|
A business friend of mine once told me, "You have a big ego when it comes
to your business." I agreed, although it sounded like he was criticizing me.
Looking for an explanation, he said that my problem was that my ego would
cause me to lose sight of the downfalls. Again, I agreed, because this man
was wise and had a good business sense about him.
Thinking back on that conversation, however, I no longer agree. First, how
can we as business owners NOT have an ego about a business we started,
grew, nurtured, and picked it up when it was down? What's wrong with looking
back and saying, "We have done it" or, better yet, "We are doing it"?
Having an ego about our business will not make us lose sight of potential
problems. Because our businesses are defined by us and grown with our own
set of goals, hence becoming an extension of us as people, we are ever so
careful to watch for those downfalls or problems that may be lurking in the
distance. We all know that, if we are caught by surprise, we could suffer
great setbacks.
If having an ego about our business means that we feel invulnerable, that
no one can touch us because "We made it!" and "We're special," then yes,
having that ego could very well cause problems down the road. Losing all
sense of vulnerability in building and maintaining our business could cause us
to lose all we worked so hard for.
Entrepreneurial skills can be learned. Having the ego to keep working to make
it succeed takes great endurance, and a good support group. At one point when
I was growing my business I refused to listen to anyone who dared to tell me
that my dream was a waste of time and that my goals were set too high. I did
almost lose the business at one particular point, but I didn't, because I was able
to see what was coming and ask questions, find advice, and find solutions. Was
my ego bruised? Yes, a little bit little right at first, but knowing how much I
learned from that one expiereince also made me feel more sure of myself,
because I had learned how to fix the problems before I let them ruin my
business.
A healthy ego can be a good thing. To keep it from riuning you and your business
remember that every business is suspect to some risks and the best part of an
ego is to always know that risks exist. Look out for it, realize it before it hits
you, and learn how to fix those problems before it is too late. Learning how
to fix those problems will help keep that valuable ego alive and well. Be proud
of what you've accomplished so far and be proud of your goals. But make sure
that there's at least one foot on the ground to keep you steady so your ego
doesn't get away from you, leaving you and your business at risk
Bob Brolhorst
Wave 5 Marketing
bbrolhorst@wave5marketing.com
http://www.wave5marketing.com
|
|
