Mastering Your Role as a General Manager in a Small-Medium Sized Company: From Challenges to Triumphs
"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." - Franklin D. Roosevelt. If you're a general manager (GM) in a small-medium sized company, you're probably not sailing in smooth seas all the time. You're mid-storm, steering the ship, managing the crew, navigating to land, and trying to enjoy the thrilling ride. So, let's make that ride a little smoother, shall we? In this blog post, we're going to tackle one of the core challenges GMs often face - coping with the multiple roles and responsibilities that come with the territory of small-medium sized businesses.
The Multi-Hat Conundrum
At a BBQ party, how would you juggle grilling sausages, entertaining guests, mixing cocktails, and ensuring nobody falls into the pool? Heck, you might be the one falling into the pool first trying to juggle all that. That's what being a GM feels like. But don't worry, the water's fine when you know how to swim. You just need the right strategies to effectively manage your multiple roles.
Embrace The Jack Of All Trades In You
When you're at the helm of a small or medium-sized company, you'll inevitably be wearing multiple hats. With teams typically lean, GMs often assume responsibilities that go beyond their job descriptions, from HR to sales to customer service and more. Embrace it! Not everyone gets the opportunity to learn and grow in such diverse ways in their career. Just remember, the key is to manage, not to micromanage mainly because, let's face it, that's the fast track to burnout. Plus, focus on empowering your team. Delegate tasks, share responsibilities, and develop leaders within your team.
Effective Time Management
With a multitude of tasks demanding your attention, it's essential to master the art of time management. Prioritize tasks on the basis of their urgency and importance. Create a daily task list, use time tracking tools and set aside focus time for tasks that require deep concentration. Remember, time management is like that popular video game Tetris, except you can't pause or set the difficulty level. But you can certainly get better at it with practice!
Building A Resilient Team
Business consultant Patrick Lencioni once said, "Teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage." Building a strong, resilient team is one of the most effective ways to ensure your business weathers any amount of turbulence and comes out stronger. This can be achieved by fostering an environment of communication, supporting professional development, appreciating efforts, and creating a sense of belonging amongst employees.
Adapting To Change
In the unpredictable sea of business, change is the only constant. It is vital to be adaptive and flexible, whether it’s changes in technology, market trends, or customer demands. As Charles Darwin would say if he were a management guru, it's not the strongest or smartest who survive, but the ones most adaptable to change that thrive.
Let's end this with a good ol' joke for all those navigating the small-to-mid-sized business waters. What's a general manager's favorite type of music? Heavy 'metal' - because they're always turning up the 'lead'! Now go forth, wear your many hats with pride, and know that you're uniquely positioned to make a significant impact in your organization.
