Have you ever taken just 5 minutes to note down 5 things you think could be improved in your business?
What happened next? Is the list ticked off, or is it still in your notebook, forgotten?
Recognising the journey of continual improvement is essential to fine-tuning and squeezing greater performance out of any business.
Are these ‘problems’ or just ‘fine-tunes’ while you ignore the real issues? If the term ‘problems’ seems too negative, consider, “What 5 things would I love to improve in the business?”
Taking Action
Sure, it sounds obvious and easy to say. But if you’re confident, try it and see what happens.
How do you decide where to start? Often, we tackle the easy stuff first. Instead, try assigning value to each point and ranking them by impact. This could mean staff welfare, not just financials.
Keep your scoring system simple. Rank everything to identify the most critical area to focus on first.
Consider factors like achievable timelines, potential cost savings, impact on staff, and product safety and quality. Make it measurable.
Get a Second Opinion
Do you encourage others in the business to do the same? Compare notes, discuss as a team, and take action.
A reward scheme that encourages continuous improvement among employees can be very effective.
A mentor, advisor, or peer can provide valuable insights. Simplify the process with basic steps, like reducing lead conversion days or increasing visibility on future pipelines. If appropriate, go public with your goals and involve your team. Failing to deliver will be noticeable, but this can also challenge and motivate you.
Do Something Today... and Again Next Week
The biggest challenge is taking action, like starting a diet on Monday... or maybe Tuesday.
Stagnation risks losing credibility with your star employees.
Set a reminder for 3 months to repeat this exercise, reviewing the problems you 'fixed' last time.
Seek feedback and measure the impact of your efforts.
Get in touch for more thoughts at ian@zestbc.com
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