It's hard to believe that the first quarter of 2015 is already history. By now the results should be in and hopefully you're seeing growth. Unfortunately, many companies won't see much difference from Q1 of 2014.
But it's not too late to drive 2nd-quarter growth.
Key Questions to Start Gaining Traction
If your numbers look a lot like last year's numbers and you feel like you're stuck, ask yourself these 5 questions:
- Did the company get too complex? As companies grow, they inherently get more complex. There are more people involved so communication becomes more challenging. Systems and processes evolve and sometimes take on a life of their own. Take a look at what you're doing and how you're doing it. Can you simplify things?
- Is everyone delegating appropriately? Growth brings volume, but the number of hours in a day doesn't change. Sometimes we forget to ask if it's really still appropriate to be doing everything we've been doing. Poor delegation can create bottlenecks. Ask yourself, "Is everyone focusing on the things they're great at and letting someone else do the rest?"
- Are we taking the time to predict well? Often we get caught up in the day-to-day details and forget to take the time to make sure we're getting somewhere. It's like driving somewhere without having directions. You usually get there but it takes longer and it's harder than it ought to be. Are you working on the right stuff at the right time?
- Do we have systems in place that are scalable and repeatable? As companies grow, new processes and ways of doing things evolve. Many times this is "tribal knowledge" that never gets documented. New employees rely on hearsay to get up to speed. Worse yet, somebody leaves and nobody knows how to do what they did. Are your processes in place so everyone knows what to do and why?
- Do we have the right structure? Organizations are often like amoebas and take on a life of their own. Sometimes people take on tasks out of necessity that aren't really in their skill set. It's important to take a timeout and ask yourself two important questions: Are we structured the right way to enable us to grow? Do we have all right skills to deliver what's needed for where our organization is now?
Next Steps
- Get a high-level overview of your company's strengths with the Organizational Checkup.
- Download a free chapter of Get a Grip to find a practical way to use EOS in your company.
