Introduction
Knowing precisely what your business exists to achieve is called business focus. If your business lacks clear focus you diminish your chance of success. Lack of focus creates many problems. In particular, it makes it virtually impossible for your employees to perform well.
Importance of Focus
Without clear focus you can’t clearly determine your target market. That means you can’t have clear, precise performance objectives. Lack of objectives leads to unclear and fuzzy performance standards. That leads to sloppy systems. On and on it goes. You scratch your head and worry why your staff seem unable to “put their best foot forward”.
What Business Are You In?
Only you can answer that. But if you’re not sure, how on earth can you expect your staff to know? “But Leon,” you might be saying, “we know we’re retailers… have been retailers for 65 years since granddad opened the first store after World War II. We sell shoes in eight stores in three cities. And we’re good at it.”
Who Says?
Try answering these questions. Who do you sell to? What sort of shoes? In what price range? Who’s your “ideal” customer? What are your most profitable lines? Who are your major competitors? Are you a market leader nationally, regionally or locally? Who else, outside of shoe retailers, competes for the same consumer dollar as you do? What distinguishes your business from those of your competitors in the eyes of your prospects and clients?
Connection With Employees
You see, really successful businesses can answer all these questions precisely. When we see their staff in action we’re impressed. We wish we had staff like them. What we don’t realize is that the level of proficiency doesn’t start with outstanding training and development. It doesn’t start with excellent performance standards and simple, effective systems. It starts with clear business focus.
What Symptoms Tell Us
When training is poor, standards are fuzzy and systems are sloppy we say that management has a problem. The same applies in reverse. When a company functions well and customer service is outstanding we must give management much of the credit. Employees may provide outstanding service and display excellent technical competence. They deserve credit for that. But it’s a clear sighted management that creates the environment that enables high quality staff performance.
Focus And Consequences
The basic point I’m trying to make is that while poor employee performance is a major issue, it’s almost always a consequence of something else. Unless we fix the “something else”, the performance problem will continue. And I’m suggesting that the “something else” is often lack of clear business focus.
Where To Look First
Before you rush off to improve employee performance, expand your product line, streamline your systems or review your business plan, consider your business focus. Answer the question “What business are we in?”
Narrow Your Focus
You can’t be all things to all people. A narrow focus beats a broad focus almost every time. As the old saying goes, “Do only those things to which you bring a unique perspective. Buy everything else around the corner.” It’s far easier to develop and manage a business with a narrow focus then it is to juggle the competing demands of a broad focus. A broad focus stretches and thins your resources. A narrow focus is much easier to manage. It also enables you to position your business clearly in the minds of staff, customers and prospects. That’s a huge business advantage.
Conclusion
Managing a small-medium business is demanding. I know. I’ve run such a business for over 30 years. Managing employee performance is a major management responsibility. It’s a lot easier with a crystal clear business focus. Try answering these questions asked in the “Who Says” paragraph. That’s a good start.
