Business is a Journey to reach your ultimate Destination
Why would I make a title such as this? Simply because even at this stage of my life I am still learning and adding to my history a huge business success in amongst the losses.
I have never looked at my failures as total losses because they have added substantially to my knowledge of what not to do which has buoyed my future strategic reviews of companies and pointed up the direction which should be taken to achieve sustainable growth and profit.
To look back on a business with which I was an integral part of the executive management team where we identified our core business direction to complement our core competencies, the business went from $30m/year to $120m/year over a 4-year period and was awarded every major accreditation and accolades available in Australia.
Integral to this achievement was the 1st export order for Australia, accreditation to best practice under the federal governments inaugural best practice programme, 5-star safety rated for 5 consecutive years, supplier of the year, national quality awards and the list goes on.
Part of my strategic approach was through the development of people. To present them with opportunities they may not get elsewhere. To recognise their improved skill levels through increased remuneration. In other words, I looked to make all employees who wished to succeed a marketable asset. Through this approach with HR management our staff turnover rate was around 2.5%. This figure is actually lower than if everyone took their award allocated leave entitlements (incl sick leave).
People still say to me but Roger, my business is different. My reply is simply this. ‘Products and Processes may differ but the Principles are all the same’
Success is all about communication, clear lines of operational responsibility but making sure those employees at any level have the authority to match their accountability. They know and are committed to the Strategic Business Plan and their individual/collective KPI’s which are managed on a weekly basis whereby adverse and even positive achievements to plan are fully discussed with appropriate corrective actions taken where needed.
It is my belief that everyone on earth is here to succeed and we must inspire employees and others that our purpose is beyond ourselves.
John Maxwell the great management/leadership professional said, ‘It is important people believe their leader, but it is more important that the leader believes in his people’
Dream big and make sure you look for any reason to celebrate.
Let me assist you achieve sustainable growth and profit again.
