As online business managers we are often wearing many hats… sometimes so many hats we can’t even keep them all on our head…
Not only do they fall off at times but truthfully those hats are heavy, exhausting and stressful to carry around 24/7.
But what if I told you there is an easier way… you don’t have to wear all those hats you can simply line them up in their proper places, encourage them to stay the course and then check in on them periodically…. sounds dreamy right?
Well it’s not a dream, its the way that business is meant to be ran and it is the solution to 90% of the chaos and frustration around running, managing, and growing a business. When any business becomes so dependent on one person, be it the business owner, the virtual assistant or the business manager, that business becomes out of balance (such as walking around with 14 hats on your head). The imbalance will cause both great frustration and more importantly stagnation.
So what is the solution to this ever increasing epidemic in the online business world of the great hope that one person can and will do it all?
Well I have 2 words for you:
Process and Influence
If you consider with me that Process = Management, or let me say it like this without process there is NOTHING to management.
This is why we often find ourselves frustrated as OBM’s we are running around to trying to manage a business that has not process in place. When in reality all we are doing is prioritizing implementation for the daily operations of a business. But this is not management. In many cases it is simply just a pattern of chaos we have all learned to perform in.
Manage (as a verb) – -to handle, direct, govern, or control in action or use
Management (as a noun) – the person or persons controlling and directing the affairs of a business, institution
What I want to focus in on is the word CONTROL in both of these definitions.
The simple truth is without processes in place there is no ability to be in control over how a task is executed. There is no standard in which to create an expectation for a team member in executing a task in a manner that allows you, the OBM, to continue to maintain control over the task and it’s performance.
What does this really mean: It means you have to wear all those hats until you learn to be in control but not the one ‘doing’ the task (which essentially WOULD be out of your control unless you have a process in place to maintain control) whew.. that was a mouthful!
You may be thinking, why does this really matter, after all, as long as the task gets done it really shouldn’t matter who does it or ‘HOW’ it is done.
And to some degree I quiet agree with you… but without the measure of standard (process), there is opportunity for greater error in performing that task. Error is both time consuming, costly and embarrassing… why chance it?
Secondly, without the process, you the OBM, have no ability to actually manage (control) the outcome of the implementation if someone else on your team is executing the task. This is both dangerous and unnerving! Leaving you vulnerable to look in competent or unskilled in your ability to manage the business or team.
So when you consider how you are going to manage your clients business… consider this: if you do not have processes, you have no ability to manage!
(part 2 will be: Influence = Leadership, the second part of the solution, coming next week)
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If you are unsure on how to set up, manage and be successful in building foundationally strong businesses for your clients you should consider becoming a Certified OBM. In our Certification Training we go in depth on the ‘how to’s’ of becoming a successful Online Business Manager. Be sure to check our the details here: http://www.CertifiedOBM.com (and set up a time to chat with me 1:1 for FREE)Manage Process
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As always we would love to connect with you either via the comments below or on our facebook page! Feel free to chime in on this hot topic or simply ask questions…