Extraordinary Business

How versed are your people on the direction of the company? Here is a quick way to find out and it requires only two questions. First, take a random sampling of your staff. Include some leaders as well as front line and start a discussion with them.

Ask them these two questions:

1. What are the primary objectives for the company?
2. What is your role in accomplishing them?

Wait for the response on each question and compare notes. If your employees and leadership gives answers that closely match yours, then you are on the right track. However, if your staff looks at you with a blank stare, you are going to have some work to do.

What is most important now is that you have the right people doing the right things. If your people aren't working on the right goals, you will be wasting time and money. It could also be a sign that you need to review each persons' job expectations and streamline process. Make sure the right work is being done to provide the best performance and service for the company.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, InVision, Leadership, marketing, Strategy, Vision

How would you go about saving millions in costs in your business? Would you hire a consultant experienced in 6 Sigma or Lean? Who would be the best at helping you? At Stanford Hospital it turned out to be the employees.

Stanford's employees have so far helped the hospital save over $14 million in expenses. Cost reductions occurred in everything from trash collection to de-linting towels for surgery.

So how do you get so many people focused on cost reduction? It has to mean something to the staff. They need to clearly understand the vision and direction of the business. One difference is they were empowered to make a difference because management didn't have all the answers and the results have been tremendous.

Who are you willing to empower and how would it make a difference in your organization?

Labels: 6 Sigma, Business Coaching, Coaching, Health care, Hospitals, Leadership, Lean, Strategy, Vision

Recently I was reviewing a Businessweek article by Jack and Suzy Welch that was titled "Trim the Fat, Not the Service." The title alone brings up a good point. If you make your customers suffer through the tough times with you, they won't be there when those times are over... and you might not either.

The moment the word recession is tossed around, many companies begin preparing for the worst. They do everything to maximize their cash and eliminate services. Unfortunately the customers take the hit in many cases. The focus is on cutting costs instead of gaining market share. So, ironically, when you have your best chance to gain new customers from your competitors, you fail to take advantage of it because you are in your basement riding out the storm.

What if your business was prepared for this. What if instead of cutting costs, you had already managed your business to work efficiently while still exceeding your customer's expectations. What if all the people in your organization understood your strategy and were passionately living it each day. What would that look like? How would it change your business when you are growing while everybody else is cutting back?

Right now you are at the crossroads. Either baton down the hatches or take market share from your competitor. If you can't afford to grow your business, how much can you afford to lose?

Labels: Business Coaching, Coaching, Economy, Leadership, marketing, Planning, Strategy, Vision