August 15, 2013 – ISSN# 1545-2646
Let’s make it more difficult!
It is amazing how many business leaders unintentionally make work harder for the business. They don’t set out to slow progress. They even try to look at ways to make things better but unfortunately they get in their own way.
Some believe that they are the only ones who see the whole picture and therefore it limits how work can improve. By having to touch or at least give final input and approval, the energy once available from employees eventually begins to slowly fade into a hum of same old, same old….
It happens to all sort of organizations and is definitely not limited to older or more mature businesses. In the early start up phase of a business the culture of the business is built right along side the customer base. If every quote, proposal, invoice and payment passes through or at least by the owners desk then the future of the organization to espouse to a more continuous improvement culture is substantially harder to achieve and maintain.
In some cases the culture evolves to a handful of select trusted people in the organization. Some places refer to this as the “Inner Circle.” If you are so privileged to be part of that circle then your future is solid and safe in the business. It is the group of trusted employees which begin to take this management factor to extremes and micromanage so much of the operational aspects of the business that it begins to choke the very sprit of entrepreneurship from the business.
Business owners talk about being flexible and agile in running their businesses. Unfortunately they fall back on the traditional ways. They become content with actions that were put in place in the past. At that time, those action may have contributed to building the business. Things are very different now and require upgraded actions. It is these past ways of running the business when re-examined for genuine contribution that the “Inner Circle” gets concerned and pulls back on the effort to re-engineer the organization. The “Inner Circle” maneuvers to protect itself, even at the cost of reducing the asset value of the business.
During the most recent economic downturn, businesses were forced to rethink and relook at their businesses. As difficult as it was to survive, many are now cleaner, leaner and better positioned to grow their organizations had they continued under prior conditions.
This week we continue to prompt you the business leader to step back away from the daily grind and re-evaluate your business. Is it running on all cylinders and in the direction of growth? Are there better ways to get to a common end result which not only supports the budget, cash flow and growth but positions the company for future growth?
Take some time to think about where the organization needs to be by the end of 2013 so it is properly placed into 2014 to take advantage of the meager growth which can happen.
Want simple and easy? Give JKL Associates a call at (313) 527-7945 to start to think simple and work easy by designing your future!
Questions or comments – email us at partners@jklassociates.com or call our Office at (313) 527-7945
Copyright – JKL Associates 2013
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