Stephen H Baum Leadership

In anticipation of an internet radio conversation with my friend Jim Blasingame (the small business advocate), I have been thinking about recent conversations with CEOs and business owners. Two themes have emerged.

First, living with change is a permanent condition. And while the boss can get valuable input from within the enterprise (and should), navigating through turbulent air and having a flight plan are uniquely the responsibilities of the boss. Often, the CEOs greatest challenge is enlisting the organization to move in the desired direction, not figuring out where to head.

That is why my CEOs re-examine assumptions and plans on a regular basis, search for new assets/talent to acquire, assets/talent to drop, new clients to serve, new offerings, new roles to play in the market, profit pools, new approaches to marketing including via social media and better ways to differentiate their enterprise; and they pursue continual conversations between their people and their customers about the latter’s challenges and opportunities to add value. Then they must engage their people in a process to work their own way through the thinking and opt for “the new music.” Compensation may or may not be part of the solution. Sometimes it is hope, pride, an opportunity to make a difference and a new “social contract” with the workforce. It starts with a credible plan to a more desired future.

My intent is to discuss with Jim real life stories about the above.

A second theme, while my CEOs may occasionally speak up in the public arena to protect an asset or a client against unwarranted assault, they are fundamentally private. One reason for this is clearly that stewardship of the enterprise is paramount, not politics. But another reason is that they have no solution to the political struggle.

For example, there are bad actors in every industry. And in some industries, public health and safety is at stake. Should this lead to greater regulation? Not if so many of the regulations have terrible unintended consequences. Not if the burden of the maledictive 5% is paid by the other 95%.

Another example: whatever one thinks of health care reform, a company must choose a way forward that works economically for the business and does the best it can for the employees. It may not be what the government intended.

Without workable solutions involving all participants and a way to put them in play, business owners and hired CEOs do what they must: keep their head down and adapt. They may join association efforts to lobby, cajole and educate at the national level. And some will lead state and local association efforts to make sure their economic value is weighed by legislators and regulators.

Again, my intent is to discuss with Jim real life stories about the above.

That’s just my view. What’s yours? Please comment.

And if you want to understand what small businesses can do both to adapt and to make their voices heard, go to:

Small Business Advocate

I am sure that Jim and I will go into other topics in real time. The post will be updated after that.