One thing that will totally mess up a business is the lack of execution. One of the most important roles of the business owner is to ensure flawless execution. If you are a solopreneur, YOU have to flawlessly execute. If you have a team, you must build a culture of execution because the team must be able to execute on your behalf. A company exists to add value. If you are going to be a welcome supplier of value to your customers, then you must be able to execute in a way that meets and exceeds the needs of those customers.
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To create a culture of execution, you must have systems or operational processes in place that support flawless execution. Everyone must know their job within those systems in order to meet customer needs. In every step of the operational process or system there are three skills:
- Receiving – this is actively and intelligently receiving from the step before in the process or from your customer, if it’s the beginning of the process. The instructions and expectations must be explicit. If they are not, the process breaks. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure all pieces are verified and clearly understood.
- Adding value – this needs to be done effectively and on time. Areas where value can be added include information, requests, emotions, needs, material, decisions/deadlines. Not adding values breaks the process.
- Supplying – each receiver has five choices: to accept and act, to ask for clarity, to negotiate, to reject, or to ignore. I don’t recommend the last choice, ever. Once accepted, it must be delivered in the time frame promised or if a challenge occurs you must immediately contact the customer.
It is important to note here that “customer” represents both internal and external customers. It could be the customer who pays you or it could be the next person/employee/resource in the operational process/system.
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It is important to train people to understand the financial consequences of breaking the chain because your operational processes/system are the structure for success in your business.
The more moving parts, the more opportunities for the process to break down. Not following up to verify receipt or not verifying the handoff within the steps of the process is where the break happens most often.
A lot of processes evolve over time without being intentionally designed. Take the time to draw it out. And draw it out on paper. Use sticky notes. This will give you the ability to identify where breaks could potentially happen and to identify possible efficiencies.
Without a culture of execution, processes break and the company suffers. With a culture of execution, a company creates raving fans – internally and externally – giving you the ability to provide the value your customers/clients deserve and making you the welcome partner to those you serve.
STACY OLDFIELD
After nearly 25 years in Corporate America, Stacy launched Minerva Management Partners as a way to combine those years of business experience with her life coaching certification and love for coaching women. Minerva Management Partners is a business coaching practice designed to support women entrepreneurs committed to launching and growing their business. Also, as a Results Coach with Robbins Research International, Stacy helps business women to focus their ideas and efforts and holds them accountable for achieving their goals. Whether it’s helping women discover creative solutions to their business challenges, coaching them to be clear and decisive, or helping them see and take action on new opportunities, Stacy guides them to achieve the business and career results they are seeking. Stacy is also the creator of the Minerva 3-Day Networking Challenge and the Network Like a Boss Lady On-Demand training program. Stacy has been invited to speak to many audiences within South Carolina including the Center for Women, Women Entrepreneurs of Charleston, the Women of the Workforce program of the Naval Information Warfare Center (SPAWAR), Charleston Women in Business, Association of Fundraising Professionals, SCANPO, graduate classes at both The Citadel and the College of Charleston (CofC), and Leadership CofC. She currently serves as a mentor through the Women of Excellence Program at Xavier University and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Beautiful Gate Center and on the advisory board of the SC Women’s Business Center.
