Over the last eight weeks, I introduced my Ebook 12 Steps to Business Transformation and I defined the first 8 of the 12 transformational steps. This week we are going to talk about step 9.
Step 9 in my new Ebook “12 Steps to Business Transformation” is very simple yet many businesses fail to complete it! Step 9 is where you take the Vision, Mission, Values, Strategies and Goals and feed them into the Operations Engine. Essentially, you are providing the “fuel” to power your Operations Engine and substandard or contaminated “fuel” can kill your business!
12 Steps to Business Transformation
12 Steps to Business Transformation is founded on a simple business model and describes the 12 steps required to implement and execute on the model. The whole model is summarized in the Thinking Business Blueprint shown below. And, as mentioned above, the ninth step in the Blueprint is the inputs to the Operations Engine.
Feed Your Engine High Octane Fuel
Any engine needs fuel to run and the Operations Engine is no exception. The “fuel” for your Operations Engine is the Vision, Mission, Values, Strategies and Goals.
It doesn’t matter what horsepower your engine is rated, if you do not have high octane fuel that is free from contaminants, your engine will underperform and may break down or fail completely!
This is why it is critical for the growth of your business to ensure that your Vision, Mission, Values, Strategies and Goals are clearly defined and fit for the purpose of your business. That is also why these are the first 7 steps of the Thinking Business Blueprint. You need to get these established first!
Is Your Fuel Contaminated?
Take a look at what your business produces.
- Are these goods and services produced exactly how you and your customers want them?
- Are they at a profit margin you are happy with?
- Is your business growing?
- Are your employees happy and engaged at work?
If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, it is highly probable you have some “contamination” in your “fuel” source and some changes need to be made!
Typically this means that your Goals and Strategies need some adjustments. Take a look at them over this coming week and ask yourself some questions like:
- Is your strategy aligned to the current marketplace conditions?
- Is your strategy well communicated to your staff?
- Has your strategy been broken down into clearly defined SMART goals?
- Do each of the SMART goals have someone assigned to own the goal and take the actions required to complete it?
- Are your strategy and goals aligned with your operations engine?
- Are you trying to accomplish something that your operations engine is set up to do or are changes required?
Spend some time this week and do a detailed review of your business “fuel.” We will revisit this in more detail next week when we cover Step 10, Outcomes!
“No work process or business system creates an advantage. Only the disciplined execution of a continuously improving and optimized process or business system creates an advantage.”
Leave a comment below on the “fuel” for your organization.
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