Most business owners, every now and then, feel like they are overworked, overwhelmed and a prisoner to their business. That is fairly common. However, some small business owners also feel like they own a job, not a business. They don't feel in charge. Instead of running the business, the business is running them...ragged!! Because they are wearing multiple hats, juggling countless balls, putting out all the fires, and doing everybody's job to one degree or another, they feel exhausted and even question if business ownership is worth it. Do you?
Most of it comes down to either working "in" or "on" your business. When you work "in" your business, you feel like an employee. When you work "on" your business, you feel like a strategic business owner or CEO.
If you work "in" your business, you are trapped doing the routine, tactical, day-to-day tasks you probably pay others to do: bookkeeping, administration, IT, selling, quoting, scheduling, hiring, training, collections, answering phones, customer service, operations, doing the technical work of your industry (painting, cleaning, landscaping, contracting, etc.), shipping, copying, manufacturing, distributing, etc., etc. No wonder you are tired and feel like and employee -- you are, multiple employees!!
If you work "on" your business, you are tackling business owner and strategic type of tasks: thinking, planning, leading, keeping employees accountable, growing the revenues, improving the business, systematizing the business, etc. Since you are working smart instead of hard, it feels less draining. You are pro-actively shaping tomorrow, not just reactively scrambling today.
To determine if you own a job or a business, honestly answer the following questions:
- What % of the day do I work "in" my business? "On" my business?
- What % of the day do I function as an employee? As an owner?
- What % of the day do I tackle low-priority, low-value tasks? High-priority, high-value tasks?
- What % of the day do I focus on my true talents?
Based on the above answers, do you own a job or a business? If you own a job, what are you going to do about it? If you keep doing the same thing you will keep getting the same results -- exhaustion. If you need help, business coaching is the solution. Because business coaching holds up a mirror to your mindset, actions and habits on a regular basis, it can help pull you out of the technical trenches of your business and become a strategic business owner.
To help you get back on the path of falling in love with your business, please get your free download of our very popular business coaching e-book, "Becoming a Strategic Business Owner".
Daniel M. Murphy
The Growth Coach
Business Coaching Franchise System