Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

One big problem that business owners have is to learn the difference between working "in" your business and working "on" your business.

A way to help measure that and understand the difference is to learning how to distinguish between being a leader or being a manager. If you own a business; you have to be both.

Ron Stallings quotes Ken Blanchard in an article:

"Managing implies structure, control, rules, deadlines and efficiency," said Ken Blanchard, best-selling author of The One Minute Manager. But he underscores that "leadership" is nearly the opposite of "management."

Mr. Stallings adds that "Leading requires actions that are more experimental, unstructured, visionary, flexible and passionate."

An owner of a business that is always looking at what needs to be done "today", is one that is working in a management role. A business owner that is always looking at the big picture and the vision and purpose of the company, leans toward being in a leadership role.

When a business first starts, once the purpose is understood, a business owner usually will work in a management role. They will always be pushing within the business and focus on the intensely practical, everyday things that need to be accomplished. Once the business starts to grow, the leader in the owner must begin to emerge, or the business will stagnate. It is here that most businesses will falter or grow.

Still, many business owners can't, or really won't take their hands off of the daily running of the business in order to focus on growing it. As a result, it pretty much stays the same once it reaches a certain level, for years. Knowing that you have to eventually switch hats, will help you to understand when your business reaches the point where the decision needs to be made. At that time you're more important and valuable as a leader. At this stage, simply hire a great manager to run the day-to-day operations. You can than concentrate on leading.

Have you ever had to face this issue in your business?