Dear Joshi,

I started my own business eight years ago, and have been successful in growing it year over year at a compounded rate of 22%. My business is profitable and I have nurtured a capable team that is able to execute my strategy and control the operations. We moved into a new office with separate enclosures for senior managers, and a corner office where I sit and can see my entire office. I am surrounded by my people but I feel lonely.

I have come this far using my gut feel, sheer hard work and a determination to succeed. I have made mistakes but recovered quickly and vowed never to repeat them again. My plans have gone awry but I have corrected them in time to keep growing. I have a German car, a 3-bedroom villa, and my children are studying in elite schools, but I feel lonely when I step into my office.

I am lonely because I cannot share my aspirations with my people who seem to be narrowly focused on making two-end meets. They lack the wisdom and experience that can spot my mistakes and offer corrections.

I am lonely because my energy and drive are not multiplied when I sit with them and discuss strategy and tactics. I find them fatigued and waiting to get the meeting over with.

I am lonely because I cannot benchmark my achievements with them as they are not comparable, and I do not get a sense of achievement or the journey left to be completed. I am hungry for growth, and I need to be with like-minded business owners.

I am lonely because I don’t know who can help me upgrade my social skills and make new contacts. My team’s contacts are at their level and I need to know people at mine. I believe that if I mix with people of high-calibre, I will also rise to their level.

I am at the top, but I am lonely. When we were growing I was able to interact with my team and align their ambitions to my company, but as I have personally developed at a rate faster, and my business has grown exponentially, I am at many leagues ahead of my team’s competence, culture, and capacity. I am lonely at the top.

Can you help?

Sincerely,

Lonely at the Top Entrepreneur

Dear Lonely at the Top Entrepreneur,

I have a story similar to yours and I felt very lonely at the top, till I found ways and means to find company at the top. And I suggest that you try these out and see if it works for you.

Find a set of entrepreneurs with organization of similar size
Invite them for a get-to-gather and decide a topic of mutual interest for discussion
Build comfort and avoid conflicts within the group
Meet regularly, say once a month with different agenda such as discussing a Book, Inviting a Guest Speaker, Solving problems of a member in the Group.
Meet your newly found friends at their workplace to build rapport and relations.
Keep refreshing the members to ensure a sufficient quorum.
I did this for a few years, and realised that there may be many more who may not be able to start and sustain a group. It takes a lot of energy and coordination to facilitate such a group, and when I learned about Corporate Connections, I found the perfect opportunity to help entrepreneurs Lonely at the Top.

Corporate Connections is a global forum with local chapters where a selected few meet regularly, twice a month, to discuss strategic opportunities, solve problems through Mastermind, develop personally through continual learning, and build global connections.

Visit my Corporate Connections page to know if Corporate Connections can help you to be “No longer Lonely at the Top.”

Regards
Chirantan Joshi