Landings can be one of the most challenging parts of flight. This is especially true when the weather gets bad, i.e., low clouds, reduced visibility, rain, thunderstorms, snow or turbulence.

The missed approach is a standard procedure used when a landing cannot safely be made. When this happens, the same steps are performed in sequence, every time: apply full power, climb to a specific altitude, navigate to a designated “fix” and then enter a holding pattern before initiating “Plan B.”

When things go wrong during this critical phase of flight, it’s reassuring to know there is a procedure in place to make sure the flight ends safely. In other words, there is a plan for the unplanned.

Every session with one of our Leadership Teams starts with what we call the “Check In,” which generally consists of several questions that help us transition from working “in” our business to working “on” our business. One question is always, “What are your expectations for today?”

I check in after each member of the Leadership Team is done. And my ongoing expectation is always, “Please be open and honest – just say it.” And this is one of the most difficult behaviors for a Leadership Team to exhibit – for lots of reasons.

“But Jim, I completely disagree with the decision. How can you expect me to support John’s decision and commit to it when I think it’s wrong?”

“Tom”, I replied, “I’m not asking you to agree with John. I’m asking you to do the greater good – to be unified as a leadership team in all the decisions that are communicated to others. Especially the ones we don’t all agree on.”

I hadn’t quite won Tom over. Julia noticed, and jumped in.

Are you proud of your ability to multi-task? Can you close a deal, hire someone, attend a video conference AND make dinner plans – all while driving your car?

Many entrepreneurs are not only capable of keeping all those plates spinning, they’re fiercely proud of it. Yes, it is true that cramming 20 pounds of productivity into a 10 pound bag can be an important skill when you’re building a great business from scratch. However, it’s also true that all frenetic multi-taskers reach a point of diminishing returns as their businesses and teams grow.

The fact is, none of us do our best work when we're not fully present.

As we turn the final corner of 2017, many family-owned businesses are preparing to become more profitable in 2018. When I took the helm of our third-generation family business several years ago, I was eager to boost our profitability. But what I found was that there are a lot of profit-eaters in a family-owned business. And they can be very difficult to get rid of without a robust and objective operating system in place.

Want to have a more profitable family-owned business in 2018? Watch out for these profit-eaters!