Fly higher – Expresso

Companies in Portugal, particularly SMEs, depend on their leaders, their managers.

They depend, because entrepreneurs are eclectic in the areas they have to cover. Defining strategy, managing operations, developing talent, expanding markets, monitoring customers, or ensuring compliance with obligations are some of the activities that a businessman must carry out. Flexibility is key.

They depend, because decision-making support is fragile. From data infrastructures to information generation processes, including analytical capabilities and the weak incorporation of digital technologies, it can be said that there is a lack of analytical support for the decision-making process. Intuition is the alternative.

They depend, because decision processes have to be quick. Managing business continuity risk is more important than considering other risks. Proximity helps.

Flexibility, intuition and proximity help the entrepreneur to succeed, but they are not enough. They are not enough to overcome productivity and scale barriers. Without overcoming these obstacles, we will see limited growth levels for companies and, consequently, for the country.

The challenges facing SMEs are greater today, especially if they have ambitions for growth. There is a set of opportunities that SMEs can and should take advantage of: expanding market boundaries, structuring customer support throughout their life cycle, having clarity about business profitability, taking advantage of the potential of technology.

In this context, the need (and urgency) for management training programs for SMEs that aim to inject financial, technological, digital literacy or add marketing and sustainability skills becomes clear, as a serious way of contributing to this aim.

SMEs will continue to depend on their entrepreneurs, but they can fly higher with more knowledge and literacy.

This article was developed within the scope of the Nova SBE VOICE Leadership initiative.