Finding the balance between leadership and management is challenging at the best of times, but more so when you are a small business operator wearing a number of hats at once.
It can be hard deciding whether you concentrate on leadership (setting the vision for the company) and management (the execution of that vision) when so many other demands are being placed on you.
The key is to remember not to let the “daily grind”, the need to get things done, obscure your role in leading your business and those involved in it – whether they are staff or suppliers – where you need it to go. Why are the people in your business working for you? What matters to them? Even as a solo operator, you have a responsibility to lead those with input in your business such as suppliers, and even family members.
If you don’t inspire people integral to your business to reach for those goals, in other words, provide leadership, then simply managing to get things done may not be enough.
However, regardless of what you place the most importance on, the key is to execute it with purpose.
In this discussion hosted by Suzi Dafnis (Community Director, Australian Businesswomen’s Network) with guests Valerie Khoo (Managing Director, Sydney Writers’ Centre), and Robert Gerrish (Business coach and consultant, Flying Solo), we talk about which apps can really make a difference to the way you do business.
Posted on 18 January 2012
