How Am I Going To Change?

April 30, 2020 Selling Comments Off on How Am I Going To Change?

By Bill Phillips, Strategen, Inc.

What a time to be a business owner! Your world has changed and no matter what business you are in, things are different today than you forecasted and planned for just a few months ago at the start of the year.

As we move forward, your world is going to continue to change and nobody can tell you exactly what it will look like or be like for your business, your employees and your customers. What a challenge. But you are not in business because it is easy or safe. You are in business to make money by supplying products and/or services needed by the market and this is what you need to focus on.

You had a plan when you started the year the first of January and regardless of what that plan looked like, reality has changed it. Today businesses fall in one of the following categories:

• Extremely busy with more work than you planned for
• Holding your own
• Closed because you are not considered essential or it is not safe to have people in your facility or office

No matter which of the three you find yourself in, it is critical for you to be doing the right things to capitalize on the situation now or to be prepared to capitalize on the situation when your customers need you again. The core of capitalizing lies with Strategic Planning and placing your business in the best possible position to carry on or rebound back as quick as possible. Strategic Planning has always been important but with this new business climate it is possibly the most important thing you can do for your business.

You must face the fact that the future will be different. For some, this difference will be minor but for some this difference will be monumental. There will be cases where the work that was done the last several years building teams and increasing associates will take a step backwards. Many will find ways to utilize less people, more technology and new ways to go to market. This new concept of “essential employee” may take on a new perspective in how you staff your teams and who is on your teams. In other cases, business will be so strong that you will continue to add personnel to meet the demand. What a place to find yourself in just a few months after starting the year with plans for success.

Industries are going to change. Markets are going to change. People are going to change. The question business owners must face is “How Am I Going To Change”.

History has proven those that succeed capitalize on the changes they encounter and find ways to meet the demands of the markets they serve. This starts with Strategic Planning and looking at what is needed and how what you do solves these needs. More than ever, planning needs to become a habit. Plan for the changes you see ahead. Place your business in a position to solve the needs this change brings. Be the organization the customer looks to for the solutions. This is what we do for our customers and it works!

Planning is important and must be done but execution, development of metrics and plan adjustment are more important. Cash planning and cash management will be critical to success.  Having the tools to plan, manage the plan and manage cash are what we bring to the party.

“A Habit” is not work, but just a thing that is done every day and Strategic Planning is critical to your success in business and can easily become a Habit.

TIME MANAGEMENT. For Top Performers every task is planned and focused on the goals that earn the results. Top Performers plan and then engage. They act on their plans, they work hard and they get results.

Coaching these skills is a critical part of what we do. We are here to help you develop and implement your Strategic Plan and coach and develop the skills to implement the plan successfully.

We are having great success coaching and  implementing these methods and skills and our clients love it!