How to effectively differentiate small companies and startups (i): Characteristics of small companies

Why did you write this article?

Now there are a lot of "small companies" disguised as "start-up companies." Because everyone has a false perception that "startups are small companies," so it is easy to be deceived by such a disguised company. Wait until such a small company later found that this TM is a start-up company Ah, clearly is a small company. The main purpose of this article is to share with you some of my views on the differences between small and entrepreneurial companies. Hope to see this article friends can take a few detours.

The characteristics of small companies management confusion

The management of small companies is really confusing, and bosses often undermine the management process, because bosses like all employees to be able to revolve around his work and think it's a quick response. Such a company will not give you the space, it needs a person who can work, but not a decision-making people. If you don't just want to work, and you want to do your job well and get involved in decision-making, it's clear that such a company is not right for you.

Level is relatively simple, usually two levels

Because of the lack of people, this is obvious. But the boss of a small company will give you the illusion that you are a part of the company's core to attract you. You understand that you are part of the middle class and can lead other people to dominate the project. But in fact, you're just a job, and there's no right to manage anyone else. If you are naïve enough to think you can manage other people and really exercise the right to "manage", you will find that the relationship between you and your co-workers is particularly bad. Your "management" colleagues will have a special opinion of you, because "you are not my leader, why manage me ah". At this point, the boss of a small company will come out and say to you, "Your leadership skills are not good, you have to develop" ...
Therefore, in small companies to do management is not feasible, the root is the boss of small companies afraid of losing power, he will not be in the management of any support, even if there are some private expression, will not support you in public.

The speed is particularly slow

This point is a bit counterintuitive, because we often think that "small companies can run fast because they are small and flexible." But in fact, we say that "small companies run Fast" is a precondition: the founder and Agile team who can make quick decisions. If these two conditions are not met, the "small company" becomes a "slow company". The founders who can make quick decisions are very rare, because this is a bit against our "human nature". As an ordinary person, we often fall into the trap of "chicken ribs" in our relationship and career. We will care about the past achievements, reluctant to give up, the previous efforts, will become the present "stumbling block." So, in general, a small company will have at least two projects at the same time: One project is in the maintenance state and the other project is in the test state. There are fewer people, and the final result of participating in multiple projects is "the development of new projects will become slower"! Plus, small companies are less efficient than the average company. And demand is often followed by the founders ' personal feelings constantly changing, without a single standard of measurement. All this will lead to a particularly slow progression of the project.

Business is very ambiguous

This problem is also related to the previous problem, because small companies do not know what they really want to "go", the direction is unclear. So, if you ask a small company boss "the future direction of the company," he will describe a very perfect future to you, "we can do that, and we can do it." The subtext is, "I don't know what I can do, I can only blow it."

Business is not scalable

Some small companies will have more specific business, but his business is not "scalable", not "scale". Therefore, there is no explosive growth. Because the founders will follow the feeling, will not look at the basic data, but also lead to more blind development. There is also the possibility that small companies cannot find a perfect solution for a problem. This is also related to the quality of the founders, an unprofessional founder, in solving problems, always "absent-minded", unable to solve the problem of the process of "automation." Therefore, small companies in the core technology, is always unable to break through.

"Patriarchal" management

If you have a disagreement with the founders of a small company, first of all, he will not think about what you think, but he thinks "you are not obedient". "Do not obey" these three words generally only the elder teaches the younger generation time only then will use. The founders of small companies, who are generally "narcissistic" because of their "patriarchal" ideology, believe that the company's employees are less than themselves in every respect and are proud of it. So, they are not going to listen to any suggestions. Of course, they will also forge themselves into "very enlightened", and in the meeting, they will always say, "I want to hear the views of the people." At this time, you must not think that your boss really wants to listen to your opinion. He actually wanted to "know who the prick is, how to persuade the prick."

