The CEO's Dilemma: Elevating to Working ON the Business

The relentless cycle of working IN the business rather than ON the business is a daily challenge faced by many high-growth leaders. If you’re feeling drained from the day-to-day grind and seeking strategies to elevate your leadership, this article is for you.

The CEO’s Dilemma: Trapped in the Trenches

As CEOs of high-growth companies, it’s easy to get caught up in the operational whirlwind. From firefighting daily issues to micromanaging projects, the demands can seem endless. While this hands-on approach might seem necessary, it often hinders the broader strategic vision needed to drive long-term success. Working IN the business stunts your growth and your company’s growth. And it is exhausting.

Why Shifting Focus is Crucial

Working on the business means taking a step back to focus on strategy, vision, and growth. This shift will allow you to:

• Scale Effectively: Implementing business operating systems and processes that support growth. For example our ‘5 Systems to Growth’, is a prescriptive, practical, and proven system that can be used for any company looking to achieve growth. This system changed my world—allowing me to work on the business, grow my business, and exit twice in six years.
• Empower Your Team: Building a strong leadership team that can operate independently and empower their teams with the plan.
• Sustain Growth: Ensuring the business is resilient and adaptable to change.
• Innovate: Allocating time to explore new opportunities and drive innovation throughout the business.

Strategies to Transition from IN to ON

1. Empower Your Team: Effective planning ensures all leaders and teams are accountable and own the plan, which is key to freeing up your time to work on the business. High-performing teams have a shared bond to achieve the same outcome.
2. Build a Strong Leadership Team: Invest in developing a leadership team that works with you to create the long-term, near-term, and current plan. This requires trust and a commitment to their growth and development. The higher a team’s cohesiveness, the higher the self-esteem of its members, leading to increased morale and performance.
3. Implement Scalable Processes: Develop and refine processes that can operate smoothly without your constant oversight. Our ‘5 Systems to Growth’, which encompasses five systems: Cultural, People, Strategy, Execution, Cash, (and additional Leadership Cascade), breaks down the process into practical, progressive steps.
4. Schedule Strategic Thinking Time: Block out regular time in your calendar specifically for strategic planning. Use this time to review goals, assess market trends, and brainstorm innovative ideas. This proactive approach enhances decision-making, resource allocation, and team alignment, driving sustainable growth and success.
5. Focus on Vision and Culture: As the CEO, your primary role is to set the vision and culture of the organization. Communicate this vision clearly and consistently, ensuring that your culture aligns with your strategic objectives.
6. Seek Out a Blind Spot Remover: Identify someone who can help you see what you cannot see. This could be a mentor, a fellow CEO, a Roundtable, or a Coach. This person will help ask the most impactful questions at the right time.

Actionable Steps for the Next Two Weeks

• Audit Your Tasks: Map out your daily tasks and identify those that can be done by others.
• Set Up Weekly Strategy Sessions: Dedicate time each week to focus solely on strategic initiatives. These sessions can include sharing good news, reviewing key metrics, aligning priorities, and addressing team feedback.
• Empower a Key Leader: Identify a potential A-Player leader within your team and start delegating critical tasks to them. A-Players embrace the company’s Core Values and consistently exceed performance expectations.
• Review Your Processes: Assess current processes and identify areas for improvement or automation.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning from working in the business to working on the business is not an overnight change. It requires a strategic mindset, a commitment to empowering others, and a focus on long-term goals. However, making this shift will not only enhance your leadership effectiveness but also drive sustainable growth for your organization. If you have the endurance, willingness, and desire to commit to evolving your behaviour and goals day by day, week by week, quarter by quarter, and year over year, this will work for you.

Leaders can be impatient. Leaders get disenchanted, worn out, and desperate because they cannot see how to turn up the dial to grow, quarter over quarter.

Thank you for your relentless dedication and leadership. Together, let's build businesses that are not only successful but also resilient and innovative.

Regards,

Alan Hegerty

Managing Director, Impactus Growth Advisory

If you would like understand how the '5 Systems to Growth' can help ignite growth in your business please feel free to book a call free strategy with me directly.

I would love to help.