Leading your company had better not be like herding cats.
How do you get everyone moving in the same direction, like a finely tuned machine?
1 – Ensure your folks know the direction. Sounds simple, but often this isn’t the case. We give our employees the mushroom treatment..
2. Ensure the message on the company direction is relevant to your folks. You don’t want them daydreaming through this discussion. Make it real. Give examples. Give examples that involve your folks, the functions. Make it a discussion. Get everyone involved.
3. Set individual goals based on each person’s key role in delivering value. Make those goals the primary ones. Have the informal discussions to get your folks to buy into their role. You want passionate people when it comes to delivering customer value.
4. Create and refine systems that support delivering the value. Do Six Sigma FEMA analyses to understand the critical risk points, and address them. Foolproof the system.
5. Listen to customer feedback, and ensure team members are aware of it. The value to the customers may be shifting, and the company needs to change to address it. Market research, customer visits help to gain customer insight here.
6. Have fun with your team. Take some time to socialize, play bingo, bowl or just enjoy a BBQ. The team works hard, and friendships go a long way on a stressful day.
As always, let me know what works for you, or where you need some advice.
For more resources, see the Library topic Business Development.
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Tove Rasmussen, of Partners Creating Wealth, offers business expertise worldwide to help organizations grow, and disadvantaged regions thrive.
Photo credit: Digital Money World
Tove Rasmussen, MBA, has strong background in growing small and medium-sized companies through developing and implementing effective marketing strategies, developing leaders, and expanding in emerging markets. She is educated in international development & business with strong experience in all facets of business, including over 20 years experience growing companies with up to multi-million dollar budgets.