The Barefoot Corporate Warrior
As IN Noosa Magazine celebrates its tenth anniversary, we asked our (silent yet strategic) partner for some sage words. Paul Bird shares the key themes of success that mark a decade in business for IN Noosa Magazine – and almost 50 years in business for him.
It will soon be 47 years since I began my working career (shock, horror that’s almost 50 years ago!) as a bright-eyed cadet journalist at The Courier-Mail. Looking back on my confident adolescent self, I find it hilarious to note the yawning gap between my estimation of my own intelligence and capabilities and the reality – I knew next to nothing about anything. Anyway, preened and puffed as I was within my own cloak of inexperience, I launched forward, as we all do at that age, into an uncertain future.
A fair portion of the ‘then’ (1978) to ‘now’ (2024) has involved management of staff and business ownership as well as Board positions. As our magazine has now crossed the Rubicon of 10 years of publishing in a challenging, competitive and uncertain environment, I’ve been reflecting on some of the – sometimes hard-won – lessons that my career has provided to me.
These observations are for anyone aspiring to – or who currently owns and operates – their own business. They might also provide insight for those working for business owners (employees) into the challenges and dilemmas that come with the responsibility of being the one where the “buck stops”. I provide these Business Bites, in no particular order, for your information, amusement and contemplation. Many you will discard as irrelevant, some you will disagree with entirely, and hopefully there might be a few that you find useful.
Shooting Stars: I’ve seen ‘em come and I’ve seen ‘em go. As brilliant as they are, shooting stars flash across the business firmament and are gone almost as soon as they arrive. While they momentarily shine, it seems everyone wants to be within their orbit. But for whatever reason or reasons, they are unable to sustain their energy and focus across the ebbs and flows of their own lives and the economic cycles.
This ‘peaky/troughy’ behaviour has consequences for the business they have established and are trying to lead to success. It also usually flashes and then flames out. Sometimes the implosion is quite spectacular and causes damage to all concerned. We all have to learn how to maintain our focus and energy over the long term.
The Captain Kirk Principle: I used to love those original Star Trek episodes from the 1960s – even though I wasn’t old enough to watch them for the first time until the 1970s. It seemed to me that Captain Kirk and Spock combined the best aspects of leadership – one analytical and data-driven bringing logic and rationality to decision-making; the other creative, innovative and focussed on the end-result rather than the process in getting there. Each week these two disparate characters combined to arrive at an episode-saving solution to the problem or dilemma that they and their crew members were facing. Kirk taught me that logic is not always enough – sometimes something extra or different is needed in order to push through. He never gave up. You just need to keep twisting, keep turning, keep trying in order to find the answer.
Say ‘Yes’ Until You’ve Earned the Right to Say ‘No’: While it’s true that I often find my Optimism Bias leads me to say ‘yes’ to new and interesting challenges and assignments, it’s also an approach that seems to be the most rapid line for career and business advancement. Saying ‘yes’ will take you far, and fast. The only problem is when you realise that if you continue to say ‘yes’ you will become completely overwhelmed by work.
At a certain stage of your career or your business development, you need to start saying ‘no’ and focus your time and energy on what will have the greatest impact. The trick is to know when you have earned the right to begin saying ‘no’ – this requires a high level of awareness of one’s self and the situation. Systems and Processes = Relentless Repeatability: Who doesn’t love a good process or that new workplace computer package that now requires you to change the way you’ve been working, sometimes over many years?
Not too many hands up I see. We all know the theory – tighter and fit-for-purpose workplace systems and processes lead to higher productivity, which makes for a more efficient and competitive enterprise in a world where the competition is always looking to drive you out of business. Greater productivity and efficiency should lead to higher profits. Reliability of service provision comes from the relentless repeatability of the end product.
As tedious as you might find this side of running a business, implemented well, it can actually unleash and empower you and your staff so you can do more of what you really enjoy. Attitude, Attitude, Attitude: I’ve been involved in working with and employing hundreds of people and the one distinguishing feature that has proven itself to be a reliable indicator of future performance is the person’s attitude – to work, to other people, to life in general. Positive, humble (without hiding their light under a bushel), wanting to achieve, wanting to make a contribution to the success of the business, inquisitive and open to setbacks and learning. In short, someone who is keen and willing to bring their energy. For me as an employer, asking the questions that might reveal these desirable attitudes has been a skill which I’ve had to develop over time.
