Watching MasterChef Australia tonight, it was amazing to see how the teams handled being put under pressure. As in any business, some people handle it, and others don't.
In small business, it's so important to know who in your team can and can't handle the heat in the kitchen. If you push someone the wrong way, their performance, and your product or service, will suffer.
So what's the key to getting a team to cook up a storm together? Here are my top two tips (there are more in Chapter 21 of The Small Business Success Guide):
1. Every month, ask your team for their suggestions on how you can do things better. It's an inclusive way to lead and you might be surprised by what comes out of a positive brainstorming session.
2. Lead by example. Be fair and honest in all your dealings with staff. And create a work environment where everyone knows your vision and that flexibility is a bonus to be worked for. If you've had a win, go home early, and allow your team do the same. Create an environment that doesn't just pay lip-service to the notion of work-life balance. It's a great motivator.
You'll be amazed at the results.
Margie
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Can I make my accounts easier?
Accounts are often the bane of small business. When do you find the time to keep your accounts in order and manage your filing and reporting requirements? After dinner? On the weekend? Later? Not until it's tax time?
Having just been rapped over the knuckles by my accountant for not being more on the ball in my accounts department, I've gone scurrying back to The Small Business Success Guide to get myself in shape for the upcoming end-of-tax-year turmoil.
The words of Dr Graham Godbee, of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, jump out of Chapter 9: 'If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it'. So right!
To get myself back on track, I'm going to adhere to these top tips from my book from now on, I promise:
* Do daily backups of data: it's your accounting insurance policy.
* Do your filing: get things organised from the moment it comes in.
* Schedule time to do the books during the work day: it might feel like pulling teeth, but it will keep you in check with your business' pulse.
* Reconcile your bank accounts, loans and debtors every month: by doing it this regularly, you'll never fly blind in terms of your cash position.
Wish me luck!
Margie
Having just been rapped over the knuckles by my accountant for not being more on the ball in my accounts department, I've gone scurrying back to The Small Business Success Guide to get myself in shape for the upcoming end-of-tax-year turmoil.
The words of Dr Graham Godbee, of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, jump out of Chapter 9: 'If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it'. So right!
To get myself back on track, I'm going to adhere to these top tips from my book from now on, I promise:
* Do daily backups of data: it's your accounting insurance policy.
* Do your filing: get things organised from the moment it comes in.
* Schedule time to do the books during the work day: it might feel like pulling teeth, but it will keep you in check with your business' pulse.
* Reconcile your bank accounts, loans and debtors every month: by doing it this regularly, you'll never fly blind in terms of your cash position.
Wish me luck!
Margie
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Small business phone matters
Calling a small or micro business can tell you a lot about how the business is run. This morning, I had the pleasure of speaking to a business owner's teenage daughter. While she tried her best on the phone, she had to ask her mum, who obviously was standing in the same room, to confirm some of the details I was after. How much were they charging? "Mum, how much is it?" What quantities I could order? "Mum, what size does it come in?" Can your dad give me a call? "Sure, what was your name again?"
Allowing kids to answer the phone is often a home-based business hazard, and it's a particular gripe of mine. Call me old fashioned, but it just sends the wrong professional message to potential clients.
However, dodgy phone etiquette isn't just a home-based business problem. Small business owners often forget to train their staff to answer the phone professionally because they're never on the other side of the phone. How often have you called a business to hear: "Hi. Can I help you?"; "I just need to find a pen"; "It's really busy here at the moment, can I put you on hold? Beep, beep, beep..."
Some things to remember:
* The phone is your company's front line, no matter how big or small your business is.
* If a customer gets a poor first impression because of the way your work phone is answered, they get a poor impression of your business.
* Take the time to train every staff member, and yourself, in answering the phone in a professional, pleasant and helpful way.
I outline more tips in The Small Business Success Guide, and you can also find some good tips from companies such as Vodafone. In fact, there's a heap of information online about business telephone etiquette. There's really no excuse.
Make every call count!
Margie
Allowing kids to answer the phone is often a home-based business hazard, and it's a particular gripe of mine. Call me old fashioned, but it just sends the wrong professional message to potential clients.
However, dodgy phone etiquette isn't just a home-based business problem. Small business owners often forget to train their staff to answer the phone professionally because they're never on the other side of the phone. How often have you called a business to hear: "Hi. Can I help you?"; "I just need to find a pen"; "It's really busy here at the moment, can I put you on hold? Beep, beep, beep..."
Some things to remember:
* The phone is your company's front line, no matter how big or small your business is.
* If a customer gets a poor first impression because of the way your work phone is answered, they get a poor impression of your business.
* Take the time to train every staff member, and yourself, in answering the phone in a professional, pleasant and helpful way.
I outline more tips in The Small Business Success Guide, and you can also find some good tips from companies such as Vodafone. In fact, there's a heap of information online about business telephone etiquette. There's really no excuse.
Make every call count!
Margie
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