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Entrepreneur +

By ANDREW LITTLE

I was recently described/defined as an intrepreneur.  No, me neither.  Quick check, two meanings:

– individual who works in corporate but behaves like entrepreneur

– individual who partners with entrepreneur to manage/grow business

Well interesting.  I have done both.  A couple of the additional insights offered were around the entre having the ideas, the intre managing them (reasonable, although the insistence that I had likely never had an original idea in my life seems harsh, although my music is a touch derivative!).

A second ponderable concerns the word dilettante, also associated with the intrepreneur definition.  Luke Johnson  in the Sunday Times offered the view that entrepreneurs are ‘obsessives, not dilettantes’, intrepreneurs necessarily inexpert in their compunction to flit from business to business, sector to sector.  I have certainly worked with founders displaying both characteristics.  Undoubtedly ideas men and women, but not always focussed on just one (the main thing).  So I would like to offer a different and perhaps more positive take on the intrepreneur.

My preferred descriptor is empathist – ‘ the ability to identify with or understand anothers feelings’ – some might call this marketing (!).  However, empathy is a vital trait in working with entrepreneurs and their ideas, and of course attuning those ideas to the understanding of growing markets.   Empathy also moves winningly from the marketing to the sales discipline.  We have all witnessed the salesman who moves direct to the thirty slide power-point without asking a single question. The empathist will immediately seek to engage, to prompt, to listen, to learn – and then shape arguments and responses around those valuable insights.

So entrepreneur + intrepreneur = success?  No, of course not, but the addition (dare I say partnership) does provide a balance of complementary skills and indeed passions.  Empathy as a vital trait for successful managers working with entrepreneurs?  Without a trace of bias, I would say so!

“Empathy is a vital trait for managers working with entrepreneurs.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2016/07/19/entrepreneur/

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From Start up to...bIgger than (Part v)

By ANDREW LITTLE

 So I thought of a fourth D – delegation. One of the other challenges in working with founders is to prioritise the right activities is managing delegation.  Let me re-iterate the default founder position: my way is the best way,  My voice is the best voice and therefore the best solution is always DIY!  But as a business scales, time must be apportioned more assiduously, and choices must be made.

How to transition to a trusted relationship with both internal and external experts?  Externally, areas such as Accountancy, Legal, Marketing Services – also sales channels, perhaps some tech – come in to play.  Carries its own challenges. Internally carries different challenges.  But how do you influence a founder/owner to accept that certain areas are his or her strengths and where maximum impact will serve best growth outcomes for the business, other areas simply do NOT!  As Luke Johnson asserted in the Sunday Times last week, it is a necessary evil for entrepreneurs!

I have written in previous posts of the importance of the ‘heartbeat’ of a company, which is invariably linked to the genuine passion of the founder.  That is a start point for priority of activity.  There may be much doing grafted onto that passion in the start up being, but re-focussing that passion is productive.  There will be weaker points; test and probe; offer options and other ways of dealing; seek measurable outcomes demonstrating positive impact.  These can be internal ways of working, or cultivating external suppliers to positions of trusted contributors – takes perseverance and perhaps no little trial and error.  And inevitably, turn liberated time and effort back to that passion!

“Delegation is a necessary evil for entrepreneurs.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2016/01/24/from-start-up-to-bigger-than-5/

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teamwork or teams work

By ANDREW LITTLE

Alongside music, Rugby Union is a huge passion.  Having played for Rosslyn Park for fifteen years, I now enjoy coaching my younger sons KCS Old Boys U14 side.  Makes me think.  To my mind, Rugby Union combines the need to know the minutiae of your job, understand how that fits into the overall direction of the team, but also bring any and all of your talents to support the team effort as play evolves ever more dynamically.  

In the workplace, I think there is a similar need for clarity of role, consensus purpose and inclusive debate and action.  I have talked in a previous post about job descriptions.  A scrum-half (my position) has a job description, as does a marketing manager.   But the working environment remains changeable in both instances – play what’s in front of you!  