Bring Your A-Game: “I’m feeling a bit sluggish this morning, not really firing on all cylinders…” – sorry, you have a business to run, clients to meet, problems to solve. You need to develop some tricks for performing at a high level every single day, no matter what is going on at home, in the world, or what your body is telling you. Success in business is the Long Game. Consistency of high performance is required on your ‘up’ days as well as your ‘down’ days. I have been exposed to some very dynamic and charismatic leaders over the past five decades. They are great to be around when they are feeling good. But if they ride the rollercoaster of energy and are only on their game three out of five days a week, it’s unlikely they will last in business. Energy that comes and goes leads to businesses which mostly go…down the gurgler.
Remember, It’s All About the Humans: No matter what type of business it is, it’s all about the humans. Humans are great. Remember they are not robots. Humans are quirky. They require motivating. They require care. They require direction. The human element is the difference between success and failure. It’s your job as a business manager/owner to find what makes each one tick and then help them along the way. What does each person respond to? Some need more praise than others in order to perform. Some respond to the financial incentive. Others come to work for the camaraderie and sense of belonging. Whatever it is that gets them going, you need to find out through listening and observing and then emphasise that in your management.
Keep Yourself Neat and Tidy: This has been a motto of mine for many years. It applies as much to an individual as it does to a business. What does it mean? It means take care of business. Pay your bills on time, fulfill your commitments, deliver what you say you will, turn up when required, pay attention to detail, always put your best foot forward. Keep it simple but well-presented. Unfortunately, It’s Almost Always Your Responsibility: Some responsibilities are unpleasant, not in keeping with our natural inclinations, not what we expected we would have to do.
I know I’d rather find something else to do than review timesheets and billings on a Sunday night. I’d rather not face that person in the morning who I have to “let go”. There are a thousand aspects to business which, if we could, we would shy away from and avoid all together. But for a business to survive and then thrive, these less enjoyable aspects have to be addressed. Yes, in the end, the buck does stop with you. You just have to face up to it and do it.
Be Generous in the Good Times, Hang Tight in the Tough Times: At the risk of sounding like Methuselah, we have had the great good fortune (and Government largesse) to protect us, our businesses and jobs during the last two great economic crises (the GFC and Covid-19). The last cyclical recession in collective memory was in the early 1990s – the “recession we had to have”. It was an extremely tough time to be in business. Many did not survive through to better economic times. It is fun, almost breezy to be in business when the economy is growing. Times are good. But there are these pesky things called economic cycles, which means growth/progress is not linear. Unfortunately, the good times will not last. Be ready, be prepared. Run your business prudently.
Yes, you want to go for growth, but ensure that there is a basis for being optimistic for that growth, that you are able to fund it, that you have the people and resources to deliver that growth. People can be the difference between surviving the tough times or folding. Be generous with your people, your customers and clients when it doesn’t cost you much to do so. Be doubly generous and supportive when the good times are no longer rolling and everyone is struggling. This is when you build staff and customer loyalty, brand equity and get ahead of the competition for when the economy finally turns for the better (as it always does).
Fear Gives You Wings: You don’t see much about the ‘power of fear’ in the voguish business literature of the day. Fear is a great motivator for a business owner. Fear of failure specifically, and all that such failure might entail – financially, career reputation, personal health and wellbeing and relationship-wise. Not enough fear leads to slackness, too much fear is paralysing. Fear-based decision-making is fraught. Learning how to tap into the right amount of fear for business success is a key talent.
Cash is King: Cash flow can save you in tight times. Being ahead of your cash position, nurturing and moving cash to where it is most needed for the running of the business is an art form when there’s not much cash around. Forward projections of the cash you need, and the cash you are likely to have, even if it is roughly inside your head, can help you take preventative measures in order to curtail an impending crisis. If cash is tight, negotiate with suppliers for a payment plan (make sure you stick to this). If cash is really tight, you may have to fall back on personal savings and dispense with your own pay packet for a while in order to maintain the capability and service levels of the business. Try to keep diversity in your business rather than rely on one major customer – little fish are sweet – and can make all the difference when the squeeze is on.
Shape and Then Unleash Your People: Some of the most satisfying moments in my career as a manager has been to see people flourish and fly. Some are stars from the get-go. They will be successful over the long term if they maintain their focus and energy on their goals. Others come to a business unsure and may flounder without supervision and mentoring. The vast majority of people want to work and work well. A few need help in order to understand what they need to do to deliver for the business, for you, for themselves. Brief your people well – that is your responsibility. Taking the time to explain what they need to do and how they need to do it with clear, explicit expectations will, over time, allow these people to lift themselves up to the standards the business demands and deserves.
Recognise Your Own Limitations and Then Get the Best to Cover Them: It takes time, and some shocking croppers, to develop the self-awareness and humility that lead to understanding what it is you are good at and what it is that you are less good at (possibly verging on abysmal).The fantastic aspect to this (painful) self-knowledge is that there are a plethora of people who will end up being very clever and efficient at just those specific things that you struggle with. Seek out those clever people, learn from them, or if you are able to employ them, all the better. The sharpest CEOs I’ve observed have this awareness and surround themselves with experts in the areas where they themselves are lacking. And when you find the right clever people, stick close and with them. They just might be the difference between just getting by and flying high.
