3 Ideas to Power Up your Business in 2017

It’s the last week of the year.  Hopefully, your Christmas and Holiday season is being filled with lots of joy and you’re spending time with friends and family.  It is a special time of the year; a time to count our blessings and look with hope towards the New Year.  So, since many of you are trying to work as little as possible this week, we are going to keep this very short, but hopefully useful.

This past month nearly all of our client meetings had some degree of discussion around what is working, what isn’t working, and goals for 2017 and beyond.    Though our meetings are separate, there are always a few reoccurring observations that the business owners make.   More directly, the “What is working?” question generated a few replies that really struck a chord.

They were all initiatives the owner(s) viewed as valuable additions to their company.  These were the top 3.

Power Up….the Top 3 “What is working” Ideas

1) Core Value Alignment:

We may reference this more than any other “secret sauce” or “key to success” in business.  But, we repeatedly hear clients who have clarified their core values with their team and really operate their business following those values, talk about the positive impact it has on their company.  It gets everyone on the same page, talking the same way and working together.

 

2) Value of Regular Meetings:

Despite being connected 24/7 today, communication (or lack thereof) continues to be an issue for most.  Comments, directions, and ideas get misunderstood in short texts and important emails get buried in the inbox.   Our clients who have adopted some model of short regular power meetings once a week either in person, phone, or online, acknowledge the value in the meetings.

 

3) Value of addressing Issues head-on: 

Sweeping issues under the rug doesn’t work.  This one is often the hardest to embrace. It is very common to want to avoid conflict and most “issues” are equated with conflict.   The businesses that have shifted their thinking to what is the opportunity if/when we solve this issue have changed the way their team views issues or bottlenecks in the business.

There were certainly others, but those are the three that seem to be the most impactful on the business from the owner’s perspective.   If you’re thinking about positive changes for your business in 2017, and you haven’t adopted these three, maybe it is time to make the New Year the time to do it.  If you feel stuck and aren’t sure how or where to start, seek out a strategic advisor who may be able to assist.

What about you?  What has worked well for you in 2016?  Please feel free to share your thoughts in the space below.    We hope that 2016 was a great year for you and your business and we wish you the very best in 2017.   Happy Holidays!

Chris Steinlage Kansas City Business Coach