It’s only natural

The beauty of the entrepreneurial spirit is its innate ability to neutralize any introspection that might get in the way of changing the world. When you start a business venture, it’s only natural to think that you can handle almost anything that comes up along the way. In fact, most entrepreneurs do remarkably well -- to a point. Everything is fine until the startup euphoria begins to fade and you have to deal with some of the realities of growing a company. Ideally, you’d make small incremental changes as you go, and not let problems get out of hand. Fat chance. If you’re like many harried entrepreneurs, you’ll probably hold off until the situation gets serious. At that point, you’ll make an offering to the business gods in search of a savior.

The first crack in the armor

A savior is a senior person who can fix a problem with your business, against all odds. So how do you get to the point where you need a savior to fix sales, operations, product development, customer service, or whatever seems to be in trouble? Typically, when things start to break down, you first tell yourself that you don’t have enough time to “do it right.” In other words, you could theoretically still handle everything yourself. Really? At least you’ve recognized that some change is needed. But that’s where things start getting a bit dicey.

Come to grips with what you need

You may be good at recognizing what you need, but you may not be prepared to accept help when it arrives on your doorstep. Chances are, you can be calm and objective when you formulate the requirements, but you might end up taking an emotional hit on the implementation -- especially when it’s driven by someone else. You tell yourself that you’ll take care of the strategic thinking and let someone else carry the tools during the business rehab. This will be the beginning of the end. If your savior is worth her salt, she’ll have a lot of experience to bring to the party. You can’t just pigeonhole her into one area and not give her a crack at the big picture. After all, would you attack a problem in isolation from the rest of your business?

Strike a balance

Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs operate at the extremes when they hire someone to create change. They either abdicate responsibility, leaving the potential savior at a huge disadvantage, or they micromanage the situation, crippling her in her efforts get the job done. You’ll have to give up some control, but not all of it. Be prepared to let her drive sometimes. Strong people generally have strong opinions. If you’re careful to open up your mind to new ideas and new ways of doing things, you’ll get the most out of anyone you hire to save the day.