Do not burden your employees or customers with your personal story or with whatever baggage you may be experiencing with, or outside, the business. It’s important to note that it’s ok to show your vulnerability every now and then, but don’t cross healthy boundary lines. Once you start to become too personal with your potential customer, you may feel like you can’t charge them your full rate, or they will always expect to get a deal, now they “know the owner.”
Don't make your personal problems an issue for your customer. With our customers and employees, we want to be friendly, but not overly friendly. We want to share, but not overshare. Share your recommendations, share the history of the business, share current specials, and share how much you appreciate their business or hard work. Keep your communication focused on the business, not your personal life. They don't need to know what you had for dinner last night or that you have a doctors appointment later.
Employees can be inappropriate with the business owner. Whether they think it will get them ahead to the next level within the company or if it’s just a weird relationship they've developed, it needs to be addressed. I've seen this many times and have had to correct it. It can be dangerous. So much so, that it can shut down a business. When you're put in a position of authority and in a position of leadership, always be clear about your expectations regarding appropriate behavior in the workplace.
Having clear boundaries will save you money, stress, and time.
Here are a few ways you can set healthy boundaries between yourself and your business:
Don’t answer your phone after 6pm.
Make weekends a work-free zone.
Set your minimum project or service fees—don’t bend to what potential clients can afford. Your time is valuable; you will find other clients or customers.
Only work with individuals who inspire you and you enjoy working with.
Set clear and respectful expectations with your customers, such as a 24-hour cancellation policy and scheduled phone calls.
Isolation in Business
Isolation in business and leadership is a very real thing and something I personally know all too well. It’s easy to get so focused on growing our business and not realize we’re completely isolating ourselves from everyday interaction with the ones we love most, the very people we’re working so hard for.
Being an entrepreneur can be a very lonely journey. Especially if those closest to us don’t share the same vision. I’ve found it’s vital to connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs and people who are passionate about the same things I am. By doing so, it keeps us on track toward being the best leaders we can be, all while learning, having fun, and holding each other accountable to our goals.
Here are a few great ways to connect with your fellow leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners:
Attend conferences
Join your local chamber of commerce
Cross-promote with like-minded business owners
Start an online meet-up group
Join your niche market social media groups
If you're struggling with your emotions or anything related to the business, I encourage you to seek help. Speaking with someone can help guide and inspire you toward being the very best leader and business owner you can be. Whether it's a consultant to help you navigate through the various waters of your business or a therapist for more personal matters, find the resources to support your well-being.
Mindset: How Our Thoughts and Emotions
Affect Us and Our Work
Action Steps
Our businesses can become all-encompassing if we do not establish boundaries. Without boundaries, we can easily get burnt out and let negative emotions take over. Be proactive and set healthy boundaries for yourself; otherwise, you may turn to unhealthy ways of coping with the stress of leadership.
What can you do today to establish healthy boundaries in your business?
Being an entrepreneur and business owner can be lonely. Don’t stay isolated. Nobody expects you to do this on your own. The greatest leaders in the world have tribes behind them. The phrase “it takes a village” not only applies to raising children. Get the help and support you need. It’s OK not to have all the answers.
In what areas of your business do you feel you need additional support?
What business/professional development communities are you a part of that you can be more active in? Get out there and connect with others. Your business and everyone in your life will thank you.
Chapter 5
Finding the Work-Life Balance
“Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.”
— Hillary Clinton
I realize the title of this section might be a bit misleading…because I'm here to tell you that after years of searching, and agonizing over finding the blueprint for the perfect work-life “balance,” I finally realized it doesn’t exist.
There’s no right way or hidden secret to finding harmony between work and your personal life. No matter where we are in our lives, we need to acknowledge ourselves as whole people who are more than our work. We have passions, hobbies, tasks, and relationships beyond our businesses. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking the time to explore the parts of our lives that have nothing to do with our business actually makes us better leaders. There is so much to learn from life we can bring back into our work to inspire us.
When I first learned I was pregnant, I wasn’t sure how I would manage my work while being present with my daughter. I had worked so hard to get to a successful place in my career. I wasn’t about to let it all go. If you’re dealing with a similar situation, realize it’s not selfish, it’s OK to love what you do and have a family.
