It’s something you might have heard many times before, that your business is like a child. It’s a very common comparison to make, but when you’re looking to improve your company, is this really a valid comparison? The real question should be, how do you treat your child? Everybody has their own unique parenting style, and it’s always open for debate as to whether one method is the right one or not. So, what are the best parenting methods that you can apply to your business?
Guiding With A Steady Hand
As your business learns to stand up on its own two feet, you’ve got to be there just in case there are any issues that can cause it to fall down. The first year of a business, is, in many ways, like the first year of a child’s life; there are so many things to learn, and there are so many things that can go wrong. It’s in these difficult days that you should rely on outside help.
Your business needs as much help as it can get to become self-sufficient, so whether this is utilizing the right IT support company, outsourcing things you are unable to do in-house, or just clinging onto your peers a little bit more to get you through, these are all things that you shouldn’t feel guilty about at the very beginning. Most people, as parents or as entrepreneurs, may feel very proud and insist on trying to do it all themselves. This is a very poor attitude to have. We all need help sometimes, and it’s just about being knowledgeable enough in your own abilities to admit that you need assistance from time to time.
Not Overreacting
Your business is something you are very meticulous over, and if something goes wrong, it’s like when a child falls down and bumped their head, the first instinct can be to overreact. But, as your child and your business gains momentum, you need to understand that you need to give it some space to breathe. Whether this is delegating certain tasks to other staff members, or letting your child play by themselves, it’s important for you to learn to let go to an extent.
By smothering your business in love, you can stifle its progress. If people need to come to you to ask permission for every tiny thing, it’s not fair on the progression of your company, and it’s not fair on the people working for you. You’re not trusting them enough to do what is right, and this is something you need to address within yourself. You don’t need to overreact to every little bump, nor should you be overprotective.
Mixed metaphors aside, these are the two things that will benefit your business the most in the early days. It can be very easy to control every single step of the way, but this is not the best way to run a company, because when something does crop up later that is out of your control, you will overreact and you will panic. So, try these two attitudes out for size first.