Non-emphasis on technology and infrastructure

This problem is especially serious, because the small company business is particularly much, the company's employees are in a "crazy overtime" state. Everyone in the company feels that there is no end to the work (in small companies, you feel very relaxed, then you are not far away from being opened). Moreover, the evaluation criteria of the boss of a small company, how quickly you can solve the problem, not you can "better solve the problem." As a result, "technology and infrastructure" is often overlooked. The consequence of this is that the company has gone to a "vicious cycle of overtime" and created the illusion of a "false prosperity". Therefore, too "short-sighted" founders will let the company's technology accumulation as "0"! In fact, "investment in infrastructure and technology", whenever it is, is worthwhile.

A pie-drawing, an irrevocable option incentive system

This is particularly serious at home, small companies will give many options incentive system, but often can not be cashed! This is one of the most confusing places for small companies. Because of the lack of a reasonable and reasonable option system, the options given by small companies are generally "fake"! We must attach great importance to this point. Many small companies have options that are not formal. For example, a company says it is worth 50 million, giving you a "1 million" share, one dollar per share. You don't really think these stocks really value "1 million". Because the market value of these companies is determined by their own, he can say himself as a billion, but no one to buy AH. Therefore, in fact, most of the small companies "option" value is not recognized by the market. And, even if the company is listed, if there is no legal and reasonable option system, it will also lead to the large shrinkage of the options you are holding! This kind of thing has many, is interested in own Baidu.

Lack of a legitimate contract

Small companies generally do not sign a contract with you, in fact, from the beginning to prevent you! Because we are usually because of friends to join the small companies, often neglect the importance of the contract. Therefore, your interests in small companies are not guaranteed by law.

Cronyism

Because most of the early-stage team members are relatives and friends. Therefore, in small companies, the natural existence of "cronyism" problem. The result is that the talent behind it will be very difficult and the structure of the company will be more deformed. Because of the culture and level of a company, it is decided by the first 5 people! As small companies have just started, unable to find the right talent, generally rely on their own training. But the talent of their own training in the level, by the entrepreneur's own restrictions, so, generally not very high. Such employees will generally be excluded from the introduction of the company's new talent (this is human)! And good people are not able to work with low-level person. The reason is that you cannot persuade a person who does not understand to practice the criteria you set, often at the beginning of the change, a lot of systems, we need to enforce. Because the boss is a cronyism, he usually listens to the advice of the old staff. So, you can't get support from the boss. This is also why, a company has developed to a certain extent, to repaying some of the outstanding staff reasons: "Need to free more space for better people."

No rules, no communication with you.

Management is communication! The bosses of small companies have very serious "patriarchal" ideas, so they are generally very non-disciplined. They think employees are their private property and can be discretionary. This phenomenon is particularly evident in the long-lived small companies. Because the boss has been working in the "arbitrary control of their" environment, will continue to strengthen this behavior to his "pleasure." Therefore, when they think about the problem, they will not stand in the position of the staff to think. Will not be considerate of others, but think how to maximize their own interests, will be very "short-sighted" to solve the problem.

Give everyone a suggestion, be sure to remember "do not work with people who do not speak the rules."

Reluctant to open people, but can not use good talent

Because of the small company's management and institutional problems, so small companies in essence, is unable to really use good "talent". But small companies are reluctant to put the best talent open. There are two reasons: excellent talent is difficult to recruit, leaving the outstanding talent in the key moment can play a role. So, under normal circumstances, the founders of small companies will play emotional cards, hoping to use the emotional card to tie the talent. Because of excellent technical personnel, generally relatively simple, will always be moved by such behavior, and insisted on staying in the startup company. But in fact, the professional development and financial development of the technical personnel are very bad. A hesitant relationship will only make two of people very tired. At the critical moment, the technician still has to make a decision to stay away from small companies, because the lack of solutions to key issues, the development of small companies will be very limited!

Summarize

A small company is like a person who is sick all over the body. Many of its problems are not one-sided, independent, but systematic. Moreover, other problems cannot be solved by addressing one aspect of the problem. To solve the problem of small companies, we must first start from the founders, New beginning.

The road ahead was full of thorns, and I chose the hardest way.

About Me

A 6-year-old programmer who loves technology and thinking, welcome to join me and discuss technical and entrepreneurial topics with me. Mine is Fw_xdhe.

How to effectively differentiate small companies and startups (i): Characteristics of small companies