Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Team?
Research has found that as much as 60% of the work done in the average business is spent doing:
-
The right thing wrong.
-
The wrong thing right.
-
Correcting the wrong thing to make it right.
-
Supervising staff to make sure they are doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time.
Is this the case for your business?
And, as we know, just surviving in today’s business world requires us to do it faster, cheaper, deliver more value, maintain a high level of service and so on. To be blunt, we must do more with less.
Whilst we all have our reasons for being in business, the fact remains you are in business to make money. Your business is meant to be a money making machine and as the owner or manager, your job is to look at how you can constantly improve the efficiencies of the machine and productivity (the human factor) is at the cornerstone of the improvement process.
That said, it’s not just your responsibility to make this happen, your team must have a vested interest as well. It goes to show, no profit equals no business which equals no staff/ jobs. So how do we get them involved? Below is a great old story, but dealing with many businesses, this same mistake still happens today.
Back in the early 1940s, Henry Ford was presenting an aged employee with his customary gold watch for many years of loyal service. Just before the function, old Henry spoke to the soon-to-be-retired staff member, who took the opportunity to tell Henry about some of the product improvements he had invented himself. Henry was shocked to his socks, because the suggestions were profound - indeed, brilliant. “Why haven’t you mentioned these before now?” asked Henry. And the now famous reply, “Because nobody ever asked me for my opinion.”
Wow. How often are we guilty of this? How often do we engage with the team or as individuals asking their opinion on how to improve the business? They are at the Coal Face, so they probably have a good idea of what processes are a waste of time or what customers are really looking for. Why not gather your team together and ask these couple of questions:
- What functions or processes do you do that are a waste of time, and how would you suggest we change or improve this?
- What additional training or equipment would help you improve your job functions?
- If you were the boss and money wasn't an object, what would you do differently?
And once completed, make sure they are written down and fully investigated by you and the team.
To Your Business Success
Cheers
Yale Morgan
Better Business Wide Bay
www.betterbusinessgroup.com.au
Email yale@betterbusinessgroup.com.au
Ph 1300 711 743
Mob 0412 667 559
About Yale Morgan, SME Business development specialist
Yale heads up the Better Business Group (BBG), which, as a company has proven business development products and systems, that range from "Do It Yourself" products to fully systemised Business Coaching Programs.
Received this email from a friend? Click here to sign up and receive your 60 Seconds Monthly Inspiration.
