The Rules of Engagement

In business, relationships are everything. It’s who you know that can help you get where you want to be and all that hard work will come to fruition on that magical moment when you meet the right person at the right time in the right place. Until that time the most meaningful relationship you can have is taking care of yourself as a CEO and here’s how you do it.

Reward yourself

Being a CEO is like being a parent, your staff depends on you and we are always worried about making sure we can support them. Starting a business is like starting a family and small business owners care about their staff the way parents care about their children, but just like parents we as CEO’s need to step away from the business occasionally and find a way to say ‘good job’. Even if you have had a terrible year, find a way to invest in yourself because you will be a better CEO for it.

Expect things from your staff

The worst thing in life is to have no expectations, so make sure that your staff knows you value them enough to expect something from them. Make your expectations clear and your rationale realistic; give them the space to become experts. It will not be smooth and it will not be easy, but you’re building an empire and that can’t happen in one day.

Be uncomfortable enough to grow

Small business owners are the kind of people that worry. We worry that we can’t keep the doors open, we worry that we are too small, we worry that we don’t have enough people. That worry can keep us in the same place and before we know it, we are closing our doors. We have to get out of the worry pattern and into discomfort. We have to surround ourselves with the people we hate, but secretly envy. The really successful ones.  Why? Because good or bad, it will push us to be the best version of ourselves and that will push us to have the best version of our business.

You’re a small business owner which means you are that person, that dreamer. Did you take the leap, are you on your own? If you did, you are an awesome individual and you can do this. Take these rules and go build your empire.

  By Leona Charles