However hard we try, we seem to make life more difficult for ourselves; more challenging; more complex. Yet it needn't be so. try out these five questions with a regularity; a discipline and you will reap rewards. You will certainly reap rewards.
What do my customers want?
Getting inside the head of your customers is a recipe for success. Taking the
role on of one of your customers or clients and seeing from their perspective
helps structure a sound and growing business. Better still, ask them what they
want, need, what irritates them and thank them for their insights. Take
complaints as a real positive - for knowing what went wrong, gives you information
you can correct and grow stronger on.How do I get the best from my people?
Enjoying the benefits of truly 'turned on' people in your business, makes a huge
difference. Finding out what they need to be successful for you can be more
challenging. But wait! Have you asked them what they need to do their best for
you? Be sensitive and responsive to their needs. This simple step will provide
you with all the people strategies that work. Many solutions will be very easy
to do and can build belief and trust in you as a manager. The bigger challenges
can be solved by using your people to have a positive and constructive input.
It will be worthwhile - for everyone.How can we make best use of our resources?
What resources? People, goodwill, reputation, location. USP, and more... Well,
make sure first of all that you understand what they are. Ask your customers
and people what you represent to them - and then do more, much more of it. Then
review those things that you can do less of, save resource costs on. Focusing
on what you are best at and dropping things that don't create value for you can
be very value-creating.What wastes our time?
It's a simple question, but with an easy answer. What value is created when I
spend time on this activity? If your challenge is to make ?100 an hour profit
for your organisation, is what you are spending your time on doing just that?
What things do you and your people do, which does not? Try stopping doing things,
some of which you may have done for months and years, when little or no value is
created and switch to more things that do. Stop some things and start others -
simple as that.What do we need to change?
Constantly reviewing where you are in your business and making small course a
djustments, like the autopilot of a jumbo jet, will maximise your performance.
But whilst leading the cultural shift can develop autopilot-mode, the first
steps are for managers to spot-check all they do manually. Doing this will
encourage your people to start to do it themselves. Remember, the best time to
review, review, review, is when you are successful. And then be very challenging
and honest about yourselves. Build it in, make small but significant changes
regularly, once you have evidence of drifting off course. That makes for a
consistently healthy & growing organisation and reduces the need for cataclysmic
change.Are you up for this refreshing challenge? What better way to start your new
focus on your business, organisation or team?
Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide,
mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He
has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website,
http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com.
...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...