Performance: Business Simplicity

How diverse is your business?
Does it feel like everything is too complicated?
Is your performance scattered or inconsistent?

Performance, especially when it comes to business, seems to pride itself of complexity. Yet we know some of the highest performing aspects of our existence come to us in the simplest of form. Doubt me? Consider a smile, nature, or even Einstein’s equation to explain the universe. (Read more about Einstein by clicking on this sentence.)

Theoretical physicists regard eloquence as sign of intelligence. Every physicists can create a long equation to explain something. Simplicity, or as physicists say “eloquence” is considered the sign of genius. Why? It reveals the level of mastery one holds.

How Diverse is YOUR Business?

Is there a simplicity to your business or is it diverse? Diversification creates more opportunities for errors. When things go wrong it is often the sign of “mis”, mis-understanding which is often derived from mis-communication. Do you have simplicity or diversity in your products, customers, markets, technology, or processes? What about diversity in your selection process of resources of technology, raw materials, or human talent – as a tenured recruiter I witnessed this endlessly! What have you diversified that needs to be unified for it to be strengthened again? Even American manufacturing is re-shoring again. Could this be part of how manufacturers are unifying their business?

Simplified or Complex Awareness

Have you simplified your business or has it become too complex? I am actually going through a simplification process with my business now. I’m looking at everything – just as an auditor would. I am learning I have diversified my efforts too much to serve “everyone who needs help”! Yes, isn’t that just silly? I advise my clients not to do this! Yet in an effort to serve clients, I created more complexity and lost my focus. Yikes!

This is a great time for me to do some clean-up for my business and me (the Business Leader of the business). As I’ve shared, I had a major surgery 2 months ago and I’ve been busy assessing what needs to change to improve my performance and my business’s performance… and dare I even mention my client’s performance 🙂

Cleaning-up Scattered and Inconsistent Performance

Let’s learn from a master, Peter F. Drucker. Many consider Drucker to be the grandfather of modern business. His teachings are still applicable. Drucker suggests, “Examine your business. Is it focused or diffused? If diffused, develop a plan to bring unity out of the diversity …” (The Daily Drucker, 2004). I often share how when I was recruiting, I would clean up all my projects, folders, to-do lists, desk, etc. each quarter. This single action provided me an opportunity to tidy up any loose ends, clarify my focus, celebrate my successes, simplify, and start fresh. This was a right action for improving performance – at least for me it was!

Now, I’m going to adopt this practice to my business. Afterall, I am coming up on my 10th anniversary so I probably should be figuring out a new secret to my success! So this is how I’m doing it… here’s my tips:

Review your business’s vision
What needs to be adjusted for it to be aligned to what you now know? Do you need to activate it again? Is it simplified?
Review your mission statement or job description
Is it still appropriate? Does it need to be tweaked? Does your job description need to be tweaked? (Yes, this counts for solo-entrepreneurs too!) Is it simplified?
Review the business’s performance goals
Are they outdated or delusional? Adjust your goals to a practical version for you to accomplish what you want. Are they simplified?
Review your personal performance goals
Are they aligned with your business’s goals, and ultimately your vision and mission? Realign them for practical success. Are they simplified?
Review your own performance
Where are you strong and where are you weak? What do you need to adjust to re-align yourself with your performance goals? Is your daily performance practice simplified?

OK, here’s some good news: for the next 5 Monday postings I’m going to be dedicating a post to simplifying each one of the above topics. Get ready! However, if your really can’t wait until then, you can always reach me and I’d be happy to deliver a no-cost one hour consultation yet this week!

Maggie’s curious: Which of the 5 review points is needing the most attention in your world? Please feel free to share in the comment section so we can learn from each other! Mine: consistently meeting new people 🙂

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS!

If you or your business needs rescuing on this particular topic
or any other Business Strategies we have been discussing,
please reach out to Maggie (262) 716.7750, Central Time, for YOUR No-cost Consultation

Blessings of Success to YOU ~
Maggie Mongan, Brilliant CEO & Founder
Brilliant Breakthroughs, Inc.
Direct Dial: 262-716-7750
LinkedIn: MaggieMongan