People and Communication
It's all just whiteboard magic until a person does something.
I once knew a business owner who would say "If I didn't have employees or customers, I wouldna have any problems at all.". I remember thinking that was funny at the time, but after a few years of experience, I realized just how wrong that statement is.
People are everything.
This is where most businesses and owners stall out. You just completed your systems audit and know you want to improve a system to remove yourself or to scale it, but the people in your company may or may not be a fit.
- Do you fire them and hire new people?
- Do you train them up and let them grow with the company?
- Do you outsource it and work with contractors and professional services firms?
Maybe all three! It depends on the system and what you are trying to do.
The trick is to detail the systems you are working on and build out what processes are needed to support those systems. Then create an org chart for that system based on its needs not based on the people and resources you have on hand.
Here is where the rubber hits the road folks. All the best visions and planning and systems awareness mean nothing if you can't lead people through the transformation that you want to have happened.
This is a full-time job and not a thing that you do part-time. Those who do this well realize success. Those who don't work on this simply get frustrated.
This talk is a bit longer than the others but it is super important. I highly suggest you absorb the following 3rd party resources (I am not affiliated with any of them and get no kickback).
Make becoming the leader your company needs your full-time job for the next 2 to 5 years.
Books and Talks to absorb.
Greatness by David Marquet - Short Whiteboard video and Talk
The puzzle of motivation by Dan Pink - TED talk on Motivation
Leaders Eat Last - Book
Leading Change - Book
The 1 Minute Manager - Book
The 12 Week Year - Book
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) - TED Talk John Doerr
Emotional Intelligence for Cyber Security Professionals - Black Hat on the Side Talk Adam Anderson