Radical Change – Radical StabilityFRIDAY, MARCH 6TH, 2009
As Gazelles coaches our focus is working with growth companies. Growing companies experience faster change that requires unique tools to respond to reduce or enlarge the impact these shifts can have on their business. With the present economy swirling the winds of change throughout US and the world I thought it would be important for you and your business to recognize the value we teach to our clients to implant balance to provide stability in an unstable world.
The Radical change that is presently storming the economy and wall street requires that you balance this with radical stability. Goldman Sachs does 2 daily huddles each day in their business to drive this balance of radical change and radical stability that is an enduring part of their normal business pattern.
When change swirls the very fabric of your business and industry it is critical that you and your staff having some foundation to hold on to. What provides that stability? The routines and rhythms you have in your business provide this.
When things get upside down in your world what do you do? For most of us we return to our families, loved ones, values, the foundations of our birth, or spirituality, something we find solid and constant that we feel we can rely on.
If you’re not already doing meeting rhythms in your business now would be a good time to start. If you’re not sure how to conduct them and why, we suggest you pick up Verne Harnish’s book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits or Patrick Lencioni’s Death by Meeting which provides some rules, agendas and guidelines for developing your meeting structure.
In difficult times it is absolutely critical that your business communicate with your people. Rumors get started, challenges and flash points emerge and flare up quickly. If you’re not in control and have a system established to rally your team and disseminate information quickly things can get out of hand in a hurry.
In addition to the value these meetings have in establishing stability, they provide you with the ability to quickly recognize patterns that are emerging with the data you collect from your people and customers. Let’s face it, if you are going to hear bad news when do you want to find out about it? When it’s approaching or after the train had already derailed? Of course the opposite is true as well. The best time to find out about good news or an approaching opportunity is before it arrives while you still have time to respond and grasp it.
Balance is a critical issue in building your business. Whether it is metrics you are measuring or the morale of your staff. Keep in mind that when the climate of your business is in flux your staff needs more communication than ever to keep them confident, secure and aware of the impact changes are having on them.
Develop your meeting rhythms to insure you are providing an appropriate level of stability with the radical amount of change that your business is experiencing.
Need help implementing these ideas?
Positioning Systems helps business owners and entrepreneurs transform their business. We provide the tools and coaching to help you take control of your business -- rather then having your business control you.
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