Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
It’s a fact. No one can do everything well. We all struggle with something. But, a good leader can look at his or her organization and clearly see what that something is.
From social media to taxes, or inventory to corporate training. When there are so many facets in operating a company, one of the many balls you are juggling is bound to feel like it’s starting to drop.
This happens for any number of reasons:
– lack of personal
– lack of equipment
– lack of capital
– or simply that this is not part of who or what the organization is, does, or is passionate about.
A person or organization that recognizes this already has one foot in the right direction for positive change and growth! Knowing what you don’t know means that you are ready and willing to receive coaching.
An example of this in my business life is payroll. Could I figure out how to correctly pay the wonderful people I work with? Probably, but this sits somewhat outside of our core competency. There are people who have made this their passion that will much better take care of everyone’s paycheck.
I should also mention that not undertaking a certain aspect of your business should not be viewed as a weakness. It’s a tremendous strength to recognize your company’s core competency! Jim Collins, author of “Good To Great”, refers to this as the “Hedgehog Concept”.
I’ll use Ampersand as an example here:
Many Marketing firms will also do their own media purchasing. We do not. Rather than this being an area of weakness for us, it has become a strength because we have formed a strategic partnership with a company that focuses on purchasing media.
I’m not certain that complete and total self/company awareness is attainable without help. Some solutions for being your own roadblock:
– Trusted advisers that you meet with on a regular basis to discuss your business successes and shortcomings.
– A marketing or consulting firm that might be able to see your business slightly differently than you or your staff
are able to.
– Personality assessments such as D.I.S.C., which can really help identify how you work and who you are!
When you find an area of your business that needs improvement, make sure that the right people are tasked with correcting it. Sometimes we tend to toss existing staff at an issue that they are not passionate about. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand within your industry and say “I know I don’t know this” do you?
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” – Dr. Seuss
