What’s the next big thing you’re working on as the CEO of your business? Is it an offensive move or a defensive one? Or is it both?
Most printing company leaders I talk to can rattle off a few of their key priorities. Maybe it’s new equipment, a technology enhancement, a sales initiative, or a leadership hire. But when I ask a few follow-up questions:
Do you have the right people in place? Are resources lined up to execute on all cylinders? What will the impact be to your customers, your team, and your business if you get this right…the answers often start to trail off.
It’s not that the ideas aren’t good. It’s that the plan behind them isn’t clear enough. It hasn’t been gamed enough to identify the true resources and time needed and the overall impact the plan can have.
The Offense vs. Defense Mindset
Running a print business today requires both.
- Offense means proactively creating new opportunities like developing new markets, products, and customer experiences that move the business forward (and don’t forget trying to hire good people).
- Defense means protecting what you’ve built by shoring up processes, improving on-time performance, and reinforcing customer loyalty.
The most successful CEOs I work with understand how to balance the two–and it’s not easy! They’re not chasing shiny objects, and they’re not simply reacting to problems. They’re intentional. And while they have a clear line of sight from strategy to execution, they’re not naïve enough to overlook the potential pitfalls that lay ahead. And if anything, they make sure that everyone on their team knows how their work contributes to the bigger picture.
Read the full column on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partners.
