Business Improvement Planning
You might feel you are managing the business reactively rather than proactively. Or maybe you feel you don’t have the time to develop an impactful plan of improvements to be considered, implemented, and adopted properly. It is easy to be consumed with prospect engagements, assisting clients, marketing, managing employees, and more. But without a technique to documenting and refining business improvement ideas and plans, the business will stagnant and productivity will drag.
The key to becoming a more profitable, high growth business is intentionally working ON the business and documenting improvement ideas into a Master Plan of Initiatives and Ideas. It is best to use a collaborative software to allow the executive team to brain dump ideas as they arise, identify the benefit of each idea, prioritize, identify the timeline and leader for each, and track the cost of these improvements.
While creating this Master Plan, you should continually apply IDEOS™ mindset as you mentally review each area of the business. Ask yourself:
Are there INTEGRATIONS that reduce the work?
Can we DELEGATE better using processes?
Can something be ELIMINATED through automation or deletion?
Should we consider OUTSOURCING the work to free up time?
Does the STAFF’s roles and responsibilities need restructuring around new methods of work?
The IDEOS™ mindset is aimed at increasing the capacity to service more clients, keeping operational costs from climbing, and creating a more enjoyable work environment for all.
Benefits
Business planning is the key to a great company culture, clarity and progress, and attracting clients and energized employees. It also helps:
- Accelerate adoption of changes
- Streamline businesses projects and processes
- Feeling in control
- Productive collaboration among staff
- Cost control
- Increased productivity
Exercise
- Download Template
- Consider either sharing this document with team members via 365 or Google OR purchase an online project software like Asana
- Throw all ideas into this master document with no judgement
- Revisit this document and keep adding Ideas, Champions, Benefits, and Timing
Reflect and Prioritize
The mentioned techniques and resources will create a proactive, purposeful Master Plan of Ideas and Initiatives. And the documentation is something that can be shared with others and outside experts, if you choose to expand your network of feedback.
With business planning and IDEOS™ thinking in place, you will be able to relax and focus on what you are really passionate about. Clarity around ideas liberates the mind and allows the business to experience increased capacity, profitability and a more enjoyable work environment.
If this lesson uncovered new ideas or epiphanies, remember to add them to your Master Plan of Ideas and Initiatives. Documenting brings things to life and sharing is caring!