Written by: Land Bridgers | BrainTrust
Being a business owner can feel a lot like playing Whack-A-Mole: You go from one issue to the next trying to smack down problems that pop up with no warning.
There is no time to plan, and very little time to think. This approach to business management is exhausting; it leads to frustration and burnout. Worse yet, you get held back from reaching your full potential. Or quit trying.
What can you do to stop the madness?
Most business owners and entrepreneurs do not like my answer, but I believe this next step is critical for personal and professional growth.
You must evaluate your business!
If you have a Whack-A-Mole business strategy, it’s time assess, outline, and implement the processes and procedures that will take you to the next level. Preferably one that doesn’t feel like an aggravating arcade game.
Business leader and author Jim Collins says it best, “Magic occurs when you combine the spirit of entrepreneurialism with a culture of discipline.”
Or said another way, “You must systemize the predictable, so you can humanize the exceptional.”
Consider that it is time to work on your business so that you can grow your business.
Organization takes time, but also creates space for better conversations and better experiences, which lead to more business. Interactions have the potential to go from regular to exceptional when everyday processes are identified, documented, implemented, revisited, and refined on a regular basis.
Likely few business owners enjoy the nitty gritty work of defining processes and procedures, but it is so necessary . Every company – large or small – should have clear directives outlined in the following areas: Business Development, Marketing, Operations, Client Service, and Finance.
Related: How to Attract High Paying Clients
We tend to evaluate the growth and success of a company by their top line revenue number, but numbers don’t generate a complete report of a company’s health and potential. Revenue shows us external growth. However, external growth is not possible without internal growth. Initiatives focused on internal growth may not be immediate revenue generators, but without them, your long-term success is undermined.
Internal growth is the essence of your business. It happens when employees embrace your company vision. It happens when hours are applied to the implementation of processes and procedures that ultimately make work easier. And it happens when client experiences are consistently made exceptional.
If you’re still on the fence about the value of investing time in your business, you can continue with your game of Whack-A-Mole. After all, arcade games are fun. At least while your money lasts.
But if you’re interested in stopping the madness, it’s time to start looking on the inside. Of your business, your books, your daily routines, and your heart.
Believe me, it will be time well-spent.