Partner Article

How to stop your business driving you instead of the other way round

How true the words of American business Lee Lacocca resonate when he said “If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.”

We all have the same amount of time – but it’s how we use it that matters and effective time management can elevate businesses to the next level and help them to leapfrog their competitors.

We have all met bosses and managers who seem to be constantly busy – from my own experience in the retail world where I worked alongside some that appeared to be permanently overworked and exhausted. Going the extra mile to ensure customer service exceeds expectation goes with the territory but if you find yourself constantly playing a relentless game of catch up, question whether your frenetic activity is effective – or if you are simply playing the proverbial busy fool?

Take some time out if you feel your role in the business is comparable with Groundhog Day. The iconic Bill Murray film has become cultural shorthand for being trapped in a scenario where the same events repeat themselves over and over again.

Spending most of your time doing small, routine tasks will not help you find new customers and growth the business forward. Instead there is a danger you will be overwhelmed rather than alert and energised in order to boost performance and gain competitive advantage.

Escape from the business for a day and choose an activity that helps to blow away the cobwebs and reinvigorate your thinking.

When returning to your desk the next day, make the decision to start running the business and stop letting it run you.

Take action by delegating and hand over the tasks that threaten to bog you down and stop you maintaining the bigger picture.

Here are some fundamental questions to help you ramp up your efficiency and drive your business to the next level:

1. Are your daily activities driving - or deviating from - the company’s goals and vision?
2. If they are detracting from them, what do you need to do differently?
3. Do you communicate your vision and goals to your team?
4. Do you have the right people in place to delegate effectively to?
5. If you don’t have the right people, what are you going to do about it?
6. Do you have proper processes and systems in place to free you up?
7. Do you make time to keep any eye on the bigger picture?
8. Do you know your company’s competitive advantage?
9. Do you innovate to stay ahead of the game?
10. Do you know which of your products/services are the most profitable?

Your responses will give you clarity and focus to move forward with purpose and enable you to make the necessary changes and decisions to reinvigorate yourself as the owner and your teams.

Coach and motivational speaker Anthony Robbins, said: “One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”

Follow the above steps to stay focused and disciplined – and start enjoying the great results you will achieve.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Julie Pickersgill .