sjsmith.com.au - blog

Fear vs Fun

Dealing with Change

After you've been in business for a few years the one certainty you can have is that things change.  You may have started your business for one reason only to find that it's taken you on a completely different path.  You've possibly had some disappointments or someone has let you down.  No business, no matter how successful, is without its struggles. You may find that things take a downturn through no fault of your own. Like when a global financial crisis hits for example! The true test of a successful business, and one that will survive the long haul, is not how fast they grow but how well they deal with change.

There are a number of key factors in dealing effectively with change in your business.  Firstly, you must be keeping a regular eye on where your business is now.  Are you meeting or exceeding your sales targets? Is expenditure under control and within budget? Are staff satisfied and productive? Are they working to their potential? Are you working to your potential? Are future plans and projects moving forward according to schedule?  

As the business owner, one of your key responsibilities is to keep the boat afloat.  If things are getting choppy you need to make adjustments. If there's stormy weather ahead, have you got a plan to deal with it?  Once you recognise that there has been a fundamental shift you need to allocate resources to manage the change.  Who will formulate the new path or plan and where or who will they get input from?  What's the time frame for it, is a budget needed and, what is the intended outcome?  Communication with everyone involved is fundamental.

The final part of effectively dealing with change is to measure the end result. Has the intended result been reached or does it need a little tweaking? Is everybody on board with the new systems or procedures? Are there any gripes from the people involved that need to be resolved?  Not everyone responds well to change. In fact, the majority of people may resist it in favour of the familiar.  Once the dust has settled you may find that you're in unexpected territory. That can be scary or exciting. You decide which!

Till next time,

Sarah-Jane X