Successful Bosses Have "The Talk'!

There are certain circumstances that could determine our paths.  We have to be aware of those circumstances in order to prepare for them.  If you are truly blessed, there are individuals in your life that have already crossed bridges that you will undoubtedly cross yourself.  Those individuals give you a heads up and prepare you for what's to come.  We've all had the "birds and the bees" talk with our parents.  They were preparing us for changes that would naturally occur in our lives, giving us the resources and tools we needed to prepare for that.  Then there's the "choose your path" talk that we get right around our junior or senior year of high school that encourages us to be decisive about our career path or next move going into adulthood.  In the African American community we have quite simply stated, "the talk" that unfortunately prepares us to be black in America.  The common denominator of all these situations of preparedness is communication.  Communication is the key to your success!  Success as a productive citizen, success in your relationships and success in your career.

As a Boss, it's important that you have "the talk" with your family about your short and long term goals for your business or career.  This talk doesn't have to be formal.  It just needs to be clear and inclusive.  We have to understand that our decisions affect everyone around us.  Talking to our loved ones about our plans to start a new job, start a business or request a promotion may be part of the process that either seals the deal or changes your plans entirely.  Your family should know how your plans will change your schedule.  Does it allow you to follow through with your responsibilities as a parent and spouse?  Will you have time to take off for family trips and to spend time with them during the holidays?  If you work from home, does everyone understand that your work hours are set just for work and nothing else?  You should have a time and space designated just for work and it should be treated just as if you work away from home.  Boundaries should be set with respect to you being as productive at home as you would be at a place of work.

Communicating with your friends will prove to be helpful towards your career and business development as well.  I always pitch my ideas and projects to my friends.  They help you mentally walk through the pros and cons of your venture.  I can often times count on them as guinea pigs for testing things out before presenting it to the masses.  They keep it real with me and let me know what I should entertain and what I should put to rest. Most importantly, you want to make sure that your idea or product is something they can support and stand behind.  They will more than likely be the first people to promote and push your business.  If they believe in your vision just as much as you do, you can count on them to back you in whatever way they can.  

Having "The Boss Talk" should be the first step of your business plan before you do anything else.  With your community of supporters on the same page as you, you will continue to be able to nurture those relationships while accomplishing your goals and Getting It Done Boss!