There are a few basic characteristics that separate winners from losers. This goes for MSP owners and managers as well. Not everyone is born with these attributes. Most people have to work at them. The following are some things you should take to heart. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if this is you.
When things don’t go your way, do you blame other people rather than yourself?
When things go wrong, it can be tempting to point fingers at others. Do you find yourself saying things like: “The cloud provider really let me down. Our accountant didn’t get me the numbers I needed. He didn’t handle the client the way he should have.” As the owner or manager of your MSP, you’re the “tip of the sword.” Everything that goes wrong falls on your plate and is your responsibility to remediate. This is what great leaders do. Rather than blame employees or vendors, take responsibility, learn something from these lessons, and find ways to make improvements.
Do you “sweat the small stuff?”
If you find yourself being distracted by every little thing that goes on in your business, you waste the time you need to see the big picture and grow your business. It’s important that you manage your time wisely and delegate the small stuff to others. Be deliberate about what you spend time on so you can effectively manage from the top down.
You don’t like change or taking risks.
It’s natural to fear the unknown. This is a basic survival instinct. But if you retreat from change, you’re closing yourself (and your business) off to potential opportunities. When you turn away from possibilities, your MSP won’t grow and become stagnant. This is a path of destruction for any business, especially for MSPs who deal with the ever-evolving world of technology. Be like a shark, and keep “swimming.” Most sharks need to constantly swim to breathe and survive. So goes your business.
Do you quit when you perceive that you’ve failed?
Most of the successful men and women throughout history failed many times before they found success. And the reason they eventually succeeded was because of these failures— they learned from them and started over. If you perceive failure as an opportunity and a new start rather than the end, you’ll have the drive to keep trying, and eventually you should succeed.
Do you drift from one project to another?
Moving from one task to another without an overall goal or vision will kill your drive and your business. Without a clear vision of where you want your business to go, you’ll aimlessly drift from one project to another without the focus you need to build on your successes. A sense of direction will help you make tangible differences in ways that pay off in the future.
Do you believe your business would fail without you? If this is the case, it probably will. Some managers or business owners believe that they have to take on all tasks personally. As mentioned, you’re responsible, but you can’t do everything on your own. Build a team of leaders who are confident, capable, and effective. Lead them, but don’t do their jobs for them (or even think you can). Success isn’t achieved in isolation.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time for a heart-to-heart with yourself.
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