If you’re considering having children, or you already do, being a parent and business owner is 100% possible and can also be incredibly fun. You’ll find there are countless similarities between parenting and leadership. Being a mom has given me a whole new perspective on leadership as a business owner. For example, discipline wasn’t something I always followed through on with my team. I just assumed they would all figure things out eventually. I was WRONG! Whether you are in your workplace or at home, it’s important to follow through on the expectations of the rules you set. Just as Emma likes to push the boundaries to see what she can get away with, some employees will demonstrate the same type of behavior.
Sometimes I feel like a referee between members of my team, and it’s no different with Emma. Be sure to follow through on enforcing the rules and systems you’ve put in place and hold your team (family or work) accountable.
Before Emma was born, I was annoyingly punctual. Thanks to my A-type personality, everything had to be done a specific way: my way.
For the first three months during my boss to mom-boss transition, my schedule went right out the window. I had to learn how to schedule myself around her and the business. Not just schedule the time, but I have to be specific about what I do with that time. When I finally let go of how I thought things needed to be, my own organized chaos fell into place in a way which might seem crazy to others, but works for us.
When I'm working, I'm FULLY working. No distractions. When I’m home, I’m 100% present with my husband, Chris, and with Emma. Being clear with my energy and holding undivided attention when taking care of the task at hand has allowed me to feel accomplished as a parent and business owner.
Don’t feel bad if you’re still trying to find your own rhythm. One day, it will just click: on your own time and in your own way. If you love your career, you will find a way to make both being the kick ass parent you are and the strong business owner work in harmony.
Even though there may not be an exact blueprint to making the work-life balance happen, here are some recommendations to help you design your perfect work-life cohesion:
Hit the gym. Get the blood moving and oxygen flowing to your brain to make clearer choices and decisions throughout the day. Working out can also help relieve stress, give you more energ
y, and provide an opportunity to focus on your personal goals. When supporting and leading others, taking time for ourselves is a must. And let’s face it, when we are in shape, we feel better about ourselves.
Take time to do what you love. This might seem obvious, but when was the last time you hit the lake to go fishing, or busted out that fancy coloring book you’ve been dying to make come alive, or baked a batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies? Regardless of what your hobbies are, it’s important to set aside the time away from work to do what you love, what makes your heart feel full. It is extremely important to our mental health to do something completely unrelated to our business that we enjoy.
Turn off all technology. Yep, you read that right! Shut off your cell phone, close the laptop, and hide the tablet. While you’re at it, unplug the TV. Give yourself a digital detox. You might be surprised by how you feel without screens. You may also finally get to the various house projects you’ve been meaning to complete. Garage sale, anyone?
Schedule vacation time. Whether it’s with friends, family, or by yourself. Take a trip and detach yourself from the everyday grind. Learn something new, fall in love with a little town, or immerse yourself in a different culture for a week or two.
Set work hour boundaries. This is a key component to keeping a healthy work-life schedule. Know when to transition from work mode to your personal life. As the leader and owner of your company, it can be challenging to know when it’s time to call it a day. You might remember me mentioning this before: your work will still be there tomorrow. So, for your own health and for the health of those around you, set your work hours and stick to them.
Organize your finances. You might find you don’t have to work as often as you think. Find the time to sit down with your CPA or financial advisor and set your financial goals. Know when you can spend money and how much you need to save to reach your goals. You might not have to work sixty plus hours a week. You might find you only need to work four days a week to live the lifestyle you want, allowing more time to enjoy doing the things you love with the people you care about.
Encouraging Employee Work-Life Balance
The work-life balance of your team is just as important as your own. Encourage your employees to find their own work-life balance. Stay healthy as a team. The Pingboard article “10 Ways to Encourage a Healthy Work-Life Balance for Employees” outlines ways you can encourage your employees to stay healthy while continuing to be effective in their role within the company. Some of the ways include providing exercise access, childcare services, and company outings. Additionally, encourage vacations, breaks throughout the day, and scheduling flexibility. All these strategies might not work for you, but take the time to consider what steps you are taking as a leader to promote work-life balance, not only for yourself, but for your employees. Ultimately, the most important step you can take is to be a role model. As the article states:
Overall, it’s important to encourage employees to be self-aware about their own personalities and tendencies, as some people are more prone to imbalances than others. Through your words, actions, and example, emphasize the need to continually assess one’s goals to determine what brings satisfaction, inner peace, and balance. Empowering your employees to take control over their work and home lives can have a profound impact on their job satisfaction and performance, enabling you to do what’s best and most effective for your company.3
Multitasking
I’ve always considered myself to be a master at multitasking. Again, if you have children, you know exactly what I'm talking about, especially in the mornings. Trying to rush everyone off to school or work and get out the door so you can drive during that sweet window of minimal traffic can be overwhelming. Oh, and don’t forget those lunches you packed the night before!
