Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

The Case for Multiple Personality Disorder in Business

The Case for Multiple Personality Disorder in Business

Every business owner I have ever worked with has at some stage been stumped by a variation of the chicken or egg dilemma:

What comes first?

I would like to spend more time developing my business, but I don’t know if I can afford to lose the time.
I would like to employ extra staff, but I don’t know if I can afford the time to train them
I would like to spend more time generating leads and business, but if I am successful at that I don’t know if I will be able to handle the extra work.
I would like to employ extra staff, but I don’t know if my cash flow will be able to handle it.
I would like to develop my business processes and systems to be able to handle a lot more work, but maybe I should get that extra work first.
I would like to employ extra staff, but I don’t know if I will still have enough work for them in 3 months.
Etc.
So what does come first?
First comes a realisation. It is the realisation that owning a business involves a particular type of schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder; you have to be three different people at once, Michael Gerber in his E-Myth books refers to them as:

1. The Technician (Who does the technical work, be it that of a carpenter, a salesperson or a lawyer)
2. The manager (Who does the day to day management of the business: admin, finance, sales, managing people and processes etc)
3. The Entrepreneur, or the business owner (Who does the business building work)
Suffering from schizophrenia is something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy and what is more, if you are intent on owning a business there is no cure.

You are simply going to have to accept the fact that all three personalities demand their time and space, equally.

The technician and the manager
Most business owners (including myself) know how and when to be the technician, how to do the technical work (the work of the business), that is how we got started, and who we have always been. Most of us also know something about being the manager and with a greater or lesser degree of efficiency we carry out the work of the manager, maybe a bit later than we’d like, or just pushing the deadlines. Often we feel this manager person gnawing at the back of our minds when we are being the technician on a daily basis, but generally we give him or her the required time and space, otherwise our businesses would have gone down the toilet ages ago.

The entrepreneur
Not many of us know how and when to be that third person though. We really just put her in the too hard basket most of the time. We can feel her fighting to get out of that basket sometimes, but there just is no time this week; that quote must be finished first and project “X” has fallen behind, and we are already a week late with our BAS return etc. So we keep the entrepreneur in her basket, put the lid on the basket, and sit on it for good measure. Maybe we let her out at night sometimes, or on a weekend every now and then, but certainly not during business hours when we have to make money and do the stuff we do, and do it and do it and do it….

Yet, the contradiction is that the most important work that you and only you as the business owner can ever do is the business building work.

The work of the business owner is not the work of the business. The work of the business owner is not the technical work, it is not the administration, and nor is it the sales or any of the other things that the business needs to carry out on a day to day basis.

Creativity
The work of the business owner is the creative work of developing the business; it is imagining what you want the business to look like in 6 months, a year, 5 years. It is thinking time, it is planning; it is looking into the future and deciding how it will look. It is developing the strategies, the processes, the systems to make your vision a reality. It is creating the methods to measure the effectiveness of your systems and processes, it is learning and innovating, and deciding what the key indicators for the health of your business are, and where to get them when you need them.

This is the work that you and you alone are accountable and responsible for. Only by doing the Business Building work consistently as a matter of priority, will you be able to build your business into the thing you set out to create when you started it.

The challenge
So here is my challenge to you: As a first little step, beginning modestly, starting this week, with the new financial year coming up soon. How would it be to block out 2 hours a week from your diary, every week? Set in stone, come hell or high water, you are no longer available for clients, suppliers, meetings, employees, administration, phone calls, emails, or anything else. This will be your business building time, your thinking time, and your creative time.

You might find it confronting and feel guilty at first to block a slab of time out of your diary for this work, and on a workday as well! What if a client has an urgent issue for example? Well, I would like you to look at it this way; if your clients want to talk to you urgently at 3.00 am on the Sunday morning of your daughters first birthday, while on a skiing holiday with your family, would you take the call and have a meeting with them at that time? (If you answered “yes” you have greater issues than I can deal with in this article).

Build a bridge
So as my girlfriend says: Build a bridge…. (And get over it)…. simple as that. This weekly business building time is right up there with sleeping and holidays and your family. If you are not building your business, you are not building anything. To quote Michael Gerber again: “You have created a job for yourself with a fool for a boss”.

