We all go into business for ourselves for a myriad of different reasons – one being we are usually fucking NUTS. But another common theme being – we are tired of being told what to do and want to stick it to “the man”.
We want to dictate the terms, call the shots and be the BOSS.
When did we forget that? At some point, I bet, we all LOSE sight of this position. We begin to falter and go back to being a “yes man (or woman)”.
We do things like this (which by the way is US answering to “the man”):
“Yes, Mr. Prospect I’ll follow your ridiculous sales cycle, meet with you five times, and re-draft this proposal until I’m blue in the face — even though you’ll likely not buy from me or if you do, become one of another ungrateful clients.”
“Yes, Mrs. Client I can eat my margin on this deal, designed custom for you, and build it for you twice as fast as usual — in the end knowing you’ll be a complete pain in my ass anyway and make us rebuild it twice.”
“Yes, Mr. Employee, you can take 12 sick days a year (read Hangover days) and not be held accountable for coasting through the day unable to accomplish anything of value — because I wouldn’t want to upset you.”
WE need to set the ground rules, a code of conduct for how WE want to do business, not how others dictate the terms in OUR business. Our rules of engagement per se. Who are we going to do business with? What will we NOT tolerate?
This is your business, you call the shots.
“Make your business your bitch.” – Mike Michalowicz
Live shifted - a blueprint 