Four Crucial Keys To Small Business Success

Four Crucial Keys to Small Business Success

Every business I have ever coached or spoken to has the same needs.

No matter the size - no matter the niche.

If all four of these pieces are assembled correctly, the chances of success are hugely increased. If they are ignored -well four out of five and all that.

Image a circle and each 90 degrees is a key. They all fit together and they all make the circle spiral up - towards success for everyone.

At the top is vision. Without vision a company is a rudderless ship drifting in the current. Some people are going this way, some people are going that. Vision provides all basis of direction. Vision provides the clear guiding light that all decisions are based. "Does this match our vision?"

Every CEO's main role is to conceptualize, clarify and communicate the vision - on a daily basis.

Next is the process of business. Most jobs are "do what is in front of you the best you can. We'll train you if you need help. " Then when that person leaves it becomes "How can we replace this irreplaceable person?"

There must be systems in place for all jobs, and a process defining how each part of the job is to be done, with procedures clearly recorded. In today's computer world , and many people on the computer often, procedures can be easily recorded with screen capture software and used for training.

The third part are the people. People do the processes which when done correctly lead to the vision. The biggest mistake I see being made is in the form of measurement. Most companies measure the people when they should be measuring the process! It is so much easier to measure processes than people. Who likes to be measured? Once a process/procedure is in place some sort of measurement/benchmark can be made and a standard against which to measure is defined. Now everyone know and understands the objective and can agree whether or not is is achievable.

People are crucial to constantly improving the process and bring life to the company. But people need a vision. Got it?

Last (notice I said last) is management. Management's job is to measure the process and make sure the people are perfroming the process and that the process is making progress toward the vision.

Simple. Four easy steps. Well - OK - maybe not simple and maybe not easy. But absolutely crucial!