What we can learn about small business from Duck Dynasty

This phenomenon called Duck Dynasty had been going on for several seasons before my husband I finally tuned in. I originally wrote this blog when we were about to start season 2 but I\’ve since updated it.

I had held out on watching the show but when we finally did, I was pleasantly surprised at how funny and genuine the stories are each episode.

While I’ll admit that the frog skinning scenes still gross out this citified girl, I can’t help but notice that wisdom exudes throughout the show for both life and business.

Much of it, if you really think about it, is just good ol’ fashioned common sense but I felt like sharing something that I feel small business owners like myself can take from watching Duck Dynasty.

Cross train, but do what you know best

I agree that it’s wise to cross train employees to some degree, but in my experience having employees performing jobs that are not in their realm of expertise is a recipe for disaster. Or at least, a big jumbled, inefficient mess. This also includes bosses, whether we want to admit it or not. If it’s not your area of expertise, I suggest you let the experts handle it! Just because you’re in charge doesn’t mean you must have your hands in everything.

This issue came up in Season 1, episode 2 of Duck Dynasty where Jase became CEO for a day as part of a bet. Now for those who don’t want the show, the older brother Willie is the CEO and is the more “responsible” and “business-minded” person in the family. Jase is far from being the family clown, however! He’s the innovative one who comes up with new ideas and new ways of doing old ideas. He’s the creative, he’s the doer. Willie is the more serious planner.

The company obviously didn’t fall apart in a day, but it wasn’t run like it should have been. The focus of the show seemed to be how Jase didn’t care for some details that Willie wouldn’t have overlooked, but to me there was more to it than that. Jase was so busy trying to do Willie’s job that he wasn’t able to perform his own form of brilliance.

I’m just now starting Season 2, so tell me what other lessons have you learned from Duck Dynasty?

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