Jeff Bezos has always fascinated me. It is not only because he is very wealthy or he founded Amazon, one of the largest companies in the world. But what excites me is how he went from thinking like a founder to thinking like a CEO. This mindset alteration is an essential part of any successful business journey. The change in life between a founder and a CEO should be noted and when this time comes it can determine the future of the company.
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When you start any business, your greatest challenge will lie in self-management. This is where everything starts from scratch. As a founder, you should have initiative, stamina, and adaptability. You determine your vision, solve problems on your own, and deal with numerous tasks alone. At this stage, it’s all about yourself and you’re involved even at the micro level. You’re leading by example but also personally carrying out the duties yourself which are often backbreaking.
There is a change as the business starts to grow. You will learn that you cannot do everything by yourself if you want to scale. This is where learning how to manage others comes in. Delegate or die! It is tough but important for you to trust your team with tasks that used to be done by only you. At this point, it’s all about building an excellent team, setting up processes, and making sure everyone has the same vision as you do. From doing it yourself to leading, from executing every task to supervising them, this is when your role begins to change.
The expansion of the firm leads you into managing managers. This means that now some guide other members of staff on your payroll. Your attention turns towards setting clear objectives, establishing integration between various departments, and equipping these subordinates with the different types of resources they require to attain their goals. In this phase, rather than being involved in every single decision, it’s more about enabling your managers’ leadership ability to be effective and successful for them as leaders within their organization like this one thus retreat and have faith in them.
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As the company continues to expand, there is another change. You start leading other leaders. At this stage, you are dealing with senior managers who themselves lead substantial teams or departments. As a result, your role becomes more strategic. You must motivate and inspire these top executives, maintain a strong and integrated corporate culture,ure and ensure that your overall vision is implemented. It is no longer about managing operations but rather about directing the company at a high level.
Lastly, if your business continues to prosper, you may have to influence generations in future years. This is the highest form of leadership where your influence stretches beyond both your firm and generational lines. Leaders like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos have been able to do this. They have generated brands and legacies that continue inspiring long after they have left their direct mark on them. It’s about having an everlasting effect on history, creating industry benchmarks, and promoting visionary concepts that go beyond decades.
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After reflecting on Bezos’s journey, there is a definite path that many successful entrepreneurs must take along with him. Being able to realize when you need to make these kinds of transitions is important. It involves being self-aware, flexible, and sometimes learning new things or seeking guidance from mentors. Each stage requires different skills and perspectives to be employed to progress. Merging managing oneself and others to managing managers and leading leaders, illustrates the fact that these steps mean growth and change.
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