Benefits of Working On vs. In Your Business

One of the most common refrains touted by business coaches and consultants is to work on your business, versus in it. When asked in the 2015 How I Work survey to describe their leadership styles, respondents most commonly answered either “Direct involvement. I get my hands dirty on the shop floor and lead by example” (43 percent) or “Visionary. I focus on the big picture and inspire staff to succeed” (24 percent). But while nearly half of shop owners are still directly involved, the “visionary” leaders may be reaping greater benefit: 82 percent of shop owners who described their leadership style as “visionary” also reported total yearly sales of more than $1 million, while 30 percent of shop owners who described their leadership style as “direct involvement” reported the same figures.