. Please let know if this is possible and what the terms would be. I moved from Denver and am amazed at the limited resouces we have for women in business.
I look forward to your thoughts.
with joy and gratitude,
Cindy Gerrity
406-270-2855
I found this really hard at the start of our business but a little tall tale or mis represented fact can be hard to rectify, its best to build your self as a credible authority in your niche as early as possible
Hi Cindy,
To get in touch with Susan directly try her email at [email protected] I would be absolutely flattered to have my articles republished and I think that you are doing a wonderful thing helping out our fellow female entrepreneurs in Montana. Keep it up!!!!
Leona
Hi Marion,
What an incredibly honest comment and I am glad that my advice echoes real situations. I’m glad you can give some real life perspective to the situation.
Hi Cindy,
Send me an email at [email protected] and we can discuss.
It’s really nice to be with people who inspires you and makes your working environment a lot happier. I prefer a business where everyone can be friends yet could still establish rules to maintain respect. Good points, Susan. 🙂