Can you ever imagine being able to say, “my work here is done”? It seems unlikely to us at First Financial. No matter how well our business is doing or how much our people are achieving, we’re always looking to see if there’s anything we could do better. And we’re convinced that’s what has helped us grow and thrive over the 25 years we’ve been in business.
If you’ve been following our blog series, 25 years of passion, quality and service, this is the next instalment. And if you’ve missed any of the others, don’t worry. You can find them all here.
So here are our eight top ways to ensure your business doesn’t stand still:
- Know your strengths
We can’t all be good at everything. In business, as in life, it’s essential to know what you’re good at and what you’re not so good at. The best managers know how to delegate to match tasks with skills and get the job done efficiently.
- You can do anything but not everything
When we started, we knew our business inside-out. But we didn’t really know how to run the business. Don’t be afraid to recognise the skills gaps and find people who can do a job better than you. It’s not admitting defeat – it’s letting everyone make the best use of their time.
- Ask the experts
This follows from point two. If there’s something you’re not sure how to do – or know there must be a better way to do it – there’s no shame in asking for help or coaching. We’ve worked a lot with the consultants at Infusion Group to strengthen our knowledge and skills, and it’s a move that has been instrumental in moving our business forward.
- Look in the mirror
It’s important for any business to take time out, review how it’s all shaping up, and see if there’s anything you could do better. That’s easy to forget if you’re busy. But if you stand still for too long, you might find that others are quick to overtake you.
- If it ain’t broken, break it
Too many companies are happy with the status quo and see no reason to change. But the reality is that there’s always room for improvement. The most expensive words in business are “we’ve always done it this way”, but you won’t get away from that kind of thinking by staying in your comfort zone. At First Financial, we strive to regularly review, adapt and improve the way we work before market conditions force us to do so.
- Don’t worry if you get stuck
You can’t be expected to have all the answers. If you feel like you’ve run out of ideas to keep your business fresh and vibrant, it’s time to look for some help to inject life back into your business. A few years ago, it happened to us. Getting in some outside help made it easy to step things up and get it all moving again.
- Grow your team with your business
When things get hectic, you may have to take on a specialist team member to keep everything running smoothly. We were advised to take on an Operations Manager to free up our Directors’ time. Although it was a big decision for us, it was one of the best we’ve ever made.
- Have a plan
This is probably the most important one of all. Ensure you have a vision for your business and set some clear goals for how you want it to grow. Then, set aside time regularly to review your plans to see if you’re on track for success. If you’re not, you know what you need to do.
Want to know more?
If you found this interesting, you can also take a look at our previous article in this series, What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Or get in touch for advice about all kinds of mortgages, property finance, life and critical illness cover.
