This week at Superpowers, we had our third Quarterly Learning Event. We had an incredible time learning from Ryan Henry, a certified EOS Implementor. EOS Implementors help visionary entrepreneurs turn allusive, visionary ideas into achievable goals.
EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, is “a complete set of simple concepts and practical tools that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs around the world get what they want from their businesses.”
Why is it important to be a visionary entrepreneur?
One can hire people who can complete tasks, crunch numbers, and manage teams, but an entrepreneur’s unique genius is in their ability to see new possibilities, build a vision around those possibilities, and get others excited about that vision.
Ryan talked about the 5 roles of a visionary entrepreneur – here’s what you need to know:
Visionaries Generate Big Ideas
As a visionary entrepreneur, you are responsible for vision-casting and propelling your company forward with new and innovative ideas. Without a clear forward trajectory and a thought leader, any organization loses steam and cohesion.
A visionary entrepreneur follows current trends, watches for shifts in your market, and identifies exciting and valuable opportunities as they arise. As an entrepreneur, this probably comes naturally to you.
Making it practical: The challenging part of generating big ideas is the transfer from an idea to actionable steps. Your job is not to be the Implementor – this is the responsibility of your COO, Chief of Staff, Executive Assistant, or an external Implementor. Your job is to have conversations about your creative vision with your Implementor and team.
These conversations are essential for turning your visionary ideas into actionable steps:
- What major issues do your team members perceive in reaching your goal?
- What is their understanding of your vision for this project?
- What unique perspectives can they provide on the process?
Finding thinking time: Allow your Executive Assistant to protect your time. They can manage your schedule, inbox, and to-do list, ensuring you stay on top of your highest priorities. They are your task filter, filtering out low-value tasks that are not worth your time.
It is impossible to eliminate 100% of the distractions 100% of the time, but allow your assistant to eliminate 100% of the distractions for select periods of pre-scheduled vision-casting and problem-solving time.
Visionaries Build Big Relationships
While many visionary entrepreneurs understand and appreciate the value of relationships, they tend to overwork themselves, leaving scarce time to invest in professional and personal connections.
This is a strategic mistake. A visionary entrepreneur often sacrifices valuable relationships to “bang out a project.” Visionary entrepreneurs avoid sacrificing major long-term relationships for minor short-term progress.
Your assistant can help you build and maintain high-value relationships in your life:
As a part of our Superpowers Curriculum, Coaching, and Community, our assistants receive training on representing their entrepreneurs through social media, email, and other correspondence.
An assistant can post on your social media and engage with your connections through your social media account. They can watch for important events in your clients’ personal and professional lives and provide meaningful responses on your behalf.
Also, your assistant can monitor and organize your inbox, ensuring that all important messages receive prompt and sufficient attention. They help you manage your schedule so you can always follow through on commitments you have made to important people in your life.
Visionaries Deliver Big Sales
We are not talking about being the sales leader in your sales department. We are talking about selling your vision, company, and self to your team, clients, and others.
Your job is to find others that fit your core values and the trajectory of your vision – people with the skills and character your vision a reality. You get to share your vision with these people and get them excited about where the company is going.
The same applies to clients. A great visionary entrepreneur often sells a client before they reach the sales team. A conversation over dinner or a game of golf is all it takes. You are passionate about your vision, and your excitement makes others excited.
Work with your Executive Assistant and Implementor to remove the list of distractions that keep you from being the Visionary and “seller” of your company.
Visionaries Handle Big Problem-Solving and R&D
When discussing problem-solving and R&D, we are not talking about sitting down and trying to solve every small issue in the company. You have a team for that.
Instead, spend your time solving problems and researching new opportunities at the highest level of your company.
- Does your company need to make a pivot to a new selector?
- Do you need to carve out a new niche?
- What upcoming trends could dramatically affect the way your company operates?
- What type of culture do you want to see in your company?
These are the issues you can tackle in your 100% distraction-free space. These spaces can be alone time, entrepreneur get-togethers, EOS conferences, Strategic Coach meetings – the key is remaining fully present where you are.
Visionaries are Culture Champs
A visionary entrepreneur is their company’s culture champion.
Allow yourself to step back from working IN your busy and start working ON your business. Let your team run the day-to-day operations of your company.
When you walk around the office:
- Let go of the “boss” role.
- Avoid lecturing and commanding.
- Listen to your team members’ needs
- Ask great questions
- Connect with them on a human-to-human level.
- Build employee confidence.
- Model your core values.
- Let your team know that you trust them and have confidence in them.
- Offer meaningful praise
- Provide meaningful gestures of generosity and appreciation.
Conclusion – What is Superpowers?
These are the 5 responsibilities of a visionary entrepreneur. Let your Executive Assistant delegate the rest. Growth will quickly follow.
Superpowers was founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. We pair you with an exceptional Executive Assistant who matches your unique wants, needs, core values, and working style.
Once we’ve found your ideal Executive Assistant, we equip them with our unique-to-industry Curriculum, Coaching, and Community. Armed with this unrivaled support, our assistants seamlessly execute your unique vision.
Interested in learning more? Your welcome to jump onto a quick, non-salesy discovery call. We focus on understanding your unique needs and equipping you to make the best choice for this important staffing decision.
