Before I bought my business in 2009, it was owned and run by Intuit, which had acquired it from the original founder. I’ve watched the company transition from a late 90s dot-com, through a corporate acquisition and back into an independent small business.
And while the Intuit years were great, I found some aspects of corporate culture to be suffocating, and I often hear these problems echoed by colleagues who struck out to start their own businesses. Within these issues, though, are some powerful lessons on how to run a business.
You need honest goals
One of the most annoying parts of corporate culture is the goal system. Corporate goals aren’t necessarily dishonest, but they’re often lofty. I saw, and often hear stories, about corporate employees who feel pressured to shoot for the moon, even if those goals are impossible to meet because, if they do meet them, those in charge wonder why more wasn’t aimed for.
It all felt a bit ridiculous, and ran contrary to the purpose for setting goals. Goals are like a road map — they are mile-markers on the path to success. Setting goals you can’t meet is an exercise in futility. Why try to hit goals that are seemingly impossible? Small, achievable goals, on the other hand, are what foster growth, as they help those in charge build on their success little by little.
Management is overrated
Don’t get me wrong — any successful business needs solid management. But people often complain about the sheer scope of management and supervision within bigger corporations. Bureaucracy is ridiculously dense, with small teams being overseen by two or three managers, who are in turn overseen by their own managers.
I understand that, in a large corporation, that kind of setup helps everyone to stay apprised of what the different departments are doing, but as a result, everything is a grind. Projects are dissected and assigned as the minutest jobs. One study actually found that the burden of bringing on another supervisor could add up to 4.2 full-time equivalents per hire. Hire and promote wisely, and you’ll find a little supervision goes a long way.
Flexibility is an asset
Big corporations got big by operating in a certain way. They are understandably wary of changing that formula. But, as a result, they often feel stagnant. It’s hard to alter the course of a lumbering behemoth. And, even if you have a good suggestion or see a real problem, getting the right people to see and correct it can be hard unless the issue is costing the company a lot of money.
A desperate need for flexibility is actually one of the main reasons I bought the business I now run. We live in a rapidly changing world, and sometimes a business has to be able to turn on a dime to stay relevant and competitive. While the company was profitable, I knew that, with the inherent flexibility of a small business, it could do so much more. ●
Deborah Sweeney is CEO at MyCorporation.com
