Deciding to grow is deciding to change, and the impacts are pervasive.
Many people go into business with a lot of assumptions around what it will be like. Being a customer and not seeing the hard work that goes on behind the scenes of a well run business can be very misleading.
Operating a business is hard. Growing and operating at the same time is even harder.
Growing your business can be seen as a series of projects that deliver something that grows your revenue - new products, stores, marketing campaigns, supplier and distributor relationships. Each will affect how you operate.
Outlined below are some of the differences between 'Ops World' and 'Project World'. You need to know what world you are in at the time and dance between the two to be successful.
Subtle changes in work type can have big consequences for you and your team. Plan for and expect challenges.
Getting things right once is hard enough. Doing that consistently and then adding in changes to how you do it can be draining.
Consider these 5 strategies to assist with growth;
- Know what world you are in at the time and act accordingly - steady or changing?
- Tell your staff and make the distinction clear - are we operating a clock or attending a party?
- Link the project to your company strategy and goals - answer ‘what’s the point?’ for them
- Clarify their role and what the plan is - ‘where are we going, how do we get there?’
- Identify the risks and manage them - create mitigation strategies before something goes wrong