LEADING WITH LOVE

• November 10, 2023
• Adrienne Botha
• no comments

“Go Forth and Conquer”

Some people have the belief that they should not become ‘precious’ about their business and that it is only a means to an end, but I disagree. Every business has a heartbeat, a unique culture and fingerprint – its own personality. Success of your business requires presence, purpose, and passion. If that area of your life is a thriving success, the chances are that your personal life with be one too and that many people in your circle will benefit from your success.

I appreciate the individuality and personality of each business and how they respond to kindness, sustenance, and neglect. The same as appears in any other relationship. The profit centre is the heart of the business, affecting many lives positively. Compare this relationship with that of your children. There should be no difference. Updated processes and knowledge should flow through the veins of the business leading to the profit centre, the heartbeat.

Case in point is the Hyde Park branch of Exclusive Books. When you walk into that shop, its personality draws you and has done so for many years. It has managed to sustain a culture that attracts people to it. In comparison, the other Exclusive Books do not elicit the same response. In fact, the different branches all have their own personality.

Business is not a static being, rather, it is a moving target that requires constant companionship and attention. It requires leaders and their team to have an authentic attitude to commitment and growth. The same traits that are required to develop other relationships. It is for this reason, that I battle to view business as a mere entity, and as not having a soul. The pulse aka personality of the business is the heartbeat of the culture that permeates through the company – The reason for its existence, a way for your dreams to manifest, and an extension of your desires.

 I allude to a ‘moving’ state of the business which implies that should the pulse not perform to ultimate expectations and does not adapt, on time and proactively plan to change, then the heartbeat will not beat as swiftly as it should. So, we must adapt and innovate to align the business model to the future, to global trends, challenges, and opportunities. I guarantee you, that businesses which are neglected, will neglect you. They do not function on auto pilot, but on emotion, passion, and positive input.

Making a difference to your business is a multi-faceted procedure. All the different departments of the business feed into the soul. This is the point where investors want to invest in you. The secret is to establish individual centres of excellence for each silo who have their own prescence.

I have been privy to business owners who had passion and those who lacked in passion. There is a distinct difference in the culture and results achieved between the two leadership types. I have worked with entrepreneurs who were nonchalant about their company, having become complacent and satisfied with their results.

Often and due to the nature of entrepreneurs, their creative minds stagnate if they do not venture into new businesses – always looking for the next thrill. I have worked with an exceptional entrepreneur who suffered this fate. The problem was that he did not have a business plan or a defined strategy. He lived his life on the seat of his pants trotting from one investment to the other without instilling systems or competent staff in each entity. The issue was that he had not defined his purpose and therefore proceeded without direction. Investors found him – he did not actively choose a course of action or pursue a specific route.

Every entrepreneur needs an exceptionally strong and qualified person at their side to guide them through their journey. I have the utmost respect for entrepreneurs as they can take risk that scare others. The ability to discern the need for advice in such scenarios are crucial to the entrepreneur. I have witnessed a ‘foundation’ business, let us call it a ‘cash cow’ for these purposes, which bled financially because of money being syphoned into new ventures that rendered zero return. He financed his eccentric and exciting entrepreneurial nature with funds from the foundation company – to its detriment. Sadly, and this, business that he invested in could have been a success, if he had the correct person at his side. He had the ability to make a lot of money and to enrich many people’s lives.

I often have occasion to deal with businesses which are in financial stress. This process contains many difficult emotions, for them as well as for me. They become so overwhelmed, that this impacts their ability to focus and concentrate on the business. I need to hold their hands while they feel like they are losing everything and try to get them to focus on the solutions.

This is a pre-business rescue approach which has rendered many great results and requires me to provide emotional and business support.  The evenings are a terrible time for these clients, as problems tend to become magnified in the night when sleep eludes one. I often receive calls during all hours of the night. It is my pleasure to show compassion and to lead clients through the restructure process – to give them hope. I will never give unjustified hope. Fortunately, I can discern the opportune moment to engage the services of a life coach to work through the emotional side with my client, while I concentrate on the business.

At some state and in different stages of our lives, we all need to go through a period of adjustment and self-reflection.  I want to part with a gift to you, and that is that your presence will cultivate the atmosphere that permeates through your team. They will develop your personality – good or bad. As you lead, so shall you receive. Go forth and conquer!