What To Do To Improve Your Business

Almost every business person I talk to wants to improve their business or the business they work for. The first challenge is knowing where and how to start that improvement process. The next challenge is knowing how to implement the plans that have been made. The third challenge finding the time to actually do it. The fourth challenge is to follow through so the improvements are sustained over time.

Is there a realistic process to accomplish all of this? Yes! Really? Yes! Unfortunately that process can't be fully addressed in a simple newsletter, but perhaps these tips will help you to start your organization down the business improvement path. Enjoy!
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A) Strategize and implement better than everyone else (that doesn't mean working harder! It means thinking better and performing better in your leadership role!) If you are a business owner or key manager, you should schedule 2-3 hours each week for reflecting, planning and strategizing. If you as the business leader isn't doing this for your business, then who is?

Reflect on what is going well in your business and prepare a strategy to maximize the processes that lead to that success. Reflect also on what is not going well in your business. Most of what we observe as not going well in the business is not the problem, but rather is an observable symptom of the root problem. To identify the root cause of the problem ask the question, 'Why is that happening?' Given the answer to that question, ask the question again, 'Why is THAT happening?' Repeat this process until the real cause of the problem is identified. For example, the observable symptom might be that sales revenues are down.

By asking the 'why' question several times, the root problem should appear, for example, the reason that sales revenues are down is because we dropped the popular name-brand items that customers preferred. Get to the root of the problem and develop a strategy to fix it.

B) Focus on the right things that matter and are worthy of your time. Don't get caught up working 'in' the business, but instead get caught up working 'on' the business. Focus on those things that no one else but you can do and that make the business processes better and more profitable.

Write a job/task description for yourself and approach it this way. Imagine that there is an identical clone of you, and that you have hired that clone to replace you. Imagine also that you are paying that clone out of your own pocket and that the only way you can earn your money back and make a profit from that clone's activity is if the clone focuses on high-value activities. Write down the activities you would want that clone to be performing, and what activities would you want that clone not to do. Now follow that job description as closely as you can each and every day.

C) Delegate or outsource tasks that distract you from thinking, strategizing, and implementing the plans and activities that improve the important processes and build the business. Delegate or outsource activities that are well below the value of your time. Work more 'on' the business and less 'in' the business.

Let's assume that you spend eight hour per week on a relatively low-value task. By delegating or outsourcing that activity to someone else, redirect those hours to high-value activities that will make the business function better or make it more profitable, say, to additional marketing and selling activities. Done well, the additional profits from those sales should be more than the cost of the delegating or outsourcing.

D) Maintain your standards of excellence even when no one is looking. Be accountable to yourself, and better yet, be accountable to someone else - even if you are the boss!

As the owner or key member in the business, you are the role model for everyone else. Consistently behave the way you want others to behave. Show up on time, stay within the coffee and lunch break time frames, etc. In other works, follow the rules like everyone else. That leader don't have to follow the rules becomes a status symbol to others. To show themselves and others that they have a higher status, breaking the rules is something to be pursued!

People that have a task list can accomplish in six hours what would otherwise take eight hours to complete. Have a daily task list of what you want to accomplish each and every day (prepare it at the end of the previous work day.) Have your employees to the same. By making your lists public everyone helps to keep each other focused and productive.

E) Don't focus on outcomes. Instead, focus on the processes that lead to the desired outcomes. Without processes, the desired outcomes won't be realized. Rather being concerned about the numbers, focus on the processes and functions that produced the numbers. Examine how each process is being performed and discover ways they can be improved. Look for wasted movements, errands, unnecessary interactions, redundancy, etc. Then put together strategies and process that produce better numbers.

F) Avoid negative people. If you must be around them, be more positive than they are negative. Negative people bog you and other down. Changing the outlook and behaviors from negative to positive is a daunting if not impossible task.

One negative person and hurt the effectiveness and attitude of an entire group. Stated another way, negative people produce opportunity losses and should be look upon as an expense rather than an asset. If the negative person can't be rehabilitated, suggest that they go work for your #1 competitor!
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While most people can understand the wisdom of these dos and don'ts, many people are uncertain how to get started and how to follow through on these business-improvement behaviors. That's what we at The Growth Coach are all about. Your success is our success. We don't grow unless you grow. And we guarantee your satisfaction!

http://www.TheGrowthCoach.com/JFields.aspx

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