Secondly, the scrum-half + number 8 + fly half make a team within a team, but each of those individuals contribute mightily in broken play.  So the job description must inform the individual and impact the team and the outcome.   Inclusive team culture fosters a mentally stimulating and vigorous exchange of ideas, minimising silos and maximising creativity and consequence.  A prop forward running in a 50metre try, or a product idea coming from the marcoms assistant.  Both must be cultivated and enjoyed!

“So the job description must inform the individual and impact the team and the outcome.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/07/13/teamwork-or-teams-work/

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the sound of the blues

By ANDREW LITTLE

Continuing the music theme, I have often encountered the challenge (and opportunity, of course) of just how much structure and process to bring to a small business to have apositive impact on the pace of growth.

I use a blues/jazz analogy.

The ‘rules’ of the blues are simple, basic and non-invasive!  Start; check-points within; direction and improvisation;  finish.  And the great players (and bands) have enjoyed glorious elasticity in and amongst those structures.

So to apply to the workplace, how much of job spec, reviews, sales plans, weekly reports, sales meetings, one-on-ones, 360°, monthly update, quarterly review, ad hoc updates – how much of all that is fit for purpose, or a bureaucratic burden restricting growth efforts. Think simple, basic, non-invasive?

In my experience, there is a sensitive and smart approach to managing teams and individuals to enable maximum productivity alongside sufficient formality to offer a sense of ownership, direction and accountability.  Don’t confuse a Blues business with the formality of music tied wholly to the printed page.  Let them play!

“The ‘rules’ of the blues are simple, basic and non-invasive.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/05/27/the-sound-of-the-blues/

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the sound of silence

By ANDREW LITTLE

As many of you know, I am a passionate musician.  I have long expostulated common ground between business people and process, and making music.  The first area of common ground I will call (with apologies to Paul Simon) ‘The Sound of Silence’.

Let’s start with the music – a perennial quest, greatest guitarist of all time?  For me Mark Knopfler.  Why? –  not for the notes that he plays, but for the resonant silence that he leaves between them.  When he listens, absorbs, and responds and contributes.

In the workplace, the value of knowing how and when to listen is underrated and seldom coached.  More familiar is the individual who keeps talking beyond the point at which they have anything to say – quantity versus quality?!? But active listening with all audiences, internal and external is a MUST.

So think on it; understand the value of chat, of opinion, of language, and also the value of enhanced listening, absorbing, understanding and contributing that is a significant benefit of knowing silence.  Mark Knopfler certainly does!

“the value of knowing how and when to listen is underrated.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/05/19/the-sound-of-silence/

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From start up to...bigger than (part iv)

By ANDREW LITTLE

Apologies for delay in my third D.  As I am sure that you recall:

D1:  Data accessible, credible, actionable

D2: Dialogues, informal and formal are valuable and productive.

My third D is Doggedness.  Perhaps a strange choice of word – I did consider persistence, fortitude, obstinacy, determination, perseverance, tenacity, and so on.  But there is something in all of those in my chosen word, doggedness.  There is also something both human and animal (etymology dog-like!) about the intent – by which I mean that you need single-minded keep going (dog with bone) combined with the humanity to bring folk (customers, colleagues) with you on the journey.  That in itself is a unique skill, and requires a particular application to continue with direction and execution in the face of cultural, historical and often practical challenge and resistance.  Powers of listening, absorbing, responding and persuasion are of course paramount.  But doggedness carries them all, and indeed carries the day!

“But doggedness carries them all, and indeed carries the day.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/05/12/from-start-up-to-bigger-than-4/

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from start up to...bigger than (Part III)

By ANDREW LITTLE

The three Ds: Data; Dialogues; Doggedness

Thanks for your responses to last weeks note; so our data is now accessible, credible and actionable.  To the second of our three Ds, Dialogue:

2) Dialogues

A mix of both formal and informal dialogues (key definition: A discussion between two or more people or groups, especially one directed towards exploration of a particular subject or resolution of a problem, OED) is fundamental.  Judging the scale of the bureaucracy is also an important skill – the entrepreneurs will rail against, the numbers guys want more.

