Reclaiming the Driver's Seat of Your Business

You ‘heard’ us … you get it … and  now you ask ‘how?’

In the spring edition of B.O.L.D. Print our lead article was one entitled "Action Born of Acceptance ".
The article was based on the query, "What happens when we accept what has been going on in the business economy as the 'new wave' and began making the necessary changes to thrive in this environment?"  More than any other single article that we have published, this one evidently rang the bells of many. The comments we received included:

"You've nailed our issue and our problem"

"We are so ready to have a positive thinking business"

"Trying to survive today has gotten very old and very tiring"

"I hope we're not too late."

Yet the question that was asked the most was ...

How can you help us get started???

Making the mental shift from surviving to thriving is relatively easy once we accept the fact that waiting it out makes for a long time to hold our breath as we're running out of places to achieve cost reductions.  We identified three steps and areas of focus that taking action born of acceptance requires:

 

1. The leadership team reclaims the driver's seat ...
   by working cohesively to identify what has changed, needs to change and design steps to make that happen.
2. Enhancing the effectiveness of individual leaders ...
   by working with each person to help them get beyond the issues specific to them that prevented their full engagement as leaders
3. Developing middle-managers …
   an important step in doing more with less, thus providing the senior managers with more time to lead

Getting started now is so important that we are addressing it in this EXTRA edition of B.O.L.D. Print.  The above three required steps to redirect the company back to health and profitability are in the order in which they must occur and for a very good reason ... before a change in company approach, direction or methodology can happen the leadership team must be aligned.  This article identifies SIX specific actions that an organization must take to reclaim control of their business.

ACTION # 1 – Create a new business paradigm

The first action that must take place is the need for the leadership team to accept and recognize that a new paradigm exists.  Regardless of how drastic the required change is from 'what was', reclaiming control starts because leaders are willing to understand and act on the need for significant change in perspectives and vision.

The Third Zone approach:

The leadership team participates in a series of exercises designed to create the new paradigm required to facilitate change; identify the specific actions that must be taken; assess the risks and rewards of these specific actions; and finally, create the accountability for achieving the new business goals.

ACTION # 2 –Leadership Alignment around the new paradigm

Has your product lost its’ market?  Do you need to alter your processes to streamline operations and reduce costs?  Has your service become obsolete, or is it now considered a luxury that few can afford?  Identifying the full impact of the new business paradigm that you and your customers are experiencing is the place to start.

The Third Zone approach:

Our experienced facilitators will engage and challenge your leadership team to identify and discuss the ways in which your business has changed and the impact of these changes on employees and customers.  Next, we will guide you through a process which will create the specific strategies and tactics required for your company to address the new market conditions, as well as pinpoint the support structures needed for your employees to be successful.

ACTION # 3 – Identify Leadership Team Strengths

Strengths related to your expertise in an industry or skills required in your industry will be needed going forward.  A highly functional leadership team with proven experience and capability to work well together is as important as ever.  The ability to lead and motivate employees may require a new set of skills, or at the very least, fine tuning of existing skills.

The Third Zone approach:

Our team of experts will guide your leaders through an experiential process that will facilitate the identification of individual strengths and skills required to insure success in today’s business environment.

ACTION # 4 – Envision the possibilities

What’s possible?  This step demands that the team go to dreamland of what could be.  Think in terms brainstorming general ideas or concepts.

What opportunities may now exist resulting from the changes your leadership has identified? 

What ideas might the team have considered in the past yet didn’t pursue because they were satisfied with their success … ideas that might now make even more sense? 

What products or services might now be needed in your industry because of the upheaval within the business world?

What choices might be appropriate today that weren’t relevant prior to the recession? 

How might you alter existing products or services to make them more appealing to your customers’?

The Third Zone approach:

Through a team visioning process, we will facilitate the use of your team’s innovation and creativity skills to step into new perspectives.  It is from this place that your leaders will be able to consider viable options that otherwise may not have been considered or even relevant.

ACTION # 5 – Explore the possibilities on the way to a decision

Here is the process step in which the team gets to shape the future … a future in which their knowledge, strengths and experiences will once again, make them a thriving, profitable, successful and secure company.

Making the ultimate decisions here brings with them the energy and drive that will again permeate the organization.  Determining how your business will move forward … with your leadership team in control again … will create a more positive and affirmative environment for your employees and customers.

The Third Zone approach:

In ‘dreamland’, you uncovered numerous possibilities.  Here is where we support your team in implementing these possibilities by creating timetables, identifying milestones and benchmarking the results needed to chart your success.

ACTION # 6 – Create the specific plan to move forward

Here are some of the questions that must be considered in order to bring your plans and decisions into a state of reality: How will your decisions change the tasks and responsibilities of each area of the company?  What new resources are needed and which ones have become obsolete?  What new skills must be learned or brought on-board to insure success? 

The Third Zone approach:

This final step brings everything together for your leadership team. It is here that the previous five steps are consolidated into a plan which will serve as your roadmap during the weeks and months to come.  Specific responsibilities will be identified and assigned; timetables will have been created; benchmarking of results, be they financial or operational will have been clearly identified; accountability will be established and a new vision for success will be created.

We don’t consider the changes needed or in process in many companies either easy or simple.  We do know, however, that it is exciting, invigorating and very motivating to all involved – leaders and associates alike.  And whereas we have only outlined the specific actions around ‘Step # 1’ in the move to reclaim control, this is the one that represents a pertinent beginning.  All of the steps needed to put your company back on the path of a thriving and successful organization can be achieved in a relatively short time period.  We know because we do it often.  Call us today as your first step to drawing the line and taking back control of your organization!!

Contact us today as your first step to drawing the line and taking back control of your organization!!