Where’s the balance between hair-on-fire creative genius and rinse/wash/repeat regularity?

The good news for business owners is it’s never an either/or scenario when it comes to leveraging personality and unpredictable creative flair versus instilling order and procedure to make sure all your trains are running on time. But finding the healthy middle between those two ideas is a tricky proposition. That’s especially so when you consider that lots of small and medium-sized business owners became entrepreneurs because of a healthy sense of personality and confidence in themselves.

I’d go so far as to wager that everyone reading this is probably overdue for a healthy look in the mirror to consider whether they’ve let personality stomp all over procedure in the day-to-day running of their business.

There are pros and cons to both approaches, of course.

Putting personality and flash at the forefront makes it easier to build relationships and become top of mind for customers pretty quickly, and you become The Guy Or Gal that everyone wants to know and talk to in the industry. There’s value in that prominence and being known for that special spark, but without building strong processes in the background, it’s way too easy for the work to falter. Deadlines explode, deliverables and job performance underwhelm, trust erodes and pretty quickly you’re the business owner who can’t even buy a referral.

So, how can you strike this delicate balance?

  • Embrace Flexibility: Cultivate a culture that values both creativity and structure. Encourage experimentation while establishing clear guidelines to maintain consistency.
  • Invest in Systems: Implement robust processes to streamline operations without stifling innovation. Automate routine tasks to free up time for creative pursuits.
  • Listen to Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from customers, employees, and stakeholders. Use this input to refine your approach and adapt to changing market demands.
  • Encourage Collaboration: Foster an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and collaboration is encouraged. Cross-functional teams can combine creativity with operational efficiency to drive success.
  • Stay Agile: Remain adaptable and responsive to market trends and emerging opportunities. Agility is key to thriving in today’s dynamic business landscape.

If we make everything else subservient to process and procedure, there’s the risk of becoming a slow-moving boat that can’t move with new opportunities. And those creative dynamos, once-in-a-generation salespeople, and anyone who needs a chance to shine to do their best are going to be tough to keep on – or even hire in the first place – if everything has got to be “by the book” with no questions every time.

No one but you knows which is more suitable. But be aware that we’re all prone to do what comes easiest to us, and that we’ve probably got gaps that need to be looked at to determine how to build the best business to suit the market and where it’s headed.

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