Entrepreneur First, Employee Next

 Entrepreneur First, Employee Next

Note: In this article, the term "entrepreneur" refers to owners of SMEs and MSMEs who strive to bring professionalism, processes, and systems to their organisations.

During my time facilitating entrepreneurial development programs, I’ve met many founders who share similar frustrations about their employees. Common complaints include:
“They’re not serious.”
“They don’t take ownership.”
“They’re not loyal.”
“They won’t go the extra mile.”

The list goes on.

But I’ve also met entrepreneurs who are genuinely happy with their teams. Some have even shared inspiring stories about how they nurture and lead employees through effective people-development initiatives.

So what makes the difference?

The title "Entrepreneur First, Employee Next " carries a deeper meaning. It’s rooted in an old but powerful idea: Before pointing your index finger at others, turn it toward yourself.

Yes, employee-related concerns can be real, and they often stem from a sincere desire to bring out the best in people. But before trying to “fix” employees, entrepreneurs must first evaluate their own organisation—especially when it comes to people development.

Here are a few honest questions to reflect on:

·       Is my company’s vision, mission, values, and goals clearly defined—and have they been clearly communicated to my employees?

·       Do I have well-defined roles and responsibilities?

·       Are KRAs and KPIs in place?

·       Is there a competency mapping system?

·       Have I defined a career progression path for my employees?

·       Do I provide opportunities for employees to try new things?

·       Is there a continuous learning program in place?

·       Is my incentive structure transparent and clear?

·       Do I involve employees in setting company goals?

·       Do I give effective feedback—without hurting or demotivating them?

·       Is there a proper employee recognition program?

·       Do I encourage open, honest conversations with my team?

·       Do I invite employees into the idea-generation process?

Here’s the truth: the size of your organisation—whether in turnover or headcount—does not excuse you from answering these questions. Until we put systems in place, it’s unfair—and unproductive—to find fault with employees.

What employees truly seek first is psychological safety. Only when that is in place can other needs—growth, ownership, loyalty—begin to follow.

The questions above are not just management checklists. They are the building blocks of psychological safety.

So before that index finger comes out again, pick up a pen. Go through the list. And identify what you need to fix first.

 

M.L. Narendra Kumar