Snow Business, December 2017

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP So you think you want to be a CEO Weighing the pros and cons of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur By JON CRANDALL CSP D o you really want a multimillion dollar business or just the rewards that come from it Do you really want a multimillion dollar business or a small lifestyle business that is really a self designed job with huge risk added to you and your family If you are willing to take on the personal sacrifices and financial risks then gear up to become the best you can be to steer your dream toward reality Following are some traits that I believe characterize many of the successful CEOs I know Passion You must love the business not just what the business delivers Read The E Myth by Michael Gerber He explains why most technicians go into business and how perception changes dramatically in Year One of business ownership Leadership This is a rare talent True leaders ask questions to guide their employees into making their own decisions After a decision is made they can review the outcome and talk about what the employee learned and what he or she may change A short video by Inno Versity that explains greatness by Capt David Marquet explains this very well Leaders can be friendly but more importantly need to hold the team accountable to get things done whether its you as CEO or your trusted managers If you turn this duty over to your managers its still your responsibility to hold them accountable Leaders also are responsible for paying more attention to the future and the high level view of the companys direction In his book 14 SNOW BUSINESS DECEMBER 2017 www sima org snowbusiness 12 HOUR WORKDAYS Good to Great Jim Collins uses an example of chopping a path through a rain forest without a compass Clearing a straight path would be difficult so the leader climbs a tree and yells to the team below which direction to chop The high level view is most important to focus the team on the right tasks that will ultimately lead to the desired long term result Drive A good friend and mentor Jim Kaloutas simply calls this never ever ever ever give up I relate best to this in a few ways In my snow business we manage some medical facilities that have emergency rooms Would it be OK if we decided to hold off on plowing until the end if it was snowing too much or too hard A man who has four young children and a wife to support doesnt care if equipment is broken down or if theres too much snow when hes having a heart attack He needs the ambulance to make it up the hill to the hospital Its up to you to make sure he is able to walk his little girl down the aisle Resources Following are a few of Jon Crandalls favorites on leadership and business development The E Myth Revisited Why Most Small Businesses Dont Work and What to Do About it by Michael Gerber Turn This Ship Around A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders by Capt David Marquet Inno Versity Presents Greatness video by Capt David Marquet How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie WILLING TO BE THE FALL GUY