Every once in a while, I feel the need to breathe new life into my business. While I may not know what that looks like at the moment in entirety, there are steps that I practice to allow me to gain knowledge on which areas in my business need some fresh vision and ideas.

The first step is sitting down and discussing as a team what is working and what is not for each individual and their area. Listen and take notes as they share. Take this time to also reach out to customers to gain feedback on their experience while listening attentively for opportunities to make some positive changes and updates within your customer service division. Some of the greatest feedback always comes from your ideal clients so listen to what they have to share and thank them for their feedback. If you take the time and create a safe space for sharing, this exercise will do wonders for positive change in your organization.

Change is hard, especially when you have been doing the same thing for years. The thing is, you have to look through the set of lenses that I call "Good, Better, Best”. Take these three words and truly ask yourself (in every scenario), which of these words best describes the system, process, and results. If you ask and write down your honest answer for each, this will allow you to look at other options for those that received “Good or Better" and focus on changing them. The goal in doing this is to turn every answer to “Best”. It takes time, and while something may have worked for a while, it does not mean it cannot be better in some capacity. So, shoot for BEST and make the necessary changes internally to deliver that.

After you have successfully met with your team and made your lists, it's time to get down and dirty in the trenches. I manage in such a way that nothing is off-limits for me. I want to know the job of each person well enough in my organization that I could do it. If you do not know how things are truly done, how could you ever identify areas for positive change? This is one of the biggest missing pieces for most business owners as they are not willing to learn every detail of their company. They settle for the way things are done because, in their eyes, it is working, so why make it better? Take the time to get your hands dirty. Your team will appreciate and respect you for it. In return, you will find opportunities for growth and will be able to make positive changes that directly impact your bottom line.

Look over your previous performance and see what areas you can look at to create goals with your team. When doing so, set some lofty goals that get the team to feel a little uncomfortable. Everyone loves a good challenge, so put it out there and most importantly, break it down so they have something daily to shoot for and celebrate. Daily wins turn into monthly goals achieved. Therefore, start your day off with a ‘touch base’ to lay out what needs to be accomplished. This will get everyone moving in the right direction, especially when continuing to touch base throughout the day to hear the wins of your team. It is this type of management that brings you places in business that you never thought possible. Don’t accept not achieving the goals set in place any longer. Look to see why they were not hit and come up with a strategic plan to make sure they are not only hit but exceeded going forward.

I learned early on that having the right team is everything. As a result, when I have a good team, I always make sure to celebrate and acknowledge what it is they bring to the table. I value the ideas and feedback I gain from each of them. Publicly acknowledging individuals in front of their peers for their personal results and contributions to the organization is a huge piece of the puzzle for me. Without the right team, you can never revitalize your organization but with the right team, you can move mountains.

Being a business owner is far from easy. It is challenging, uncomfortable, and messy. But I love looking for the mess and am committed to making it beautiful. Like everything else, growing a business is a process. Embrace it, learn from it, and grow professionally with it. It all starts with you believing anything IS possible and not stopping until you reach it.