Have you ever felt deeply frustrated with your team's communication, feeling like getting everyone on the same page is an uphill battle?

I used to feel the same way until I stumbled upon a simple yet profound concept: we all have different counting preferences. These counting preferences influence our default communication style. Understanding these preferences can transform your team's communication and help you work together more effectively.

“Leadership Phases” in small businesses refer to the changing type of leadership needed as a small business begins to grow. As a business owner, it's essential to understand the different phases of leadership and how they affect your business's growth. Failing to adapt and grow as you progress through these phases can limit your business's growth and your personal development.

When I ask owners or managers whether or not they should hire from the outside or promote from the inside, I usually have a very passionate response. "We never hire from the outside. We only promote internally." Or the response swings to the other side to only hiring from the outside. Seldom do I find someone who lands somewhere in the middle. It almost seems as if they believe there are two camps, and they have to pick one.

Small business owners often overlook it. It's critical to engaging, retaining, and developing staff, but it is often missing from the average small business. It's expensive and has a reputation for being unproductive, suggesting that a simple email would have been a sufficient substitute. It is inconvenient and can feel like sideways energy if it isn't run well. Even with all of that said, it is one of the most critical parts of a healthy and productive team.

There is one critical ability in employees who are worth doing everything in your power to keep around. The great news is that it’s an easy one to recognize and it is one that is relatively difficult to fake for any extended length of time. But before we highlight this critical talent, let's examine the journey of a typical employee.

Who do you hire next? In small teams, this is a big question. It represents a significant expense to your business and with each new hire you take on new risk. “Who to hire?” might not be the best question; a better question for small business teams is what type of hire is most needed right now?

In my experience, there are two basic types of hires; NET PROFIT hires and SYSTEM SUPPORT hires. Both are important to a growing business, but they must be strategically balanced.