Almost all errors are unconscious until circumstances bring them to light -- often through harsh consequences. Looking these missteps over now, ahead of time, will seem in the future like the height of wisdom.
Richard Branson put it best: Customers come second, employees first. It's a philosophy that brings unexpected benefits to both the company and its clients.
Smart leaders ditch the top-down, mentor-mentee mindset, creating a culture driven by ideas -- wherever on the organizational chart they happen to come from.
Watch for the warning signs that your early employees aren't developing as your business grows, or you could end up with lots of unanticipated problems.