Shawnee Love • June 6, 2019

If you are a stereotypical entrepreneur, chances are you are not a good manager.   Rather than wasting your talent trying to get better at something you will only ever be marginal at, you might as well continue to excel at that which you are already ahead of the curve.

Entrepreneurs are known to be mercurial, visionary, risk-taking, confident, tenacious and rule flouting (if not breaking).  Other than tenacious, the rest of the qualities are not that which you want in a manager.   Good entrepreneurs are always looking for and getting excited about new ideas.  Let an entrepreneur “manage” and your employees will be:

• Off in 20 different directions,
• Receiving competing instructions, and
• Unsure whether they are doing good work or not.

Good managers are consistent, positive, flexible, accountable, and transparent.  Good managers give clear directions and expectations, follow up and follow through, have their team members’ backs, hold people accountable, and develop their people. They are focused on the present and the upcoming 3-6 months, they remove obstacles and they get stuff done through their people.

I am being a bit tongue in cheek here, but my point is just stop trying to be something you are not.  If you are an entrepreneur with the stereotypical qualities noted above, consider finding a good manager who can be the buffer between you and your staff.  There’s no shame in being aware of your strengths and weaknesses and finding people who can complement you.

Would love to hear your thoughts!