Creating Value: Working On Your Business Rather Than In Your Business
2
Minute Read
Are you working on your business or in your business? Most of us have developed our success through unique talents and skills– through our reputation as someone who can get things done. Unfortunately, being able to get things done isn't as valued the same as it was in the past. We now find many of our previously-prized talents and skills replaced through off-shoring, crowd-sourcing, and automation. Rather than our ability to competently perform tasks, your value is now linked to the ability to get the right things done. In other words, to make educated decisions.
Knowing Your Own Worth
When you're working in your business, you know how to do things. You know this button needs to be pressed and this switch needs to be flipped. You're working in your business: you're a cog in the grand machinery of the company. And that's not terrible. But working on your business means you understand why the button needs to be pressed or why the switch needs to be flipped. Equally important, you know when the button shouldn't be pressed... or when the switch can be replaced. Working on your business means establishing an in-depth understanding of your company's processes and, in so doing, becoming completely invaluable.
Creating Value for Your Business
When you are working on your business, you are generating value. You are improving upon the system. You know who is relying on you, who you are relying on, and the big-picture job that needs to be completed; you're not just mindlessly filling tasks because they need to be filled.
The fantastic thing about this– besides being incredibly agile– is it also means your day isn't one of repetition and monotony. It means you are empowered to make real changes in your company structure and truly develop your business, not just maintain it. Businesses that focus on building value will always be more successful than businesses that focus on just getting things done; just pushing that button and flicking that switch.
Optimizing Your Business Performance
Once you understand how your business works, you can find better ways for it to work. A constant atmosphere of improvement is created and you’ll be better able to improve your own work, too. Working on your business rather than in your business also delivers freedom and more control. You will retain greater flexibility over your work because you are now working in a performance-based system rather than simply a task-based metric of success. Do you want to learn even more about working on rather than in your business? Follow our blog for updates on work/life balance in the IT industry.
