Talbott Talks: E-Myth

A topic that has been coming up a lot lately in my conversations is one that is prominent throughout the book the
E-Myth, by Michael E. Gerber. It’s the concept of the tension and difficulty found between spending your time working “on” versus “in” your organization.

While the E-Myth is focused on the “Entrepreneurial Myth”, I think it’s important to recognize that it also has implications for non-profits.

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I’ve seen it before, for example with my friend, we’ll call her Mary, who was promoted from the Vice President at her non-profit to the CEO. She chose not to find someone to replace her position as Vice President, thinking “Gosh, if I don’t keep doing some of that VP level work, and just absorb that along with my new CEO role, what else would I be doing?”

This way of thinking tends to be more prominent in females, rather than males. There seems to be an unspoken level of standard that women feel the need to meet in their professional careers. Otherwise, they worry they will not be viewed as doing enough work, or they think that if people don’t actually see them doing something, they’re going to be viewed as though they’re not pulling their weight in the organization.

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In fact, this truly is a myth. CEO level work is much more cerebral, if you will, than any other position in an organization. It’s the part of working “on” the non-profit where you are spending your time thinking about the business and where it is headed, guiding the company towards its vision, coaching the employees that are there to work “in” the business, managing up to the board of directors, and really focusing on connecting with and building the important relationships to strategically get the organization where it needs to be.

While it may feel as though CEO level work isn’t really “doing” much, in actuality it’s a much higher level of output in an organization than it may appear to be. As a CEO, you are responsible for driving the organization and doing so through those that have been hired to work “in” the business.

I highly recommend getting yourself a copy of the E-Myth.

I myself have read it multiple times and have learned something new with every re-read. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a new or aspiring CEO, or even just starting out in your professional career, I believe this book has something great to offer you.