Swindon & Wiltshire News
Expert Opinion: How does boiling water help you to improve your business?
When we boil a kettle, we apply heat energy to water until it boils. If we heat water up to 99 degrees, we’ve applied a lot of energy but it’s still not boiling, it’s just the last bit of energy that takes water ‘over the line’ and into a changed state at 100 degrees.
Improving a business is a little bit the same. It takes energy to improve things, bit by bit, and the business will start to respond, to warm up, as you do so.
Of course, physics tells us that every action has an equal and opposite reaction and that can happen in businesses too.
Staff not happy with the changes you want to make? Individuals who used to perform really well no longer able to do so as you’ve grown and the job has changed?
As the business grows, and the team grow, there are more and more interactions going on, both within the business and with customers – and you’re not involved in most of those interactions. That can be a scary thought. Ever wondered how your customers feel AFTER they have had some interaction with your team? What happened last time you asked them?
As we improve things, there’s a lot to think about. Where will new customers come from? Marketing needs focus, measuring, continuous improvement. How about sales, does making sales depend on you, the business owner? Is that what you want long term?
Giving existing customers a great experience, and keeping it going even as you create more of them. How about recruitment, induction, training the team? Then there’s planning, evaluating progress, putting systems in place (and making sure people use them!).
Everything needs focus and attention – but not necessarily at the same time. Having a plan, selecting priorities and pushing those things to completion, is often what makes the difference. Of course we all know this – but things can get in the way. Sometimes it’s us, getting in our own way.
The kettle, of course, simply applies energy consistently to the water until it gets where it needs to be.
If you’d like to explore how your business is responding to the energy you are putting in, and what’s next in getting you to where you need to be, please get in touch right away. Come for a coffee or for a free workshop full of energy and ideas. Consider it an investment of time in yourself.
Nigel Scott offers business and executive coaching in Wiltshire and Swindon. Contact him on 01672 512001 or via email at nigelscott@actioncoach.com
