Leading a business comes with high pressure and high stakes. How do you respond when everyone is leaning into you for answers, directions, and advice?<\/p>\n
Being at the top can be lonely, especially when the urgencies of the day are competing for your attention. Do you feel you have limited time to focus fully on the vital strategic issues that impact the company\u2019s performance and future? Those business leaders who struggle with safely delegating tasks or relinquishing decisions to a trusted employee will find themselves in perpetual cycle of excessive work, limited personal freedom, and declining profits.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the Solution?\u00a0 Avoiding the Dangers of Your Business Running You Every company\u2019s unofficial organization chart is comprised of three types of employees:<\/p>\n The Finders<\/strong>\u00a0are entrepreneurial focused, innovators, and are future thinkers. They have a knack for networking and turning relationships into new business. \u00a0Increased sales are the result of a Finder\u2019s leadership, vision, ideas, and direction. Finders are strong at delegating tasks to employees or associates and generating sales and cash.<\/p>\n The Minders<\/strong>\u00a0typically manage the administrative and managerial tasks of the business. They live in the past by relying on historical information that they can use to help improve the future performance of the business. They spend their days working with clients\/customers and keeping their teams busy and on track. They make sure the business is operating smoothly and efficiently.<\/p>\n The Grinders<\/strong>\u00a0are the worker bees\u2013 the employees who are doing the physical work of the company. They are the ones who typically build and ship the products or deliver the services. Grinders work in the present, typically do not delegate tasks, and like to handle one specific job function.<\/p>\n This B2B CFO\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0Finders, Minders &\u00a0Grinders\u2122 visual\u00a0illustrates these different roles that exist within a\u00a0company and how each should flow within the organization to achieve optimal success.<\/p>\n Each role is critical to the existence and evolution of the company. However, the point is, when a company experiences growth or a crisis, it is common that the Finders stop hunting for new business opportunities and spend most of their time doing the Minding and Grinding activities.<\/p>\n Gradually, we see a business owner being dragged from Finding activities into Minding or even Grinding activities. The Finder then changes their core focus over time.\u00a0 Since the entrepreneurial business owner is usually the number one Finder in the organization, this dilution of the critical Finder\u2019s role can lead to a downward spiral where growth declines, expenses increase, and cash is hitting a shortage or runs out.2\\ <\/sup>\u00a0The Finder is not focusing on increasing sales, personal wealth, time away from the business, and a successful exit strategy.<\/p>\n To avoid what B2B CFO\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0calls,\u00a0The Danger Zone<\/strong>, know your company\u2019s unofficial organization chart, understand who is in each role, and follow the B2B CFO\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0golden rule: Let the Finders find, the Minders mind, and the Grinders grind.3<\/sup><\/p>\n Without the visionary, sales-driven, and innovative mindset\u00a0of a Finder it\u2019s impossible to create the time and focus needed to keep the company growing and prosperous. These intentional and proactive steps will help Finders avoid this situation:<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Looking at most organizational charts today, there exists a top-down hierarchy of the company\u2019s teams and their roles. They display a linear flow of high-level management to the lower level positions. But, did you know that businesses also have what is called an \u201cunofficial organization<\/strong>\u00a0chart<\/strong>?\u201d\u00a0 It is often created by default and unconsciously happens as the company evolves.\u00a01<\/sup><\/p>\n