“The Toughest Challenge Ahead Of You, Is Building An Organization” By Strive Masiyiwa
Continuing with the theme, how do we turn a small business into a large and successful company, I’m reminded about something I heard, recently:
In an interview, the late Steve Jobs, of Apple, was asked what was the most challenging thing that he had faced as an entrepreneur. The interviewer, who told the story, says he was expecting Steve Jobs to tell him that, it was developing one of his iconic inventions such as the Apple computer, or the iPad, or iPod, or iPhone, but that is not what he said:
He said the most challenging thing, he had to do, was “to build an organization”……
…..I completely agree with him!
Having a great product, or unique invention, that the world has never seen before, is not enough, for you to succeed. You must be able to build an organization, and to manage it as it grows.
A few months ago, I had lunch with the founder of one of the largest financial institutions in the world, in his New York office. Something he said stuck in my mind:
“In my business we do not depend on patents, and IP, to win; we are extremely organized and efficient; that is our strength. We have built an efficient organization, that is highly effective.”
Then he asked, “how good are you, at building and running an organization? If two of you were given a cell phone license, on the same day, with the same terms, and conditions, would you come out top?”
I smiled, and said “yes”.
“Anywhere in the world?”
” Yes”.
” I believe you. And I would be happy to invest our money.”
In this series of discussions, I have really just scratched the surface, about some of the key issues, you need to focus your attention on, if you want to begin to turn a small business into a very large and successful business, with continental and global reach.
You are part of that generation for which this is increasingly easy to do.
Do you remember that CNN interview, in which I was asked, to give an example a practical lesson, I have obtained from the bible, that I use in my business?
Well I spoke of the discussion, between Moses, and his father in law, a man, called Jethro. By the time the two men, met Moses had become a mighty man of God, who lived a truly miraculous life. And yet despite this, Jethro gave him a lesson on how to create an efficient leadership, and organizational structure.
If you do not attend to it, in a studied and methodical manner, it will not happen, by itself. It is your responsibility, to go out and get the skills, in this area. You are not born, with an ability to manage. As I have also pointed out, don’t assume, it will come through experience, over time…..even those who are “experienced”, need to continuously study, otherwise their methods, become obsolete, and even harmful, to the business enterprise.
