I assume a few things in business:
- Everything is changing
- Everything is changing fast
- Noone can predict the future
- Talent matters more than ever
- You cannot hide
It is not safe to rest on your laurels just because you found a new tool or way of doing things. It is likely it will obsolesce just as everything else does in due time.
This scares a lot of people that are looking for that elusive security. Security has not disappeared. It has just been redefined. It is in your ability to innovate and change when the facts change.
Change is happening so quickly because your competitors and the rest of the world are continually pushing the envelope on what they sell, how they sell and where they sell.
I continually see the dilemma of people that enjoyed a good ride, but they can’t seem to change when they need to. It’s difficult. After all, there was a lot of investment in time, money and passion doing things the way you do them now.
Usually, people react rather than plan ahead. We are indeed creatures of habit and we adjust best when there is crisis.
If you are different, namely someone who is always seeking to do better, then here are some strategies for knowing when to tweak your processes:
- Losing customers. This should be an obvious one. If you have lost a dramatic rate of customers from your high point, perhaps 50%, then step back and take a look. What was the reason? Why did those customers buy in the first place? Are your newest customers buying differently? It’s a sure sign something has changed and you need to adapt your sales process or customer service directly.
- Lack Of Execution. If your team is not executing the way they used to or what you envision as perfect then your process is broken. Leadership is required to drive a new way of doing things. Looking at the lack of motivation, lack of know-how or lack of clarity are some key areas to developing a more sound methodology.
- No Enthusiasm. This one may come from your gut and feel. It takes some honesty to admit that there is no enthusiasm. This often happens from a lack of vision. Vision is what people align to. It makes a process make sense and have context. What are you shooting for? What do you want to be the best at? If the vision was flawed then tweak it or change it. If your process did not support the vision, then changing your approach will be necessary.
I wrote previously about pivoting and perseverance. It is one of the hardest parts of being a leader or entrepreneur. Your processes support your forward motion. I am of the mindset to be ever vigilant and always innovate on your processes. It’s both necessary and unavoidable.
What processes do you need to examine?
