bizRichard

Coming back in the car a few evenings ago, it happened to coincide with the evening broadcast of ‘the Archers’.  For those of you, especially my overseas readers, who don’t know what ‘the Archers’ is, it is a radio ’soap’, almost quintessential English culture, that has run uninterrupted since 1950 and enjoys a dedicated audience in excess of five million fans daily!

Now, I don’t know what had transpired in the storyline previously, but it just so happened that in this session Tom Archer had finally come to a conclusion - that his ineffective ‘pig-keeper’, Gary, should be released from employment.

However, during the ‘dismissal conversation’, the emotion and consequences of Tom’s actions diverted him from his his original decision and Gary, it seemed, was to be given a ’second chance’.

This got me thinking, because I keep seeing this problem in business - emotion, interfering with sound business decisions.

Too many business owners, I’ve discovered during some 26 years of advising struggling entrepreneurs, still get hung up about their ‘inseparable relationship’ from their business - that they are the business and vice versa.  This is absolutely not true - and holding onto this belief can seriously damage your chances of a longer-term success of the business.

This is, perhaps, one of the most important things to realise - when looking at your business - no matter what your business does, it is just a ‘vehicle’ through which you do business – in simple terms, a ‘machine’ that you happen to control – no more, no less.

Your business, any business in fact, is a series of processes that convert ‘inputs’ into the ‘outputs’ your customer needs or wants.  It doesn’t matter whether you are a farmer, a manufacturer, a shop, a restaurant, or a service provider - the input combines varying degrees of labour, materials and intellect - and the output is the provision of something that your customer takes away.

And, how well you manage those processes will determine the success or otherwise of your business.

Yes, your ‘personality’ may well reflect the ’style’ of your business - and that’s absolutely right, as it is a key differentiator between one business and another.

But only when you view your business from this, perhaps different, perspective (ie separating yourself from your business) that will you suddenly find yourself ‘freed’ from your ‘emotional ties’ with the business – and only then can you make better, more business orientated, and more effectual, operational decisions.

Now, don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying “don’t be passionate about your business” and “don’t show empathy in your management of staff, customers,” etc - absolutely you must - I’m just suggesting that you don’t let ‘personal emotions’ prevent you making, what you believe are, the correct business decisions.

Step back, a moment, from your business and think about some recent decisions you’ve made where you might not have been as ‘resolute’ as perhaps your business demanded.

So, with that critical paradigm shift on board, go make money the smart way.

Richard C

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