Understand Your Style: Work to your strengths, diminish your weaknesses. We all know about the micro-managers who make everybody’s worklife a kind of open sore – irritated and itchy. We also know those flamboyant, over-the-top big-picture types who seem to flounce in and out, make a lot of noise but leave everyone confused and anxious in their wake because of the imprecise nature of directions. Where do you sit? A happy medium is best, but if you know you really are one or the other then understand the impact of your style on others and adjust accordingly.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate: Understand what your job is, and what it isn’t. It is natural to want to hang on to certain tasks as a business grows, particularly if you have grown the business from simply a twinkle in the eye. But really, there are some jobs you should definitely not be continuing to do. This is hard because the trust factor comes into play. Who do you trust to manage the financials? Who do you trust to be privy to the innermost secrets of the business? At some stage you will need to cross the trust threshold, let go and delegate. Otherwise you will be overwhelmed with tasks that you really should have outgrown in order to serve the best interests of the business.
Diminish Ego: O’ beautiful ego, harbinger of spectacular crashes and busters. A healthy ego seems central to success in business and in life’s endeavours. I have been lucky enough to have observed, at close quarters, politicians, business and community leaders and all manner of work colleagues over decades. Humble people attract loyalty and good vibes. For me, they have been the most admired and inspirational, engendering over-and-above performance from others.
Weed Out Bad Apples, Nurture the Good Ones: One rotten apple really does spoil the bunch. Our human brain is programmed to seek out the negative. It is partly a defence mechanism, designed to spot danger in order to take remedial or evasive action. In our modern world, where the sabre-toothed tiger is no longer lurking, this safety instinct has been replaced with a fault-finding mind, which loves nothing better than to spend time ruminating on how terrible things are. Someone who gives voice to their pessimistic leanings, complaining and criticising, wallowing in the ‘woe is me’ really can sap the energy from everyone around them. If allowed unchecked, this constant negativity is a productivity and culture-destroyer. As a leader, you need to spot the bad apple early and understand if they are open to bringing a different approach to work. If not, it’s time to let them go. By contrast, when you spot a Good Apple – nurture, nurture, nurture. Their approach can be infectious and lead to above-average performance.
Keep an Eye On the Competition: There will always be others wanting to take your customers, that is the natural state of play. You are also trying to do that. It’s good practice to keep a weather eye on the competition, see if there is anything you can learn from what they are doing and how they are doing it, but you certainly don’t want to be a slavish follower or copycat. Run your own race.
Take Care of Yourself and Stay Fresh: Yes, the old adage ‘it’s a marathon not a sprint’ applies. Being in business over the long term is all-consuming and tiring. It’s easy to get stale and staid. It’s easy to become resistant to changes that the market is demanding. You need to learn what works for you in terms of staying healthy and fresh. Vibrant and energetic leaders attract vibrant and energetic staff who attract customers and clients. It’s a virtuous circle you want to encourage. Ice bath anyone? It’s the work you do in the shadows that allows you to shine in the moments that count. Keeping your business trim, taut and terrific requires attention to details as much as it does to strategy and execution. The attention to detail, unglamorous as it is, allows you the freedom to bring a relaxed and confident persona to Game Day – when you’re looking to clinch that deal, attract a talented potential staff member to the business or secure finance for growth.
Reputation Counts, Guard it Jealously: The population of south-east Queensland is now around four million. It should be easy to perpetuate some bad business behaviour and get away with it. Right? Wrong! It’s amazing how the word gets around if you don’t pay your bills, are never happy no matter how good the results or how hard you try, mistreats staff or provides shoddy service yet demands top dollar. A great business reputation is literally worth its weight in gold – it will continue to deliver quality customers, quality suppliers, quality staff and quality financial outcomes year after year if you develop and guard it.
Patience is a Virtue: Cultivate it, persist with it, remain focussed and, hey presto, you might become an overnight success after 20 or 30 years of hard yakka.
Winging it Won’t Work: It surprises me when I come across people in business who are simply floating along leaving the future of their business to chance. A proper strategic planning process, facilitated by someone with experience is best, but if that’s not your style and you are more intuitive, at the very least sketch out your key milestones for the year ahead and the key actions which you will push in order to achieve these. Work back from outcomes in terms of actions, and get another opinion from someone you respect and has the appropriate experience.
I hope two or three of the Business Bites ring true for you and your business. If they do, run with them for positive impact. Go well.
