Its not rocket science

For many small businesses, labour is the primary cost.

If we want to make our labour more productive, we have to do one of two things.

1. Cut the number of people we employ.
2. Get more output from the people we do employ.

Assuming you don't want to ... or can't because of contractual reasons - choose the first option, you have to do the second.

So what are you doing to get more from your people. Training them? Giving them better equipment? Changing what they do? Changing how they do what they do? Motivating them?

None of these ... then you're in trouble!

Achieve!

Do you want to achieve? Of course you do.

To achieve is to succeed in reaching a goal. This means if you don't have goals, you can't achieve.

So make your goals explicit rather than implicit - to yourself, your managers, your teams ... And do so in forms and language that is relevant to them.

After all they have to achieve for you to do so.

Sometimes we achieve more by setting out to do less.

I'm sure you are a busy person. Lots to do, lots to think about, lots to manage. Well, perhaps things might be better if you thought more and did less. Take the time to think things through. Then, act ... but only then.

Its also worth thinking about those things you don't need to do at all ... there are usually some of those on most people's agendas.

So, sit back ... and think. You'll get more done!

Do you want happy staff?

Are happy and contented staff less productive?

If you take the time and effort to make your staff happy at work, content with their lot ... are you automatically setting up lower productivity?

After all unhappy staff might be motivated to transform their lot ... work their way out of their current situation. Contented staff might not do anything to harm their current situation ... like working hard enough to alert you to their prowess and possible promotion possibilities.

We talk about 'comfort zones' ... stifling innovation, for example.

So, is there a balance to be struck? Do we need to maintain a (healthy) tension in the workplace. If so, are we sure we can focus that tension to our benefit?

Who is doing billable work?

The self-employed and freelancers know about the concept of 'billable work'. Its what you do that you directly charge clients for.

You have to do other things - update yourself, keep up with the email torrent, market your services and so on. But this isn't billable.

So, look around your organisation. Who is doing billable work? How much of it?

How much of people's time is sucked up by other things - the things a customer wouldn't want to pay for? The proportions might surprise you ... and might make you do something about it!

Dealing with lazy employees

Do you have lazy employees?

If so, think about your kids or your grandchidren. They can appear lazy or highly focused, motivated and energetic depending on what you ask them to do ... and their ability to do it.

So, ask them to do something for which they (think they) don't have the skills .. and they will shy away ... and act lazily.

Ask them to something which they know they can do - and do well - and their enthusiasm returns.

Ask yourself if this is true of your staff. Are you undermining them by not providing proper training or by not encouraging them.

Have you been getting lazy?

Make an Obama promise

Obama expressed his determination recently to "unlock the productivity" of American workers to make the country more competitive in a technology-driven economy.

"I know we can out-compete any other nation on Earth," Obama said in his weekly radio address."We just have to make sure we're doing everything we can to unlock the productivity of American workers, unleash the ingenuity of American businesses, and harness the dynamism of America's economy."

But of course, in reality, Obama's promise is unlikely to have much effect on your business. You need your own Obama moment ... and your own Obama promise.

How will you unlock the potential of your staff and your organisation? Take 2 minutes NOW to think about 5 things you could do to improve things .... and then set about doing at least one of them.