Operational Issues: What’s Throwing You Off Your Game in Your Biz?

Dear DOO: Is your business on the right track? Or have you gotten sidetracked by the shiny object or by the uncertainty of current events? If you’re not where you want to be, what operational issues are throwing you off your game in your own biz? And what can you do about it?

Clients’ Indecision

If your clients are feeling indecisive right now, that’s understandable. We have a lot going on. Or maybe they’re looking at too many opportunities and can’t decide which way to go. That can be a good problem to have (hello, new projects and visibility!). However, indecisiveness is going to end up hurting them—which means it will hurt you.   

Maybe it’s time to have that conversation to remind clients of their mission, vision, and values. Where do they want their business to be when we’re (hopefully) past all this turbulence? With their goals in mind, help them prioritize and get past that indecisiveness. Run through your Strategic Planning Framework: where are we now, where are we going, and how will we get there? Break down the big ideas into attainable, manageable steps.

Not Having a Solid Plan with Clients

Which brings us to our second common operational issue: not having a solid plan. It can be extremely difficult to come up with (and commit to) a solid plan especially if your CEO is feeling uncertain. But if there’s no plan, how can you fulfill your end of the operations bargain by coming up with the structures, processes, and systems that make it happen?

You can help your CEO plan during uncertain times by helping them rank their strategic priorities based on their current circumstances, focusing on what you both can control, and staying on your toes to be flexible for what may happen next. 

Uncertainty of the World Around Us

This year has really forced many of us to think about uncertainty. Disruptions, diseases and disasters really do happen and they can absolutely pull the rug out from under our businesses and our lives.

Instead of letting these very real challenges throw us off our collective business game, let’s be ready for them. In larger corporate settings, it’s common to create business continuity plans. These plans lay out what we should do if and when disaster strikes. This isn’t just important for large corporations; small businesses need them, too.

Many of us find it difficult to think about them, but they really do help by mitigating the risk of disruption to your operations and profits. Creating a business continuity plan protects your business. Take a listen to my podcast where I talk in detail about what to consider and how to come up with a plan for your clients’ and your business.

Fear of Taking Risks

As operations experts, we may not be as comfortable as our CEO visionaries with the idea of taking risks. For some of us, that never goes away. The problem is that running your own business comes with risk. And it’s natural to sometimes be fearful of what could happen, but you can’t move forward without it.

The good news is that we don’t have to make blind leaps into the abyss, Sister. We can apply some logic and make a plan that mitigates the risk. Once we have it down to a reasonable level, then we can leap—and have a better shot at success.

But also remember that it’s OK to fail. If you can’t point to a time when you failed, you probably haven’t taken many risks. We try, and we learn. Spanx founder Sara Blakely recalls her father asking her what she’d failed at that week. If she didn’t have something to tell him, he’d be disappointed. What did that do? It showed her that it’s OK to fail. The important thing was that she’d tried. Without trying, we don’t get anywhere. I think that’s a great lesson for all of us.

Not Working Your Own Strategic Objectives

Sometimes the needs of your clients can be all-consuming. But that’s not healthy for you. You’re not just running someone else’s business; you have your own business to think about and you also deserve a well-run business. You have your own goals to meet.

Every business has 7 strategic priorities—and that means your business does, too. Take the time to look at your own business priorities, to re-define your vision for your business, and track your own KPIs. Examine your financial steadiness, your client experience and your own professional development.

Remember that keeping your business and yourself healthy and strong will ultimately benefit your clients.