Most small business owners love the freedom of working for themselves. Along with that freedom, comes a great deal of responsibilities. Try to remember that having flexibility and control may help you feel more secure and better able to handle the stress of running a small business.
1. Set New Goals
I'm sure you've heard the saying, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". Try taking time to think about setting new goals. Assessing the situation is part of making ongoing improvements in your company. It's not exciting, but it's part of a continuous process for any business owner. Have you developed a Gantt Chart to track future projects? This will help you clearly visualize project priorities. If this is a new concept, look it up and see what it is, then add it to your "try" list.
First of all ask yourself, what are you trying to accomplish in your small business? You may need to do an assessment, define the issues and set the goals. Consider the ideas below:
- What are your strengths and weaknesses and where can you make improvements in your small business?
- What are some of the issues that may be standing in your way today?
- How can you learn and understand more about the challenges you're facing?
- Do you need feedback from your employees? Do you listen to their feedback?
- Do you need more external support?
- Are there issues with your sales and marketing employees?
- Are you dealing with customer satisfaction issues or product issues?
- Do you need to take a team approach to setting new benchmarks and goals?
Make the assessments, define the issues and set up new goals. It may be time to get feedback and recommendations from your key employees. Gather different perspectives, come to your own conclusions and decide what your next steps will be.
2. Celebrate Success
Being a good business leader means finding and hiring good employees, managing them, training them and keeping them.
A business is a group of people working together as a team. Your employees are your primary assets. The people in your organization are the heart of your small business and they need to be celebrated.
The future of your small business is dependent on the talent you develop. Be sure your top employees know how necessary they are to your future plan. Invest in your employees, help them build upon their strengths and acknowledge their contributions.
3. Get Inspired
How do you create loyal employees who care about your small business? They need inspiration, recognition and sometimes a simple thank you.
- Talk with your employees about new business ideas, building and growth ideas, sales initiatives and don't forget to ask for their feedback
- Bring in an outside speaker to generate ideas or share new business trends
- Stay visible with your employees. Get in the trenches and work with them side by side. Let them see that you care and value their contributions
- Have confidence in your small business and share that confidence with your employees. Positive energy is contagious
- Take time to thank an employee for going above and beyond
4. Take a Break
Sometimes it's necessary to step out of a situation and take a break to gain clarity. Give yourself time and space away from the workplace to be able to rest and reinvigorate yourself. You do not want to work non-stop and burn yourself out. It's not good for your health, your relationships or your business.
Having downtime to relax and think gives you and opportunity to be away from the stress. It gives you a chance to look at the business from a different perspective. It may also give you time to be more thoughtful as well as more creative. The goal is to find balance in work life and home life, when at all possible.
Of course when a company grows, it can create stress. Here are a few ideas to help you take that necessary break:
- When you go home, try not to talk business
- Keep the challenges in perspective. Don't blow them out of proportion
- Consider doing a time assessment to see the jobs that are absolutely necessary to the success of your company and the ones that are not, delegate to someone else
- Set up a time in the evening when your laptop is closed and your cell phone is turned off. Give yourself time to rest, relax and enjoy some free time
5. Involve Your Employees
I'm certain you're aware that employees can make or break a small business. Here are a few ideas to keep your employees invested and involved in your company:
- Recognize your employees and make certain that the top performers know they are an essential part of the future of your small business
- Take time to coach your employees and ask for their ideas
- Work to build leadership teams that collaborate on projects
- Measure and monitor employee performance and then provide individual feedback
- Set clear expectations and procedures
- Have open lines of communication
- Develop your top talent
- Say thank you to employees
Some of these simple ideas can help you build your small business and keep your employees motivated.
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