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Four Greatest ideas for Staffing Your Business • 53

must avoid any possibility of their forming an internal Mafia that could threaten to

form a cabal and threaten your control.

If the main purpose of a person's work is to sell your products and services,

then hire salespeople. They will want an incentive scheme and will drive a coach

and horses through any errors you make in drawing up the scheme, but good ones

are indeed the main engine for the growth of the business. You should not have to

debate giving them shares in the business - their skill is in selling not necessarily in

managing anything. One entrepreneur said to me, 'Hire salespeople and expect them

to earn out and burn out. No small business needs an old salesperson.' He appeared

somewhat dismissive of the sales type despite their crucial importance in

chasing sales growth. But at least you can get them without giving them So, you want to

bits of the company. be a leader?

Other people with production or development skills are likely to need Make your

different incentives. They will certainly, once they have realised their im- mind up what

portance to the business, want a share in the equity of the business. It is a sort of person

difficult decision. Most owners are understandably reluctant to give shares you want to

away even as options to be earned. Generally they avoid it unless it is lead.

absolutely necessary - like if the person might go into competition with

you. If you do give shares away, get a good price for them in money or in effort and

achievement and don't lose control. Whilst we can agree 80% of something is worth

more than 100% of nothing, that is a business you cannot sell, we can also agree

that it is your dream; so try not to give more than that proportion away.

If you are building a lifestyle business, the last thing you want is troublesome

staff. So hire for their ability to more or less cover for you and carry out a function,

but don't expect them to come up with any whiz-kid ideas, or serve the customers as

well as you do.

Finally, whatever type of objective you have in mind, remember that the most

important asset any business has, particularly any small business, is its relationships

with the main customers, some suppliers and the bank. Never delegate these. Byall

means let other people run everything and enjoy life; but keep close tabs on these