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Management is the X-Factor By Strive Masiyiwa

The size of the business that you run, is dependent on your capacity to build and MANAGE, an organization. We can talk about vision, we can talk about entrepreneurship, we can talk about innovation…… we can talk about all those things, and more.
But if you cannot manage, it will come to nothing… At best you will start something, then someone else will see it, who really knows how to manage, and they will go off, and make a success of it, while you watch.
Sometimes, it will seem like you are destined to always be small….
Not true….

See those huge organizations, we were talking about, like Walmart, Toyota? …..They are big because they have highly skilled managers, who know how to build, and operate complex organizational structures.
Being an entrepreneur, full of great ideas, and innovations is not enough. You have to become a skilled builder and manager of an organization. You have to be able to attract skilled managers, who know how to execute the vision you have, in a competent and disciplined manner.
Years ago, I remember listening to a finance manager of one of our businesses. He was so stressed, always talking about cash flow problems, and our problems with creditors. The next day, I called a top recruiter to my office, and I gave them a simple instruction:
“Find me the most skilled finance manager, you can find in this country. Bring me a list of the top five. The person must be capable of running a large organization and have had exposure to best practice from a leading international organization.”

“There is an African lady, working at a big international organization, in South Africa. She knows the systems of one of the best companies, in the world.”
“Go get her, please!”
Within two months of her arrival, we were swimming in cash! Now we could get bigger. If I had left that stressed guy, in place, we would have gone bankrupt, even though we had a great business.

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