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Nottonson: You’ve got to love your business

Is a business successful because the owner loves the business or does the owner love the business because it’s successful? There are many ironies involved in the answer to this question.

By: Ira Nottonson

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/business_plus/article/0,1713,BDC_2462_2519433,00.html

It is pretty clear that a group working together in close harmony will generate more effective activity than the aggregate will when each person in the group is working in disparate fashion. It is also clear that each group needs a leader to set the pace and establish the parameters within which person to knows his or her part.

This is one of the reasons why the personality complex of a group is every bit as important as the talent that each brings to the job. When one worker complements the others, each then has the opportunity to maximize his or her abilities in the group. If one worker begins to think that the business depends on her talents alone, the esprit of the group suffers and the team energy wanes quickly. You will quickly find that the synergy necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the group is gone.

As simple as this sounds and as basic as it appears, any management which fails to recognize this all important aspect of business psychology will be making a big mistake. A smile between workers has as positive effect on the business’ activity as a scowl has a negative one. Don’t lose sight of the simple elements even in the most complex of corporate activity.

In the military, there is a leader at every level and teamwork is a matter of discipline rather than accommodation. It works well in the military because there is little time for discussion about alternatives when decisions need to be made on the basis of immediacy. The interesting aspect of the reverse of this is that in civilian efforts, there is usually time for each member to contribute to the ultimate decision.

It is this dichotomy that is so important to the decision-making process that amalgamates the creative input of all the participants. In the business context, this usually leads to the most effective answers to all questions. Although leadership is certainly important, don’t let the ego aspect of such leadership stifle the ability of all to participate and contribute.

Most entrepreneurs enjoy what they do enough so that going to work is a pleasure, not a chore. They like it partly because it is essentially a part of who they are. They invest themselves in the business as one might invest money. But the investment of time, effort, energy, and life force is a much greater investment than money. Although the frustration of failure, even on a temporary basis, detracts dramatically from the joy of work, the aspect of the business and the person being practically one and the same never really goes away. The smile certainly gets bigger in the face of success but the aspect of the business being "mine," is still a very high order of success in and of itself.

When a muscle is no longer being exercised, doctors will tell you that atrophy can be a problem … atrophy: a wasting away. When the mind fails to receive its appropriate exercise, a similar problem, perhaps less obvious, can also take place. People who leave their work too early often find that retirement is not what it was cracked up to be. People who loved their work often find that there is something missing from their lives when they no longer have the obligation to wake up, take hold, and march the distance.

Be careful that this doesn’t become a part of your hindsight recognition that retirement wasn’t such a good idea at all. If retired means withdrawn or apart from the world, the significance becomes even more important. Give this some thought before making any decision. After all, whether you love your business or not, the success of accomplishment is always a priority to the business of living.

Ira Nottonson is a business/legal consultant for small businesses and a business valuation expert. He lives in Boulder and can be reached at (303) 447-9672 or e-mailed at [email protected]. Nottonson will be teaching "Secrets of a Successful Business Plan" at the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. Call the chamber at (303) 442-1044 for information.

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