The word on everyone’s lips these days is change. Departing from the norm in hope for something new and better. Which leads me to ask: Is your business also yearning for change? Are you tired of doing the same things over and over with little results to show? Or are you just plain tired of the status quo?
As a business owner, you are in the best position to bring about a difference. Embracing the notion of change will require you to self examine and see if there are things you can do better. Consider the following:
Leadership: Am I demonstrating strong leadership to my team? Have I communicated the company’s goals and objectives such that everyone understands it? You want to be accountable and responsible for the people you lead.
Motivation: What does motivation mean to your team: more money, more tasks, more responsibility or shorter work hours? Find out what is most important to your staff and work to meet their needs. Keep in mind that money is not always the key motivator of people.
Employee Buy-in: Closely related to motivation is employee buy-in. To foster change in this area, create a culture of openness and problem solving where employees know that their opinions are valued and that they contribute to the success and failure of the business.
Operations: This is the lifeblood of your business. Are you running an effective or efficient business? Efficiency gives that you are not only doing the right things but with the least cost and in the least time possible. An overhaul of this area can result in higher profitability giving you cash to do other things like developing new products or training your staff.
A business that stays stagnant will die. Change in the right direction creates valuable opportunities for the business owner.