Operations feels familiar. Sometimes even comforting.
We often don’t even consciously think about it. Autopilot mode takes over as we cycle through well-worn tasks, without even contemplating our actions.
But getting stuck in operations can be a dangerous mirage for business owners.
In this blog, I turn the spotlight on business owners getting stuck in operations – or Ops Land as I call it.
No matter the person, industry, gender, age or background. It happens to everybody.
Getting stuck in Ops Land is akin to being marooned on a desert island.
Starting innocently enough, you commence business with the technical hands-on skills to survive in business.
With the work ethic of a diamond miner, you toil day and night to ensure the business survives and succeeds.
With cash burn and time decay, hustle is essential.
You simply do whatever it takes.
And with few, if any team members, you do everything.
Fast, efficiently and relentlessly.
Adrenalin and a desire for success drives you.
This is admirable…... at the beginning.
But bad habits stick.
And as the business grow, so does your team.
You hire staff and delegate tasks.
Externally you source suppliers, contractors and consultants to support the business.
You develop a lean dynamic team with complementary skills to deliver outcomes.
This is the next evolution for you as a business owner, where you now must reinvent yourself.
This should be the tipping point.
But you are still stuck in Ops Land.
Some owners get stuck forever in Ops Land, eking out a modest living. They lack satisfaction in owning their business and feel they aren’t making an impact.
Many owners can get caught in a ‘see-saw situation’ where they pivot between Ops Land and Strategy work. This sees them endlessly cycling back to Ops Land - without truly breaking free.
Some owners even hide in Ops Land. Overwhelmed and unsure, some owners default to spending all their time in Ops Land. Working long hours at the shoulders of their team, they trick themselves into characterizing this behaviour as noble hard work.
Of course, we all must do some work in Ops Land. It is not about pretending that operational work is not important and necessary.
It is about finding the right balance as Business Owner that’s critical.
We all understand how necessary it is to go back into Ops Land and help the team get through a job, project or trading period. This is inevitable from time to time.
But then you must extract yourself.
The ability to pivot out of operations back into strategy mode is one of the key tactics of elite players.
Just some of the reasons why you need to allocate more capacity to strategic thinking and decision-making include:
Planning
Customer relations and analysis
Leadership & management
Personnel support
HR
Personal & professional development
Business development, marketing and networking
Pricing, margin and supply chain analysis
Product/Service development and innovation
Financial analysis
Conflict resolution and crisis management
External advisors
Stuck in Ops Land prevents you from spending the invaluable time on these activities that are essential in running a successful sustainable business.
So please don’t hide in Ops Land.
You must break free.
Stop being satisfied with the easier and predictable rhythm of operations.
The business, your industry, your customers, your team and you yourself deserve better.
In my next blog, which is a companion piece to this, I will explore how to break free of Ops Land and how you can find your ideal balance between operations and strategy.
I write blogs & videos just like this one on business, productivity and human development. If you'd like it delivered straight to your inbox head to https://darrenkbourke.com/the-fourth-moon-blog and let me know your email.