Are You Sitting Comfortably?
There comes a time in
many small businesses where people just get used to each other, rely on certain
people too much or even don't want to take certain actions or change because it’s
“too much trouble”. This is a sign that
the business is in trouble.
There’s no harm with having a business where everyone works
well together. The difference, though,
is whether they’re working together for the right reasons or because they don't
want to address the proverbial “elephant in the room” and are just putting up
with the situation until something better comes along.
The elephant may be a “key employee” who knows that he or she is “key” (they may
think this means “indispensable”) and takes advantage of it to the detriment of
others. Result: morale and productivity
drop and people may decide it’s better to leave than stick around in a toxic environment
where the boss isn't prepared to look after everyone as opposed to a “select
few”. If you’re the owner of a business
and you see this happening, particularly in one team or department, ask
yourself if the problem is the team/department head whom you consider
“indispensable”.
Another problem may be in “the way we do things”,
manifesting itself in a reluctance to look at or adopt new ways of doing
them. If the competition is doing it,
the business may find itself at a competitive disadvantage in future. Change is never comfortable or easy, but if
we don't change, we can get left behind.
Again, if you find the competition drawing ahead whilst you stick to
your proverbial guns, does something need to change?
There’s no harm in being in that “happy zone” for a
while. Businesses tend to grow,
“plateau” as they consolidate and absorb that growth and then grow again. However, plateauing for too long means
danger. The first question to ask is “Have we been too comfortable for too
long?” Getting out of the “comfort zone”
is scary and needs effort. You may make
mistakes or even fail along the way. However,
the risks of doing nothing are even greater.
Labels: Leadership, Strategy
posted by William Martin @ 14:34
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