A Safe Haven For A Business Owner

As a business owner I know many other business owners, some of whom I work with as an advisor.

Many of us worked for a boss in the past. We naturally looked to them for some direction and often had to get approval for things like recruitment, spending a lot of money beyond a budget, etc. Equally we had 1-2-1 meetings with them. If the relationship was solid, then we could share thoughts and opinions with them.

That was the past.

Now today, you are the boss. You have the freedom you dreamt of. Nobody to ask for permission to do things, no one to tell you what to do.

That’s the upside, but there’s also a downside. You are expected to be the final decision maker. Your employees expect you to have all the answers. The idea that you, as the boss, must be able to make all the decisions can become a burden. There are times when you just can’t let them know you are not sure of the right answer.

To say “I don’t know” goes against your image of the way a boss should be. In your head, it’s admitting failure and showing weakness. And that can be hard to live with. So, you don’t do it. Otherwise your employees might lose morale, think you are not as good as they first thought and ultimately leave the business.

So, you as the boss, need a place where you can go to work through issues and opportunities that you are not clear on how to solve or even discuss….

That’s where a peer group comes in.

A peer group provides you with a confidential group of advisors and an experienced facilitator who can offer you advice for the challenges you all share in common.

So, it’s a strength to ask for help, not a weakness. Doing it in a safe haven like a peer group, gives you the confidence to be open, try out new ideas, share your innermost worries.

One final twist in asking for help in a peer group. You are also in it to help other people. Think about the role you have to play in helping other people with their successes.

This link takes you to a TED talk by a lovely lady, Michele Sullivan, who makes the point about asking for help. Accepting the fact that you need help from others requires humility and self-awareness, and having people around you who are willing to help requires social skills.

Now you are curious about peer groups, the best way to understand it is to attend a taster session. A couple of hours with other business owners to experience the power of the safe haven.

I’m holding some taster sessions of my Get It Together Peer Groups in and around Wakefield. The next one is on 31st March, 9am til 11am at Parsons Accountants just off Jct 40 of the M1. There will be pastries and even one of my secret receipe homemade fruitcakes!

Register your interest and and I will be in touch to confirm the details and reserve your place.

 

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