ASK YOURSELF:
Will your Business exist in 10 years’ time and if so, what will it look like?
If you haven’t asked the question then it’s time, but then again, finding the “time” to research and forward plan when the day to day takes priority is nearly every business owners nemesis.
So let’s start with the “lack of time” issue, and firstly ask yourself is it self-inflicted? We look at some thought-provoking examples and strategies to address the first issue:
1. Turn off your SM notifications – if SM is a PR/income stream to your business then book time daily to look and work on this, treat like a client appointment. If it’s a huge part of your business and activity, are you really the best person to be doing it? How would your life and bottom line change if you outsourced this function?
2. Is shortage of time, among other things stopping you from growing the business? Such as people/product/cash/you? It may be that you don’t want to grow as the business is running well and suits your professional and personal goals. So, what does that look like in 10 years’ time? If you hold your position and stand still today what does that mean for the future? Have you built this into your business strategy to understand the risk and what’s in place to minimise the business survival risk?
3. What are you doing in the business that other people can do? Delegate it!
4. Do you have to travel to all your meetings? Many, not all, can be online meetings, particularly those ongoing relationships that need to be nurtured/maintained but can be managed alternatively.
5. The re birth of the PA to the EA. Executive Assistants can manage the admin and company communications. Take a leaf out of our book, we use voice recording software whilst on the road, delivered to our EA which is reproduced as our same day client follow up.
6. Join it up, are all your processes and systems working in unison? Make it so as your competitors already are!
7. You can’t be an expert at everything, cost it, outsource it.
8. Set boundaries and stick to them, that maybe something as simple as the time you allowed for a meeting or maybe the hours you work. No one will thank-you for working around the clock and neither will your health and family in the future.
9. It’s common to know and understand what haemorrhages your time however it’s quite another thing to know how to change things to give you the time you actually need to be working on the business and ensuring your business of today is going to be a business of the future.
The Second Issue:
With over 40% of jobs in the future, currently of “unknown job specifications,” and the government trying to provide an education system to produce our future skilled workforce. This is already a massive challenge so let’s look at what we know:
1. AI is changing our world – what will that mean in your business? Have you made the time to research and work on this? This is a priority and should feature heavily in your Business Strategy.
2. People will remain a cost and an asset – the person specifications of the future will include the need to have digitally enabled, agile and versatile people and skills. If skills weren’t an issue today and you could wave a magic wand and have the personnel to fit all the business needs…. what would the business look like? This is your template for the future… so use it!
3. How advanced is your industry knowledge? Are you linking in with business leaders in your field, are you attending conferences with industry peers and experts from around the world? Are you up for collaboration?
4. Have you tapped into the grants and support available for innovation?
The team at Inspire are on hand to help in understanding your business today and to make sure you are at the ready for tomorrow. To access a world of business “know how” and contacts, please get in touch to find out how to tap into the Inspire Business Networks.
01225 355553 or see www.inspire.dev.plx.mk for information.
Mandy Paterson COO MIRP
Inspire
© Copyright 2019 The Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce t/a Inspire
