Leading Your Company in To the New Year
This is the time of year that we reflect on your business's progress over the past year, be thankful for what we have and make statements on how we want the next year to develop for our business. I say make statements because many business owners create the “New Year Resolutions” with no plan of action. The first question you need to ask yourself is, what resolutions did I make last year for my business? What were the results? Were we successful? If not, why? Did have a plan to ensure success, or where you just hopeful things would go your way? To ensure success, an owner(leader) needs to be able to identify their own weaknesses and take steps to improve themselves in order to improve their company. Below are some common steps that good leaders adopt to not only improve themselves but everyone around them.
1) Delegate, delegate, delegate and do more of it.
Many small business owners fool themselves into thinking they need to be a part of everything there is to do in running a small business, mostly because they feel that no one can do it better than themselves. Then they wonder why they are so tired and have no time to do anything else! Teach someone else do some of the tasks that you do on a daily basis, this will not only free up some of your time, but it will also build up the confidence in your team and their respect for you as a leader. The end result High-Profits
2) Promote your business regularly and consistently.
Too often the task of promoting a small business slips to the bottom of the to-do list in the press of urgent tasks. One of your top New Year's resolutions should be to hire a marketing expert or if you do not have the resources to do that, then you need to become resourceful and take the time to create a marketing plan on your own and follow through. There are many Low-Cost or No-Cost Ways to Promote Your Business.
3) Business planning should be a weekly event.
Continuous planning is the key if you want a healthy, growing business.
Have you ever heard the quote “No Battle Plan Survives Contact with the Enemy”? Business planning is just that a battle plan and it needs to be constantly reviewed and revised to determine what worked and what didn't work, and it helps you set new directions and/or adjust goals. Set aside time each week to review, adjust, and look forward or even better, make business planning a part of each day.
Not only will this help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on track, but you'll feel more focused and relaxed knowing what is in front of you.
4) Always be learning something new.
Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension of interest to your life - another important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance and increasing your business success. Learn How to Choose the Right Business Consultant, Trainer or Business Coach. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become customers, colleagues or friends.
5) Reach out to other business owners through a new business organization or networking group.
There's nothing like talking to other business people for sparking new ideas, refining old ones, and making contacts. Whether it's a group specifically designed for networking or an organization dedicated to a particular type of business, in person or over the internet, making the effort to be a part of a group will revitalize you and your business.
6) Look to give something back to your community.
There are all kinds of worthy organizations that make a difference in your community. Those that give get. Nothing will seed and grow goodwill for you and your business better than giving back to your community. So make one of your top New Year's resolutions to find a cause that matters to you and give what you can. It does not have to be money, it can be by way of serving on a committee, being a mentor, or volunteer.
7) Make “ME” time for you every day.
It's so important to take time for yourself every day, I personally take the first hour of my day for myself, no phones, emails, computers, tablets, nothing but me and my thoughts. Here is the key to “Me” time, no work, clear your head of all work-related issues, this is the time to recharge and refresh yourself; a healthy work-life balance and your small business's success demands this.
So if you have trouble creating “Me” time to do the things you enjoy, find the time of day that works best for you and block out that time on your calendar to to "meet with yourself" and stick to that commitment. You will find that investing this time in yourself will produce the largest dividends.
8) Set realistic goals.
Goal setting is a valuable habit - having goals will lead to success rather than distress. Resolve that the goals you set will be goals that are achievable, rather than unrealistic pipe dreams that are so far out of reach they only lead to frustration. If you have trouble setting realistic goals, see Use Goal Setting Effectively for a formula to help.
9) Drop what's not working for you and move on.
All products aren't going to be super sellers, all sales methods aren't going to work for everyone, and all suppliers or contractors aren't going to be ideally suited to your business. If a technique or a product or a business relationship isn't working for you, stop using it. Don't invest a lot of energy into trying to make the unworkable workable. Move on. Something better will turn up.
If you apply these steps throughout the year, you'll not only feel better but have more energy to put into your business and make it the success you deserve!