Creator or Consumer? Leader/Owner or Boss/Employee?

In the past week I have heard, read, listened to or hung around something or someone that put these words in my head. “We need more people creating AND consuming and fewer people just consuming.” I wish I could remember where I picked this up because I would certainly give them credit.

It reminded me of the picture above where you try to fill a funnel. If you do top it off, it won’t last long if you don’t keep it up (creating). You can’t let up.

Since we provide leadership training and consulting, I wanted to visit that arena with the consuming and creating thought process. For a business to survive and grow there must be more creation than consumption. You can’t bring it in a bucket and haul it out in a dump truck and expect to survive.

I recently had the opportunity to work with a company that opened my eyes to what I now refer to as “the silver bullet” of leadership. I didn’t want the assignment to end but I couldn’t figure out why. I couldn’t put my finger on it. A week later, I finally figured it out. It is the Leader/Owner mindset. I was hired by a Leader/Owner and every team member mirrored this attitude. Not one entitlement mentality on the team. What a refreshing experience.

It is the total opposite of a boss/employee mindset. I see the Leader/Owner as creating and a boss/employee as consuming. Leader/Owners improve and boss/employees improvise or maintain. Leader/Owners realize you are either improving and growing or going out of business.

What occurs when a business struggles? Is it excessive consumption and a lack of creation? I have always heard that if I make $10 an hour, I must create $30-$50 in value for my company to be profitable and sustainable. Is this occurring in your business? How do you know? If you don’t set high but reasonable standards and hold team members accountable, you are on your way out of business.

Is your business creating AND consuming or just consuming. Does your leadership team have a Leader/Owner or boss/employee mindset? In order to reach the peak of the creation mode, you must have a team that is Educated, Engaged and Accountable. We have recently created a method to measure these items. These are on our Leader/Owner Mindset Page.

The more I think about the create vs. consume statement; it applies in every aspect of our life. Think about our health. Age is a consumer and if we don’t do something to create better health, it cuts in to the years we are open for business. Marriage, relationships, friendships; something MUST be created to foster long-term success. There can’t be consumption only.  

What are some other areas where the create or consume concept applies?