Monday, May 15, 2017

White Blank Page (aka: Business is Exciting)

Are you thinking of starting a new business? Do you already have a startup in its infancy?

You are blessed with a white blank page in which all “rules” of running a conventional business need not apply to you. Every single conventional business leadership structure or process can be re-imagined or cast aside. If that doesn’t get your juices flowing, you’re either reading the wrong blog, or haven’t had enough Monday morning coffee.

Caution: This is not a call to challenge for challenge sake – no – but challenge convention so that we can find a way for employees to not just find their jobs bearable, but dare I say, enjoyable? We should seek to understand why we do what we do… if it makes sense, it sticks – if not, we get rid. Ricardo Semler talks about asking a business process question 3 times – if the answer is still logical after 3 interrogations – it sticks.

Why should we wear suits and ties?

Why are rigid 8-5 work hours necessary?

Why should we measure ourselves on total hours per week rather than general performance?

Why should we all work at the same place?

Why do big meetings have to be in private meeting rooms?

Why can’t we trust each other to manage ourselves?

Why should innovations be halted by layers of hierarchy?

Why can’t we be transparent about our strategic decisions?

Why should we use persuasion techniques in our sales meetings rather than being honest?

Whether your company only has 1 employee – or even just you as the daring solopreneur you are, this is the perfect time to take a stand about the working world you want to create - A canvas to paint the future of the working world.

If we start doing things our way; a way that doesn’t take itself too seriously; A way that makes sense in the 21st century for ambitious young adults; We can then start to influence other companies around us to make similar decisions.

What is the end goal here?
We can lead the charge of having happier, more enriched individuals who feel a harmony in their work–life balance. We can build a world in which we no longer desperately crave Fridays, to no longer be filled with a pit of anxiety on Sundays, and to no longer talk about work serving the sole purpose of “oh well, it pays the bills bru” (a bizarrely common painful small-talk chat in bathroom urinals, corporates worldwide).

Starting from a base of zero, we each have the opportunity to create organizations of enriched employees, who are empowered to see their work as a catalyst for their life’s goals, and their life as a catalyst for their work goals

Importantly, if we treat employees with respect and autonomy, the client will always be the biggest winner. This coincides with Richard Branson’s view: Employees first.

As future / budding entrepreneurs, we should be willing to risk everything we are, and everything we hope to be on these principles.

There are so many quotes that could be used to conclude here, but rather than going the clichéd route, I believe it’s more fitting to simply re-iterate the value of questioning everything 3 times (valuable in life decisions as much as in business):

Why do we do it?
So why do we do that?
Should we still do that?

If it doesn’t make sense after the 3rd question: Get rid of it.


Have a boss Monday!