Cash flow is one of the main obstacles to growing your business. We’re familiar with the phrase “cash is king” for a reason. With cash, you hold the power to take your business to the next level. Payroll isn’t a problem. Marketing becomes more intentional. Decisions are made based on what’s actually best for business (not just what you can afford). Cash flow is probably the biggest challenge for small business owners — but it’s not the biggest challenge for all business owners. Some owners have grown their business from “small” into extremely profitable companies.

If there is one change you should make in your leadership today, it’s this: Stop seeking consensus. Make a decision and move on. Many of us have a tendency to avoid making a decision by continuing to talk about it. We think we can make more decisions if we just get everyone “on the same page” and have more meetings. I’ve sat in these meetings, and the truth is, they’re not helping you. It’s time to stop. But how? What’s the alternative? Leadership.

Let’s pretend a stranger walked up to you, handed you $1,000, and said, “All you have to do is give me $200 back.” Would you do it? On paper, it makes perfect sense. You’d make $800 instant profit. Why wouldn't you do that? The fact is, though, most of us would NOT go through with it. We’d look at the cash in our hand and question it. We’d challenge it, because deep down, we’re all innately afraid of money.

I read a post recently that said a CEO has only three indelible roles: Choose the direction of the business, Get the right people on board, and Keep the cash flowing. I struggle to find anything wrong with this simplification. Let me break it down.

In small business, Merger & Acquisition activity is typically more about emotion than math. Negotiations are messy and valuations are lean. We hear about the success stories, but most of the time the results are disappointing. If your small business is also your retirement plan, read on.

Leaders tend to find what they are looking for. Good leaders find good things. Bad leaders find bad behavior. Bad leadership is incredibly easy to implement. Once you start, it has a way of perpetuating itself. Keep looking: you will find more mistakes. In my consulting practice, I hope to find a few process mistakes that are easy to fix: Do this, not that. There, isn't that better?