I had an amazing experience recently. I had a business problem that I couldn't find an answer to no matter how much I rolled my head for a while, but I found a clue to the solution while having a conversation with an applicant during a job interview. The other party did not directly offer an amazing solution. Rather, in the process of exchanging questions and answers on completely different topics, I was unexpectedly convinced that “if we recruit someone like this, we can solve that problem too.” At the end of the interview, I asked the directors who conducted the review together for their opinions, and surprisingly, they all felt the same.
It may seem like a simple incident, but for me personally, it was an opportunity for me to revisit management methods and deeply consider how decisions should be made in the future. Speaking from the bottom line, if in the meantime, they were directly involved in even detailed issues, derived strategies, and proposed solutions, I felt that it is necessary to focus on finding talented people who can complete and resolve them from now on. This is because people themselves can be the answer. Even if I don't find the answers myself, the organization can get them.
There are so many quotes about attracting talent and delegating authority in this regard, and in a way, it's a natural principle. But why did you only experience this after 10 years on the front line of entrepreneurship? Even though I'm ashamed, I have my own excuses. Inevitably, starting a business is built on the founder's expertise and ideas, and in the early days of the business, growth is centered around the practical competencies of a small number of founding members, and it can be seen that the practical work inertia that was initially formed over that period became entrenched.
It would be nice if pure passion was the only energy that drives that inertia, and impurities such as anxiety and obsession may also be involved. The idea that as a leader, you must know everything to be able to respond to a crisis; the idea that quality will not collapse if you create and develop your own; and the idea that you can achieve your goals only if things work out according to your own plans. As I have experienced various crises over the past 10 years and struggled for the survival of the company, I think these ideas have taken root to some extent in my unconsciousness and inner world.
While preparing my contribution, I had time to compile various business plans and reports I had written over the past year. Looking at hundreds of files and thousands of PowerPoint slides, I objectively confirmed that I was too deeply involved in practice rather than thinking that I had lived a hard life. I think this is clear evidence that they were unable to spend time examining the overall direction of the company and establishing an appropriate system and structure. From now on, I have come to the conclusion that a fundamental role change is necessary.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the need for this role change. As companies grow, business areas diversify and challenges increase, and entrepreneurs or a few C-level players alone cannot handle everything. Because of this, I think many other entrepreneurs are also struggling on the boundary between practice and delegation. This is because putting down familiar things and entrusting them entirely to someone else takes more courage than you might think. I think it is necessary to make a decision for a new leap forward.
You won't be able to completely change the organizational structure and work execution system in one moment. It would be a good idea to practice delegating authority and responsibility by setting business goals, even partial, according to the context of each company. I believe that if the scope of application is gradually expanded in the right place, large and small leaders will grow throughout the organization. From now on, I need to put down PowerPoint and spend more time and effort looking at people. Gathering good people and creating a system and environment so they can fully demonstrate their abilities also seems to be an important role for entrepreneurs
[Money Today Startup Media Platform 'Unicorn Factory']
