Are You a Micro-Manager or Chief Executive?

There is a big difference between the skill set needed by a chief executive and by an entrepreneur. The best people operating in the world of business understand and grasp the fundamental differences.

Entrepreneurs are the individuals who come up with the ideas and concepts which form the basis of a company in its early days and years. It's all about taking a great idea and then getting it off the ground.

Chief executives are the ones tasked with taking control of an organisation or a business and making sure it is well managed and operated efficiently.

The very best entrepreneurs understand these basic differences and often are more than happy to take a step back and hand over the day-to-day operation of their firm to a good chief executive once their business has been established in the market place.

There are people who have the ability to master both skillsets but the examples of successful entrepreneur turned successful chief executive tend to be the exception rather than the rule.

I think there are some very good reasons why brilliant entrepreneurs do not always make the best CEOs. Entrepreneurs by their very nature are creative and unpredictable and they often prefer to work alone rather than as a member of a team.

If you are the best at what you do and a leader in a very specific field then it can be very difficult to place your trust in other people.

The skillset of a chief executive is very different; you have to be able to understand what motivates and drives people so that you get the very best performance and results from your staff.

But perhaps most important of all you have to be able to master the art of delegation. That does not mean resigning responsibility but it does mean seeking out the best people to carry out the key roles within your business.

However, there is much more to delegation to picking the right people and creating the right blend of experience, skills and expertise needed to move your company forward.

One of the biggest mistakes managers make when it comes to delegating is not allowing people to get on with their jobs. In other words the true art of delegation is learning how to put your trust in your key staff and empowering them to do their job.

It is human nature to think that we all tend to know best but the worst kind of managers are the ones who don’t give their staff the chance to think for themselves and to make their own decisions.

Having someone in charge that is controlling and wants to oversee every aspect of a business can actually stifle a company and dampen creativity in the workplace.

Of course everyone makes mistakes but the best delegators are the ones who tend to be supportive rather than micro-managers. No one is going to perform well if they are being constantly monitored and criticised.

If there is under-performance then that has to be dealt with, but if you set someone up to fail then the likelihood is they will fail.

True delegation is about picking the right people, putting them in the right position and then putting your trust and faith in them by allowing them to get on with their job

By : James Caan