Normally you focus on strengths, or things to do. In this post I’m listing 3 things you want to avoid – but you avoid them by doing the opposite.
Dumb Thing 1. Planning - Western Australia is not immune to the economic downturn the rest of the world is currently facing. Some businesses will die, some will survive and yet, even in these times, some will thrive. Those who survive or die will predominantly not have a plan. No business plan, no marketing plan, no people plan and no coherent budget. (I say “coherent” because everyone looks at the numbers but they don’t always make sense of them.)
Solution -> Plan: sit down with someone else (a devil’s advocate, perhaps) and write out your plan for the next 3 – 6 months at least. Longer of you can. You need to know what you are going to do, who you are going to do it with (colleagues) who you are going to do it to (prospects/clients), how you are going to do it and how you’ll know you’re winning (i.e. measures, numbers, budgets, accountability)
Dumb Thing 2. Don’t Involve Your People – do not talk with your staff. They are still learning and know very little. They won’t add value. It would be a waste of time. Every thing you do is common sense anyway.
Solution -> DEFINITELY talk with your staff: get them working on the problems you want solved. Ask them questions and how they would go about things. In my experience if staff don’t know something they try and find out or straight out tell you: “I don’t know.” Interestingly, in these uncertain times staff know people. People who may be prospects or client contacts or someone who knows someone who you need to talk to.
Dumb Thing 3. Don’t Develop People. Similar to DT2 but in quieter times why invest in your people? Money’s tight, the future unsure. Training wuld be a waste of time. We’ve got to knuckle down and get everyone productive. Good luck with that blunt axe!
Solution -> Get them up to speed. Draw a line and determine what skills, talents and knowledge would define someone as “above the line” as opposed to being below the line. Then work really hard to get everyone above the line.
Better Outcomes: What do you get?
Avoiding these 3 Dumb Things (apologies to Paul Kelly) will gain you a heap of leverage in the business market. Here are a few:
Planning
- focus
- less distractions
- a bias for action (thanks Tom Peters et al)
- proactive contact with clients and prospects
- a chance to make (exceed?) budget
- energy within the workforce you don’t have to drive
People Involvement
- solutions where there seemed to be nothing
- energised workforce
- synergy – results with less effort
- ideas on improvement
- improvements implemented
- a good reputation that attracts better staff
- business value
People Development
- better quality
- better turnaround
- better customer service/client management
- better products
- better staff who find better staff
That should do, you get my point.
