Whether you are involved in a small business enterprise, or a large one, the essential elements of success are dependent on a team effort.

This team effort is invariably based on each individual's capacity to perform, not only his or her specific job, but to understand how that job relates to all others on the team.

The answer to a management inquiry that says "On it, boss" doesn't necessarily mean the job's been done. It merely means that it's in the works.

This is an interim answer, but has no significance unless it has a time frame as well. Being in the works could mean that a specific job could be done prematurely or that it could be done at a time that might be too late for others to accomplish theirs. It's no good to have the burger done when the fries haven't been started.

Equally problematic is the phrase, "The job's done, boss." This answer presupposes that the job has been done sufficiently to fit in with all other jobs in which it plays a part.

The employee who uses the phrase may or may not be aware of the bigger picture in which his or her job is involved. This answer just might not be good enough. Having the mortar ready when the bricks haven't been delivered is a waste of time ... often a waste of money as well.

The management team would be well served to ensure that the foundation is secure before the walls and the roof are built.

The best way to do this is to make sure that the master plan is understood by all. Although the military services, like the Army, have a rigidity that preclude the soldier from knowing what the general's goals are, the commercial sector must have a much more transparent master plan that each of the participants can understand.

It is essential each person know how his or her job fits into the general scheme of things that allows the client, the patient, the customer to be properly served.

But be careful. There are some management gurus who recommend that all company information be shared with everyone in the company.

For the most part, this is to give employees the feeling that the company belongs to them. But the company doesn't belong to them. And giving them too much information, and too many management prerogatives, can be inimical to the best interests of the company as well as to the individuals themselves.

Decision-making belongs to the decision makers. Too much information on the operational level can suggest to each person that he or she is a decision maker. And this can lead to chaos.

In today's economy, adding inventory when the latest management judgment is to keep inventory sparse can have disastrous results. It is management's obligation to ensure that each employee knows the goals to be served and the guidelines within which all employees are constrained to act.

Most small businesses, under current business conditions, need to watch the dollars more carefully then ever. Having dollars available when business requires such availability is a keynote to survival and success.

Remember, when the owner of a small business borrows money from the bank, he or she is expected to be responsible for the obligation. It is a rare circumstance when the employees of the business are asked to guarantee the loan as well.

Today's business environment requires care and caution by management. Make sure that all your people are sufficiently plugged in to the basic goals of the company so that they can perform their jobs to the best advantage of the company.

Remember, too much information can be just as dangerous as too little. And make sure that the final judgment on the big picture is left in the hands of management.

Today's economy demands that every business owner constantly recalculates the basic fundamentals of business.

Ira Nottonson is a lawyer, lecturer, author and consultant whose latest books are "Forming a Partnership" and "Buying and Selling a Business." Contact him at 303-447-9672 or irabizlaw@aol.com.