When you do start to step into the personality of the Business Owner you will find that this is one of the rare occasions when suffering from Schizophrenia is highly rewarding, and you will start to find the solutions to those typical business owners’ dilemmas.

One of the benefits of engaging a business coach is that the realities of being a business owner will become inescapable and the coach will help you integrate this personality and the work that belongs to him into your business life.

Further reading:
“The E-Myth” series (E-Myth Revisited, E-Myth Mastery, E-Myth contractor, E-Myth manager, E-Myth physician) by Michael Gerber
“Maverick” by Ricardo Semmler
“It is not the big that eat the small, but the fast that eat the slow” by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton
“The effective executive” by Peter Drucker





The Case for Multiple Personality Disorder in Business - To learn more about this author, visit Roland Hanekroot's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
Stephanie Robey
Stephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals.

She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com   Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences.  Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University.

Read Steph's Blog
Meet Steph and Dave
Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich
- Visit Stephanie Robey's Website

David Barr
David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

Casey Gollan
Casey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website

Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website

Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas.  We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing
- Visit Jeff Foster's Website

David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


Roland Hanekroot
(Visit Roland's Website) A small business coach is like a one-man "board of advisers" If you want to get back in control of your business and your life, the New Perspectives Peak Performance Business Coaching Program® is designed specially to provide the support you as a small business owner in Sydney need. The Program is tailored to ensure that your investment will pay back many times while we work together. ... I personally Guarantee it... I work with an exclusive, limited number of small business owners in Sydney who want "Massive Change", who are ready for it and who want to get back in control of their Business and their Life. They acknowledge that the change they desire is so big, they won't be able to achieve it on their own. Read more on http:www.newperspectives.com.au

Roland Hanekroot is a Gold author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
New Perspectives Business Coaching, Sydney - Thoughts and issues around Small Business and how to create MASSIVE CHANGE to take back control of your small business and your life.
New Perspectives Business Coaching, Sydney
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Roland Hanekroot's

Complete
List Of
Business-Coach
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Roland Hanekroot's Complete List of Business-Coach Articles For FREE!

More Roland Hanekroot
The worlds greatest Business Tool revealed
If you do what you usually do You get what you usually get
Your customers their Amygdala and SabreTooth Tigers
How to get and keep great staff 1
Installment 2 of the Top 10 Secrets of small business revealed
Hard Work Never Made anyone Rich
10 Golden rules to survive the Global Crisis
A Blue Ocean Empty Swimming Pools and what makes your business unique
Profits are a liability
How to get and keep great staff 2
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
Joe Dager  
Jeff Foster  
Stephanie Robey  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
The Art Of Networking Icon The Art Of Networking
Manage, Click, Learn. 2009 Icon Manage, Click, Learn. 2009
Relational Software Icon Relational Software
Choice of Forum Icon Choice of Forum
PIPS Power Book Icon PIPS Power Book
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Top 50 Franchising Blogs
Top 50 Franchising Blogs
Top 50 Franchising Blogs
 
The Top 10 ProBlogger Posts - Best Posts for Bloggers
The Top 10 ProBlogger Posts
Best Posts for Bloggers
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Karidja Ouattara Adjamé-Forum, Cote D'Ivoire,
Karidja Ouattara
Adjamé-Forum, Cote D'Ivoire
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Lee Segal, >1,800% Growth in 5 Years
Lee Segal
>1,800% Growth in 5 Years
Razor Suleman, $143k to $5.4 Mil in 5 years
Razor Suleman
$143k to $5.4 Mil in 5 years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Madam C.J. Walker, Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker
George Steinbrenner, New  York Yankees
George Steinbrenner
New York Yankees
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Guy Kawasaki, The Art of the Start
Guy Kawasaki
The Art of the Start
Jeffrey Gitomer, The Sales Bible
Jeffrey Gitomer
The Sales Bible
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     New Career Path? Look Over Your Shoulder
By Trisha McFarlane
     HR: The Problem Collaborators
By Trisha McFarlane
     Knock It Off!- Lessons in Leadership from the Deadliest Catch
By Trisha McFarlane

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information