Checking Your Business Pulse for Business Growth

Well, we’re still here! That’s not enough of course, so often we are advised all is well when doing a walkabout. But this is not enough either. Use your instincts; if you’re passionate about your business, then that’s what needs to permeate into your team. The truth may hurt, but without it there is only one end result.

There are a plethora of techniques and methods that have been developed for your reference. A good example in our (humble) opinion is a structure based on Peter Drucker’s five questions. We like to ‘keep it real’, understandable and in touch with human nature, as we believe this is the key to true ‘business growth’

Experience tells us time and time again to put these logical points at the top of your ‘needs list’. Don’t deviate as you will waste time, effort and allow your competition to dominate your space. We support our clients every step of the way through this process:

Business Review – We take each business through a unique process, relevant to a particular task or desired outcome, to extract and contextualise results, ready to move forward realistically and measurably.

Organisational Alignment - So often there is covert and sometimes overt resistance as well as ingrained negativity, often at a senior level. This must be faced and dealt with to avoid a toxic outcome and to allow the business to move forward positively

People are your most important asset - We certainly believe all businesses are dependent on People to deliver strategy, tactics and ‘hands on’ skills to ensure success. Conversely people can equally help businesses to fail - often without realising! We help to identify this and ensure it isn’t a constraint on your business.

Benefits of Business Review

5 top level things to ensure your business is on track

1. Gross margin achievement – does the business understand its own numbers and do they stack up in terms of relevance and results
2. Engagement of employees – Not about everyone knowing everything, but does everyone feel confident to ‘speak up’ and be listened to
3. Leadership clarity – this is about having purpose. Individuals knowing their role and where they fit as part of the bigger team
4. Understanding what the business does at all levels – no matter what position, do they understand why the business exists, what they do, why they do it and who the end customer is?
5. Smiles – atmosphere, pride and a happy inclusive team is the key to success

Remember that people are infinitely varied, skilled and very easily demotivated. Therefore, we venture that a demotivated team will damage your business. People always reveal the actual culture in so many ways. We are here to support business through any required ‘change’.

Engaging and dealing with people is critical to your business success. Many managers shy away from perceived ‘confrontation’. We support with ‘one on one’ coaching to help improve relationships via Communication Skills, assertiveness and understanding an approach.

We recommend you talk to people and regularly ask questions to keep in tune with the reality.

We have a simple plan based on ‘real world’ experience.

• Use the five points as your strategic and leadership guide
• Adapt to changing circumstances
• Communicate openly with all parts of the organisation on what the business is going to do
• Challenge it to disagree and by implication seek implicit ‘buy in’.
• Be ruthless with toxic people. Organisations certainly need honesty but not personal agendas or internal distractions or gameplaying.
• Reward effort and ensure positive actions are well known.
• Break down barriers - no organisational silo’s or exclusion.
• Measure, publish and explain results – learn to trust your team.
• Create relationships with your customer and suppliers at all levels.
• Invest in development of your team and accept that some may not be able to offer more. This is not a reason to side line but to play to strengths and look objectively at their value.

We offer a specialist service to both assist in the formation and critique of your business plan to help ensure success with a realistic outcome.

Here at u-look-i-c Ltd we help you to understand and demonstrate your benefits in relation to what your customer(s) need and value.

The results help us to identify and guide you through next steps. We are your professional partner to business growth.

Contact us for more information or to set up an initial conversation.