Business Changing

Profit and Growth Specialist

BUSINESS COACHING -Are you, that’s you, making a difference?

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Article by Zac, from NZ Apparel Magazine, May 2011. Enjoy. Applicable to all businesses!

I am talking to you… You the designer, you the accountant, you the retail assistant, you the wholesaler business owner, you the pattern maker, you the part timer. You the whatever you do!

First question to you… Are you springing out of bed each morning excited about the work or business day ahead? If you are not enjoying what you are doing day to day, it is time for you to have a big think on what you should be doing. If you are not “into” what you do for a job or a business, you definitely will not be performing to your maximum in your day to day role. If you are not enthused with what you are doing, what is the fundamental reason for that? Think hard and see if you can fix the reason or find something else to aspire to. Managers/owners, ask your staff individually if they are really enjoying what they do for you and how it could be better.

Now I would like to give you a few more questions to think about. Hopefully they will help you be more effective at whatever you do!

  • What is stopping you reach your peak performance in your role or overall in your business or team? It is time to do a Nike and “just do it”! Today, after reading this, for yourselves, deal to one of those things that you know you need to address! Is it a hard conversation with someone? Is it being more structured in what you are doing so you are not flying by the seat of your pants? Is it walking the talk more? Whatever it is, you can do it, today. Great satisfaction is sure to ensue!
  • Who is the weak link that you work with? What are you doing about it? It might not be within your company. It might be a supplier. As strange as it sounds, it might even be a customer. So who is not pulling their weight and letting the collective greater team down? They need to change their ways, so go ahead and deal to that too.
  • Do you believe in what your overall company is trying to achieve? If you are confused in any area of the vision, goals, aims, culture and the like, have a chat to someone. For you to perform at your maximum and to impact on the business you work at, you need to understand and preferably buy into the overall vision. Managers and owners, think about who is not going in the same direction as the rest and have that difficult chat with them.
  • Do you actually know what you are supposed to be doing in your job? As stupid as it sounds, many employees are unsure of what their true accountabilities are… Managers make sure your team individually know what they are supposed to be doing. Induction is critical also – are you doing enough to not set the newbie up for failure? Unhappy team members are often those who are confused about what their job is and when that happens it is impossible to have job satisfaction. Team members, if you think your job description or KPIs are outdated you need to raise it with your manager. They will be thankful that you raised it with them.
  • Are you communicating what is on your mind? What bugbear have you got? It has grated you for long enough, it is time to raise it. There will be someone you can talk to about the issue. Business owners, it might be a business coach, mentor, director, partner, whatever. Staff, there is always someone to talk to. If there is not I would be questioning if you are at the right workplace. It is so key that a business is top-down showing open and honest communication.
  • Are you trying, really trying, to give good service? To make more of a difference I would ask yourself, “What can I do, right now and forever from today, to improve the level of customer service that I give?” There will be something. We can get customer service ideas from everyday life 24/7. Remember the great examples you see and implement them into your own work, business and life regime.
  • What idea do you have that will help your business and your team to perform at a higher level? Managers/owners ask your team for their ideas on how the business can make more money! Staff, feel proud to give your ideas and watch the smiles and pats on the back coming your way from the powers that be and who knows what else.

Some other quick headline questions for you to think about as you strive to maximise your personal performance…

  • What excuses do you come up with? Stop the excuses.
  • As Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry, “A man’s got to know his limitations”. What can you do to overcome your limitations?
  • Are you an under promiser and over deliverer or an over promiser and under deliverer? Be the right side of this equation.
  • Is there anybody that I need to connect with better to be able to perform my job better?
  • Owners/managers, one final big question: What is the one thing in my business or responsibility that is causing me the most pain at the moment?? Then, what is your plan to address that!

There are many other ways to maximise your own personal, team or business performance to truly make that difference. We all want to believe in something and when we make a difference, we just feel amazing! So what is stopping you?

The usual drill… If I can assist you in your business planning or role in any way (that means growing your profitability and performance via business coaching and advice!) please make contact, via zac@businesschanging.com or www.businesschanging.com

 

 

 

 

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