What does it take to build a truly successful company?  If you do a + b and never do c, do you have a formula for quick growth and profitability?  Many times we believe that if we are great at customer service, control our costs, meet deadlines, and make sure employees are happy, we win.  I think that you do have to do all of those things, but I want to lobby for a higher level of functioning for a minute.  Seth Godin, in his recent post “The Victim” debates the ramifications of letting things happen to your business or being the ones that makes things happen.  It takes me back to a question a mentor of mine used to ask me all the time, are you working in the business or on the business?

You can see a much more detailed description of this “on” vs. “in” concept here (“You Get to (Must) Choose”) but the concept is simple.  Working in the business are the things you do operationally to keep the business running.  Crafting a proposal, billing, project management, etc. are the “getting things done” part of the business that are absolutely necessary.  But, as an owner, president, or CEO you should be spending at least 50% of your time working on your business.  This is strategic planning, asking the how can we be better questions.  We often avoid this “working on the business” because more times than not we feel unproductive because we are not checking things off the list.  I would assume however that great organizations that blaze trails through the industry are ones where leaders spend the majority of their time working “on” the business.  Try to take a step back every day and allow yourself some time to ask how we are doing as an organization? What are we missing? What opportunities are waiting to be swallowed up? Where can we add more value for the customer? In doing so, I believe all of the “getting things done” functions will vastly improve and your organization will operate on a level of success you never thought possible.