Situation: A CEO is concerned that business operations are inconsistent. Employees are always coming to her for answers instead of working things out themselves. As a result, the CEO is continually focused on operational details as opposed to strategic direction. How do you create consistent business operations?

Advice from the CEOs:

• Make managers live up to their titles.
  • Require them to go to each other to solve problems first, instead of always asking the CEO.
  • When they ask a question, don’t give them the solution, but advice on how to solve it.
  • Require them to present solutions vs. problems
  • Be willing to spend money on their solutions.
• Answer all questions with questions.
  • Ask them for their recommendation.
  • Keep asking until they come up with the answer.
• When one starts to delegate, it hurts for a while but will work itself out.
• The CEO should not be doing “regular jobs” that are really employees’ responsibilities.
• How has implementing these suggestions impacted other companies?
  • Businesses have become more diversified.
  • CEOs are focused strategically vs. tactically.
  • Businesses are more successful and profitable.
  • CEOs enjoy coming to work again.
• Create a sales intern program.
  • Hire 4 sales interns for $10-15/hour – with the offer that after 3 months there will be full time jobs for those who prove they can sell.
  • Have the top 4 sales staff design the intern program – call response scripts, responsibilities, etc. – subject to CEO review and approval.
  • Assign one intern to each of these 4 sales staff in mentor/mentee relationships. This will demonstrate the capacity that each has as a sales manager.
• Should younger workers be handled differently?
  • Allow flexibility – where appropriate – on hours and how they do their jobs.
  • Responsibility will also vary by pay level – higher pay equals more hours and more accountability.

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