AMEX Multitaskers – “Effective delegation represents a turning point in the growth of SMEs”

There are numerous entrepreneurs that emerge in Argentina with new projects. But also, there are many who remain on the road without strength and abandon their ideas. Now the question is: What should entrepreneurs do to strengthen their creation? To answer this question, Multitaskers consulted the industrial engineer Sandra Felsenstein who is director at DINKA, a consulting firm dedicated to advising SMEs both in the start-up of projects and in their growth, development and professionalization.

Felsenstein has a postgraduate degree in Strategic Marketing (UB), and constant business specialization courses such as Think Different (IAE), Creative Lab (IAE), Foreign Trade (BankBoston Foundation), TPM and Lean (J&J), among others. On the other hand, she has extensive work experience in numerous companies such as Compass Group Argentina, Johnson & Johnson and was a consultant on Process Reengineering projects in various multinational companies such as Techint and Quinsa (Quimes, Pepsi).

With an eye on each unique and particular case, the specialist explains not only the importance of taking special care in the design and implementation of the necessary tools aimed at the growth of SMEs and Entrepreneurs, but also the fact of knowing how to delegate, a key attitude when managing. Below are the stories from the director of DINKA herself in her interview with Multitaskers:

With the experience of having created a consulting firm for the development of SMEs and the growth of entrepreneurs, what are the main problems that startups have today? How can they solve it?

Each case would have to be analyzed in particular. However, we can find some points that are repeated in almost all cases. One of the important factors that we often see is the loneliness of the entrepreneur due to the lack of reliable second managers, either to execute the entrepreneur's instructions, as well as to collaborate with their contribution in making strategic decisions. Likewise, the complexity of assembling reliable work teams, truly involved in the venture. In line with these problems is the difficulty that businessmen and entrepreneurs have in delegating, which is why they feel "stifled" by the demands of "day-to-day life." Other common topics of consultation are the difficulty of recognizing the real profitability of the business, the need to increase sales, having good ideas but not knowing how to put them into practice, among others.

Obviously there is no universal solution for these varied issues, but in general the incorporation of management control boards that allow monitoring the activity as a whole, detecting where the strengths and weaknesses of the venture are and deciding the implementation of specific tools for each case is very effective. This measurement also facilitates delegation and intelligent decision making.

What should a business start with?

I would say that the main element lies in the entrepreneur / entrepreneurial team that will carry it forward, the spirit, passion and energy that they will dedicate to the project. Starting a business is a significant challenge and requires all these elements to face the process and be able to dream of success.

Obviously the idea on which the venture is founded must be consistent, viable and must generate good added value for potential clients, but a good work team is also essential to enhance the skills of each of its members for the benefit of the success of the project.

On the other hand, it is extremely important to carry out a good analysis as a starting point: study the market very well. On the one hand, identify the competition and what products or services they offer, how they promote, market and distribute them. On the other hand, analyze potential clients, where they are located, what their unmet needs are, what niches have not yet been served, trends, etc. Once this analysis has been carried out, a comprehensive plan will have to be developed and a strategy defined.

How can an entrepreneur set goals? What parameters should you use?

The strategy is what will guide us, understanding where we are going. The plan defines how and in this sense, the objectives clarify the path for us. That is, we must have short, medium and long-term objectives to be able to compare results and understand if we are deviating from the path. These objectives must be aligned with the proposed strategy. The important thing is to define quantifiable, measurable, simple parameters and clear objectives that, although they pose a challenge, must also be viable and achievable.

In your consulting firm you have a team where there are Economists, Administration graduates, Engineers, sales specialists, among others. How important is it to have a good work team? How can employee empowerment be increased?

There is a phrase that I really like "if you give a good idea to a mediocre team, they will spoil it; if you give a mediocre idea to a great team, they will improve it or discard it and they will create something that does work." For me the team represents a very important portion of the success of a company.

Nowadays there is a tendency not to talk about “employee” but rather to use the term “collaborator”. To achieve more innovative companies, greater employee satisfaction and, as a consequence, better results, we seek to achieve employee empowerment. Every work team, whether it is a company that markets products or services, requires very clear objectives that are known in depth by all its members. That is why excellent internal communication is essential regarding the objectives to be met and the strategies to be used. To keep a team motivated, it is also important to involve them in the progress and achievements that are being achieved, both individually and as a group in their joint action. Although all teamwork requires clearly present leadership to guide its operation, it is also of utmost importance that individual members have their space to express their personal ideas and suggestions and make their contributions to the overall project.

On the other hand, in an interview with Canal Metro you said that the decision to delegate is a great step in growth for a company. What benefits does delegating bring? What are the factors to take into account to do it effectively?

Delegating is essential to grow. Achieving effective delegation represents a turning point in the growth of organizations. To achieve this, it is essential to have a team of people trained to fulfill their functions efficiently and responsibly. The creation of independent structures is necessary, assigning delegated tasks according to the profile that each of them requires. But you must always remember that delegating does not mean disengaging or disengaging. To achieve effective delegation, it is essential to have clear processes and the necessary control tools through control boards that reflect representative, measurable and actionable parameters that allow control by objectives, and not by tasks.

In December 2007 they obtained the mention by the Clarín newspaper as “one of the ten most innovative projects in Argentina of the year” how can a company promote innovation?

Forming interdisciplinary teams is the main raw material for innovation. Each one of us inevitably brings with us pre-concepts and if we do not exchange ideas and opinions with people of different training and backgrounds, we will always arrive at the same answers, conclusions and solutions. Therefore, once again, the work team is essential to achieve innovation. Likewise, exchange must be constantly encouraged, creating spaces for this practice, for example, through “suggestion channels” or interactive meetings, in which everyone can present creative and innovative ideas. You have to know how to listen to everyone. You never know where the best ideas may come from, so you have to be receptive and permeable.