Do You Think Like a CEO?

Heads of small businesses are truly chief executives. Heads of departments in larger companies take executive leadership over their areas as well. But what does this mean?

Meet Steve. Every Friday he pursues his most productive work – and doesn’t even show up at the automobile repair business he owns. On these days he wakes up earlier than usual. If it’s snowing that’s even better. He picks a shopping center or a parking lot at the shopping mall and walks the rows of parked cars, scraping the snow and ice from each. He leaves behind a brand new, brightly painted ice scraper displaying the name and address of his repair shop, tucking it under the wiper blade. If a car owner catches him in the act, he likes that best, for it gives him a chance to shake a hand and extend a personal welcome.

In clear weather he stoops in front of each car. If he spies fresh oil drops, he leaves a flier under the windshield for a free oil change. He has calculated quite well the percentage of patrons coming in for an oil service – and repairs.

How can Steve leave his business alone one entire day per week without it falling apart? He’s on the loose, thinking and acting as a CEO should, free to pursue new ways of doing things to improve the business. But he isn’t doing everything right. What would you change?

Does your leadership demonstrate freedom from outmoded norms, or is your way of doing things strangled by circumstances?

Are you on the loose – or on the noose?

Robert Anderson, founder of Small Business Advocacy Center, is a writer, small business turnaround expert and business coach, with success restoring value to businesses throughout North America. SBAC can be reached at info@SBACenter.org or 970-231-2772.

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