Frustrated, stressed, irritated, disillusioned, stuck.
Words that often crop up when talking to business owners and directors; the story is a common one. The company has grown and seen a period of success, focus has remained on revenue generating activities rather than investing in systems (platforms for growth). The result, the business is operating beyond capacity whilst struggling to service customers creating frustration and stress.
The challenge is that when faced with this situation human instinct is to try and muddle through; in reality this means putting out daily ‘fires’ which is a short-term strategy.
To get back into a position where the leadership team can focus on building the business and taking enjoyment from day to day operations a shift is required. This means stepping back and understanding what is happening and why, from here it is possible to refocus the business and create the systems required to support continued growth.
This does not always require large scale transformation but instead exploring how the business and the people within it are operating and re-aligning this to the evolving needs. Applying Pareto’s principle allows us to highlight a small number of factors that will create the biggest impact, rather than trying to implement a complex strategy.
For business owner and directors who feel this frustration affirmative action starts with talking to people; this can include peers and other business owners who are going through the same journey. We quickly realise that everyone faces the same challenges and that a support network exists to share ideas and best practice to move forwards.
Most business leaders are aware of what should be done but struggle with implementation; this is where a consultant and coach add value. Working through the challenges, creating accountability and developing skills in the business to deploy the necessary change.
