CEO's, Presidents and VP's of Small Companies Benefit Greatly from Having User Manuals

It is not unusual to hear an owner of a small business emphatically say, "We are a family owned business. We are too small to be thinking about user manuals."

One good reason to have a user manual in place is that you are more apt to accomplish more-- as oppose to less-- when unexpected events take up some of your time. With the many interruptions and distractions throughout the day, it is not uncommon to have a decreased momentum prior to the interruption. A manual can help you get back on track quickly and help you to accomplish the most out of your business day. Now, some unplanned events are valuable. Sometimes, these are exactly what make running a business exciting. Like the ones that result in increased revenues, such as learning something new that can affect your marketing strategy, or customer relations. But when the dust settles, glance at your user manual. Similar to your marketing strategy, the manual should be the blueprint for following effective steps that result in those "unplanned interactions" which are lucrative and worthwhile to your organization. Both are books that are opened frequently, and even though the chapters can be completed, neither are ever really finished.

Succession planning is another reason why having a corporate user manual in place is so important. When a C.E.O., President or Vice President leaves the company to retire or to seek another opportunity, the manual can be priceless in saving the successor valuable time in adapting to their new position. The book should give the replacement an overview of the various positions within the company and how they relate to one another to form a complete organization, as well as vital information regarding the expectations of his or her business role. This type of manual works best if it is viewed as a continual work-in-progress, open to frequent updating as policies and strategies change within the organization.

Keep easy, but secure access to your C.E.O. Day-to-Day Operations User Manual available, all day long. Assign an encrypted password to the manual. Set your timed screen saver as well. This will prompt you to enter your password if your computer is unattended for a period of time. Open the document from your computer and minimize it for easy reference. Unplanned meetings, conference calls and emergencies can happen during the regular course of a business day. A corporate user manual is a reference tool that stabilizes your workday in the midst of these typical occurrences.

I challenge you to get the most out of your day by utilizing corporate user manuals. Also, keep outlines handy to ease the transition in replacing other corporate positions, if needed. When you accomplish more, this translates into the greater realization of the goal outside of the workplace: spending more time with family and friends. You are now working stronger to play longer.