Even though multitasking can be a skill necessary for survival in this fast-paced world we live in, it can be next to impossible to expect your team (at work or at home) to stay present with you when you’re trying to do too many things at the same time.
An article written by Kendra Cherry, “How Multitasking Affects Productivity and Brain Health” discusses how doing one too many things at once can reduce productivity as much as 40%:
In one 2009 study, Stanford University researcher Clifford Nass found that people who were considered heavy multitaskers were actually worse at sorting out relevant information from irrelevant details. This is particularly surprising because it was assumed that this is something that heavy multitaskers would actually be better at. But that wasn't the only problem these high multitaskers faced. They also showed greater difficulty when it came to switching from one task to another and were much less mentally organized.4
Why am I mentioning this? The next time you stop to speak with a loved one, or when you address your team, stop everything you’re doing. Put your phone away, turn your body toward them, and show them you are completely present while communicating. If you’re not in the habit of doing this already, you’ll start to see the positive effects in your work and personal relationships, from productivity increasing, to your children behaving better. Staying present as often as you can will win you respect in interaction.
Finding the Work-Life Balance
Action Steps
There is no secret to establishing work-life balance, but there are steps you can take to work toward that goal for you and your employees.
What are you doing in your life to seek balance?
What opportunities are you providing to help your employees with their work-life balance?
What strategies can you implement to start living life on your terms?
Part II
Business Value
Chapter 6
Valuing Relationships
“Value the relationship more than making your quota.”
— Jeffrey Gitomer
Relationships with Employees
The most important aspect to having a long-term successful business is putting the correct people on your team who are going to have the same goals you have for the overall company health and the customers you serve.
I’ve found one of the more common issues business owners struggle with is not allowing their team to take full leadership of their role. It can feel as if there’s a lack of trust between the owner and employee. Be sure to hire people you can trust, and let go of the reins a bit. When you are able to step back and not be a helicopter boss, you can let your people do the job you hired them to do.
Remember the old saying, “The customer is always right”? Well, I couldn’t disagree more. The customer is not always right. If you've had a long-time employee, and they're telling you something got weird or inappropriate with a customer, as a business owner, you can absolutely fire that customer. Always make sure you are listening to your employees. Hear what they have to say and then lead by taking action accordingly. When you stand up for your employees, they will be loyal and respect you for years to come.
My Employee Made a Huge Mistake, Now What?
Here is where you can put your strong leadership skills to the test.
It’s easy to react with anger and frustration when we learn one of our employees has royally screwed up, but before you are quick to assume the worst of someone, take a deep breath and ask them exactly what happened.
It’s best to stay as calm as possible. Fully take in the situation so you can quickly act, rather than react. If the problem needs to be taken care of immediately, do it. Then give yourself a bit of time to compose yourself, so you do not over react toward your employee.
When I first started Sweet D Marketing, I hired a new employee do Google Adwords management for a large client of mine. The new guy was working out great, in the beginning. He had clear communication and told me of all his impressive past experience. I took it at face value because I was, quite frankly, desperate. I needed to find someone who was as qualified as he was on paper to look after this complex account. I never took the time to speak to his references and just as
sumed he knew what he was doing.
Two months in, I received a call from my client saying their traffic was down and their phone hadn’t rung in awhile. When I went back to check out the work the new guy had done, I realized he had rerouted the tracking codes to a domain that had nothing to do with the client. So every time a potential customer clicked on the ad, it would go to a blank page!
I was livid. This had cost my client $30,000 in ad spend. This wasn’t just a mistake, it was a colossal mistake.
After a few choice words with myself alone in my office, I took a moment to look at the larger picture. It was my employee’s fault, sure. But really, it was mine. After all, I didn’t take the time to do my due diligence.
I took a deep breath, working up all the courage I had to call my client and let them know what had happened. I told them it was completely my fault, and I would be more than happy to reimburse them for the ad spend that had been lost (even though at the time, it would have wiped out just about everything I had).
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