If we are the next generation of small business owners and entrepreneurs, then we need to change the way we run businesses. Many of you can relate to companies that are stuck in their rigid ways of doing business. They have a handbook with a procedure for everything. If you don’t follow the handbook, you’re not doing it correctly. Companies like this might be efficient, but they are stale. All they care about is getting things done, rather than the satisfaction of their customers and employees. Do you know any companies like this? Have you ever worked for any companies like this? The answer is “yes”, because they are the majority of the companies in the economy, but a new breed of management style is taking over corporate America. It’s the managing style of creativity. It’s a management style that encourages innovation, freedom of thought, and the collaboration of all employees to reach a profit goal.

Apple, Inc.

Apple is a great example of what I am talking about. They pioneered the personal computer, but in the 90’s, they were close to going under. They were being destroyed by other personal computer giants such as HP, IBM, and Gateway. Steve Jobs was there in the beginning, he left, and then they brought him back. He knew that they needed something different. So, he turned Apple into the technology company of innovation. He let the designers loose, and they came up with a sleek, hip look for their computers and peripherals. Then, the iPod came along. Apple became more well known for their music player than their computers, but that was their strategy. Lure everyone in with the iPod, and peak their interest about switching from a PC to a Mac. Apple started thinking outside of the box, and they let their employees be creative. The outcome was the company’s stock quadrupling in the past four years.

Google, Inc.

Google is one of the largest corporations in the country, and it has been in existence for only ten years. It has been rated the #1 place to live by Fortune magazine for a reason. Google loves to take care of its employees. They know that their employees are the most valuable asset that they possess. They want the best and brightest people, and they attract them with their corporate culture. Google gives quality, free lunch. They encourage power naps during the day. They allow flexible schedules, but demand productivity. They give huge inventor’s bonuses to employees that develop a new product. They have a huge gym and a child care facility. The bottom line is that Google takes care of their employees. Google knows that if they start treating their employees like robots, they will lose them to competitors such as Microsoft or Yahoo.

The Bottom Line

If you own a small business or you are venturing a start-up business, keep in mind the idea of creativity. Let your employees be free. Do not confine them to a handbook or a manual. Think outside the box, and be open to new ideas. Trust the judgment of your employees. The moment that you focus on your bottom line, is the moment that it will struggle. Focus on innovation, creativity, taking care of your employees, and satisfying your customers. The free market will handle the rest.