Let’s Kick Off 2022 With Some Resolutions You Can Actually Do!
Let’s talk about resolutions that will help your business in the short and long run. The first step is to write down your problems, from A to Z. This will take a day or two. You will notice things that you think are ordinary in the course of your business, but they really are a problem.
Two days from now, rank each problem with 1, 2 or 3. “One” is a severe problem that requires some significant work and will have a profound impact on your business. “Two” is an average daily problem that may take no more than a couple of hours to implement a change. “Three” means a problem that you can change on a moment’s notice. After making your list, separate the “threes” and plan their demise. One short and quick meeting implementing some new rules and explaining why, will solve each of these.
“Threes” include not answering the phone politely or not getting clear messages. They can be as simple as every truck must be cleaned every day upon returning to the company. No exceptions other than what tools, metal or glass, will be used tomorrow. They must wear a clean company uniform or shirt, have proper footwear and report on time–not 3-5 minutes late every morning. You are reading this on Tuesday or Wednesday. Schedule your company-wide meeting for next Monday morning introducing your changes. Do it now. Schedule the darn meeting. This will force you to make a list and get it done!
Make all these changes at one time. Let’s say you have 10 small changes to make. If you try to accomplish one a week, folks will complain about them weekly. If you do 10 at once, folks will complain about one or two, and the other eight will go right into effect. Be sure to listen to your team. There may be one situation with a good reason for being done and you didn’t see it that way. If so, drop your rule change on that one. You will implement eight or nine of your changes, and life will be better and safer at your company.
Ask your team if there are other everyday problems they need help with. Nothing helps a company build than this. Listen carefully and implement changes that the majority of your team wants. You will come out with a better team for doing this, even if you don’t necessarily agree.
Follow up in two or three days to see that your requested changes really have the impact you had hoped for. If not, go over the change requested with the folks who didn’t implement it.
In our next blog, you’ll see how to work with problems that are a “two” and the blog after that we will attack the “one” problems.
Some special notes: Paul Daniels and I are going to have some special two-part blogs this year, giving two different views on a problem or situation. Please drop either of us a note, (addresses at the end of this blog) detailing a problem or concern you have and we will answer with our thoughts. We will keep your name and location off the blog for privacy.
I would also like to wish all of our readers a happy, safe and most of all, a healthy New Year.
Also, this year I will try to end blogs with something funny, to lighten up your day. Here is today’s:
Remember, when you lose a sock in the clothes dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn’t fit any of your containers.
Paul Daniels email: crlpaul@msn.com
Paul Bieber email: paulbaseball@msn.com