Where do I end?

Last weel I asked "Where do I start?" to make improvement  suggesting that you should know where to attack to have them ost impact.

Today's question is much easier to answer.

You don't.

Improving your business is a never-ending, continuous process.  Remember if you stand sill, someone will overtake you.

If you cannot face a future of unrelenting change and a quest for continual improvement, go get a job and give up running a business.

Where do I start?

Do you know which factors of your business are important?

What, if it changed, would have the biggest impact?  A 5% reduction in your material costs, your energy bill,your wage bill, or ...?

If you know which are important, you know where to focus attention and improvement activity.
If you don't, then who is managing your organisation?

Do less

Many people think that raising productivity means doing more things ... but sometimes, it means doing fewer things more effectively.  Some even think the more things they have to do, the more important they are.

However, at a personal level, if people concentrated and focused more they might avoid endless 'email tennis' and cut the size of their Todo list.

The same is true of your organisation.  Make sure it is doing those things which your customers want done. Find out what it is you can stop doing.

So if you feel you are very busy, with lots of varied tasks, try prioritising and delegating.  Make sure your agenda consists of those things that make you money.  leave lesser things to others.  By all means keep a 'watching brief' but if you try to do everything yourself, you will fail to do some of those important things properly and thoroughly.

Read

When did you last read a business book?  Probably some time ago - if ever!

i understand that response. I've read many - and they vary significantly in quality and direct usefulness.

However, the reason to read them is not to learn direct lessons - but to subtly change the way you think. you need to read several over a longish period ... and then reflect on whether you think or act differently.

You should.

So, read. What have you got to lose.

Sell!

Selling is a skill ... or is it an art?

I am sure you have done your share of selling when you set up your business.  Some small businesses think selling is about selling the product ...but there is so much more than that.

Perhaps the most important selling task is to sell your ideas and your business plan .. but you also have to sell things to your employees .... often it is yourself you are selling.

So you should think about improving your selling skills .... of all kinds .. your ability to influence, to persuade, to negotiate and to clinch deals.  It will pay off handsomely!