Formal dialogues benefit from a couple of disciplines: agenda and templates.  Know what order you are going in, and have some standard ways of thinking, presenting and talking to ease understanding, consumption and productivity,  and stick to time.  Lastly, annotate actions, this is of course about getting stuff done –  and follow up.

To sustain informal dialogues PICK UP THE PHONE (or better walk down the corridor!).  Old fashioned, too much vs a quick email question?  Believe me, the impact on relationships and therefore, performance, is very real!  I repeat, PICK UP THE PHONE!

Doggedness to follow!

“the impact on relationships and therefore, performance, is very real.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/04/27/from-start-up-to-bigger-than-3/

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from start up to...bigger than (Part ii)

By ANDREW LITTLE

So owners/founders on side(ish); you are influencing to consensus; and there are the beginnings of focus on customers and people.

Now what?

The three Ds!  Data.  Dialogues.  Doggedness.  DDD.  Today the first D:

1) Data

Data should be accessible, credible and actionable.  Very often in Small/Medium businesses, data is the opposite.  Inaccessible, incredible and therefore non-actionable.  How to work then, ahead of investments in marketing and sales automation? How much time do you want your revenue earners to spend on data?  How much time to do you want to spend as a manager making decisions based on half baked data?  To make progress, there has to be prioritisation, compromise (yes compromise), a roadmap to progress over time, but most of all COMMON SENSE.  

Hone in on the most vital decision supporting data that is indeed accessible, credible and actionable.  Which will spawn the most vital decisions.  Or in other words don’t try and do all at once; make that start, commence some behaviours, and get into the next piece of accessible, credible and actionable data.

“Data should be accessible, credible and actionable.”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/04/20/from-start-up-to-bigger-than-2/

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Entrepreneur +

By ANDREW LITTLE

In my experience of managing people and process for growth of small businesses across verticals/geographies, I have learnt (and will continue to learn) a number of valuable lessons:

1) Owners/founders know their stuff (of course), but not all, and won’t share

The track record of a business to date goes way beyond the numbers.  There is its heartbeat, raison d’aitre, DNA.  Which often generates and projects the product or offering.  Keep oh so close to that!  Additionally, there is the knowledge, experience and know-how of the company’s longest serving leaders, very often owners or at least founders.  With these managers there are a couple of challenges:  i) how to tease out that very significant sense of direction and real doing that has carried progress so far, and ii) how to offer new direction and doing within that context.  Patience, persistence, curiosity, charm, humour, humility, fortitude – all characteristics that may bring reward.  The facet of growth that you never have is time!  So add urgency to all of the above !

2) Influence and consensus – up to a point

Functioning as a ‘change agent’ carries greater risks; I have encountered CEOs dogged in their refusal to accept counsel (no, of COURSE Product Management should be in the IT department), and in these instances, I have found canvass and consensus to drive the pace of change – along with even more persistence and repetition! It has often been the brief to ‘bring everyone along with you’.  As the outsider and newbie, this requires rigorous effort and personal investment.  The word ‘influence’ is used in job specs (check keyword) – but degrees of involvement, engagement and (perhaps new) structure are key.  Share the stated strategy; help ALL understand their role in getting there, embrace job specs and targets to engage – and get things DONE!

3) Focus on your customers and your people – doesn’t always come naturally

Two parts to this; the move from sell the hell out of it to listen before sell/build; and then securing value and sharing value from and with all employees.  i) Ongoing dialogues with customers is not a default position; it needs a way of working equating that listening with some humility and much response.  These relationships create stickiness, and long term revenues and growth.  ii) Your people have made things happen, and will continue to do so. Sometimes get lost in the cacophony of activity associated with high growth.  Don’t let it.  Your people need nurturing, helping, LEADING.  Sharing progress and regress, pain and pleasure, strategy and execution will reap huge benefits in performance, from which top and bottom line will head in mutually pleasing directions!

“Sharing progress and regress, pain and pleasure, strategic and execution will reap huge benefits”

http://reflectpartnership.co.uk/2015/04/14/from-start-up-to-bigger-than/