Are you wearing a Director hat or a Leader hat? Director is a strategic role; Leadership is an operational role. This distinction is key to the success of your business.

There are 10 departments in businesses of every size:

• Shareholder
• Director
• Leadership
• Product / Service Development
• Operations
• Marketing
• Sales
• Finance
• Admin / IT
• HR

Imagine each department has a hat worn by the single leader of each department. Many business owners wear multiple hats. The secret to the success of your organisation structure is to understand the key differences between the departments (and their responsibilities), to understand which hats you’re wearing, and most importantly, to make sure none of your hats are being neglected.

So, what’s the difference between wearing the Director hat and the Leadership hat? In a nutshell, Director is a strategic role and Leadership is an operational role.

DIRECTORS

1. Maximise shareholder value.
2. Set the plan.
3. Have governance responsibilities.
4. Work ON the business.
5. Mitigate risks and set policy.
6. Have a strategic focus (big picture).
7. Establish the business model and structure.
8. Have no accountability line to the team except to the Leader.

LEADERS

1. Maximise business efficiency.
2. Implement the plan.
3. Have leadership and management responsibilities.
4. Work IN the business.
5. Implement the policy.
6. Have an operational focus (make it happen).
7. Implement the model and manage performance.
8. Hold the team to account.

Getting your structure right and developing your strategy are critical foundations for business success.

Understanding the difference between the Director hat and the Leadership hat is fundamental. The Directors set the plan and the Leader engages and empowers the team to deliver on that plan. After all, it’s your team who must be engaged in your plan for it to become a reality.

• How well you are wearing the Director hat?
• What three things could you do better as a Leader?
• What support do you need to lift your business to the next level?

We’re here to help - build a sustainable, scalable, and ultimately, saleable business. Get in touch - we would love to hear from you.