I recently joined a company called Eulerity. I had been consulting with them for a few months, so when I came onboard full time, we thought it would be fun to use the title of adviser or consigliere. Several friends and colleagues in the franchise space have asked me about this title. By Jack Monson
I recently joined a company called Eulerity. I had been consulting with them for a few months, so when I came onboard full time, we thought it would be fun to use the title of adviser or consigliere. Several friends and colleagues in the franchise space have asked me about this title.
Just what Is a consigliere?
The consigliere is a trusted adviser, rooted in Italian culture and politics. In modern times, it’s prominent in mob movies, most popularly, “The Godfather.” The consigliere provides counsel, represents the boss at some important meetings, and may help resolve disputes. Most importantly, at times, a consigliere may need to challenge the boss’s plans in order to find any flaws before opponents do.
Finding your consigliere
If you’ve recently become a small-business owner, you may find the lack of peer counseling to be troubling. In the corporate world, we learn which colleagues can be trusted and have suggestions that we find valuable. But as “The Boss,” you may not have a peer to call upon. You may not have an adviser you can trust. You must find one.
Your budget may not allow for a full-time consigliere, so let’s look elsewhere.
You may be tempted to enlist a family member. Please don’t. While a spouse, sibling, or best friend may provide wise counsel, can they be completely objective? Will they risk harming your personal relationship with honest feedback and challenges? An employee or team member may have knowledge in your industry but may hold back as their job may be threatened.
You need someone who has nothing to lose when being brutally frank, yet also whose loyalty can be rewarded. What about other local small-business owners? Are you working your local network, business groups, or clubs? Those aren’t just for finding new customers, but for finding partners as well.
Are there other franchisees of your system or even other franchise brands you can trust? This is your best option. If you don’t have these people in your circle of trust yet, join us at the next franchise expo or event near you and build that network.
Jack Monson
Jack Monson is the host of the Social Geek Radio Network, home of the Number One podcasts in franchising and The consigliere at Eulerity. Monson has been working with franchisees and small businesses in marketing for 14 years. jack@socialgeekradio.com, socialgeekradio.com, eulerity.com