When I was a young man building my design firm I was the focus. I started small… very small, it was just me. As the company grew I added people around me that could help. As we grew in both size and sophistication it was with great pride that I found myself able to add employees that were better at specific skill sets than I.
Most of our clients were entrepreneurs at first, but we quickly joined the ranks of those sought after design firms and executed lots of high profile ‘A list’ work in the corporate sector. One common trait I found among both types of clients was the need to work with ‘the boss’ of a small or medium size firm. It’s a nice ego boost when you are young, and managing that component of the client relationship is really important.
As the company grew, I grew. I grew as both an entrepreneur and businessman. When I started the company I never really thought much about an exit strategy. I never realized how important challenges and career tracks are to retaining talent.
It became very clear that one of the most important goals I needed to attend to was making myself dispensable. I know it sounds a little crazy, but it is critical. When you found the company, when you make the big decisions and you sign the checks… it is very difficult to step away and not be the center. What is hard is shedding some of that spotlight and empowering employees to make the decisions you have helped train them to make. I don’t mean the letting go part. What is difficult is effectively communicating that competency to clients and to the folks taking over the responsibilities.
The benefits are obvious to me. I hired pros that were really, really good at what they did. I hired quality people with solid judgment. I hired individuals that were driven to do great work. They grew, I grew, and our clients grew. And, as a bonus, I got to take a vacation once in a while.
Those of you who have spent time in the corporate world know that this is not a solid or smart strategy for management, the career track, or you professionally.
An important influence of mine, Kenneth McKenzie (he pretty much invented the field of Organizational Behavior), once told me that if I wanted to get things done, then keep my head down and don’t make a big deal about claiming credit for your work. That fits my nature, but I could not even have comprehended the wisdom of those words at the time. Conversely, one of the most effective ways to get ahead in the corporate world is to be standing near when the cameras are flashing during the victory lap. Some folks just have a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
There is probably a sweet spot between communicating your importance, getting things done, and preserving self in a large organization. There is probably a lot less pressure if you just want a job. When trying to manage a career and do great work, it is more complicated. These are things we should probably all be thinking more about, but they don’t really teach you in business school.
