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Team discussing growth strategy<\/p>\n
<\/fbs-accordion>getty<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
For many small businesses, growth is a tricky thing. You obviously want it to happen, but if you don\u2019t plan for it and manage it well, it can get out of hand. On the flip side, there are times when your growth plans<\/a> could definitely use a boost.<\/p>\n You didn\u2019t start your company so it could flounder. You want your team to go places, gain recognition and serve markets in innovative ways. While you can see these visions play out in your head, knowing how to carry them out isn\u2019t as clear-cut. To ready your organization for growth, here are three methods to try.<\/p>\n You founded your company on your ideas. So it\u2019s not unusual to feel the urge to oversee every detail. And in the early stages of a small business, everyone\u2019s roles can be less structured. There\u2019s a need for a single decisive voice to lead the way.<\/p>\n But this chain of command can stunt your company\u2019s growth as operations get off the ground. If employees are afraid to act without your stamp of approval, initiatives will fall by the wayside. Team members won\u2019t feel empowered or trusted, to the point where they withhold their skills and expertise.<\/p>\n A lack of role clarity can also hold your team back. Employees won\u2019t know what falls within their range of authority and responsibility. Staff members will feel uneasy about stepping on someone else\u2019s toes, so they won\u2019t take any steps at all. Role ambiguity can confuse, frustrate and demotivate.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why Thryv, a provider of all-in-one small business management software<\/a>, recommends a matrix structure. Under a matrix structure, the business owner is like the head coach of a football team. You\u2019re in charge of the game plan but delegate to and empower those who assist you. Each project has a lead who manages the initiative with the help of other employees\u2019 contributions. Every team member knows what to accomplish and how it relates to the company\u2019s strategy.<\/p>\n It\u2019s often not the people who fail but the processes they\u2019re expected to follow. Business growth can stagnate when there are procedural and resource inefficiencies. These inefficiencies can stem from overly complicated procedures or not having any processes at all.<\/p>\n To find what\u2019s not working well, you need to play detective. Investigate what resources and courses of action your team\u2019s relying on in different situations. Say your marketing team is responsible for supporting your retail sales team. Marketing creates in-store brochures and other materials for the sales staff to use.<\/p>\n However, the stores consistently report problems with not receiving promo materials on time. In addition, there are frequent errors in what the brochures and flyers say. Further investigation shows there are too many people involved in the approval process. Marketing scrambles to make last-minute changes, and overall direction is inconsistent. Employees are also shipping materials they could digitally distribute with technology.<\/p>\n Revising these processes will speed things up and improve accuracy. You could start by removing unnecessary people from the approval chain. Better tech resources at the store level will allow sales staff to print the basics on demand. And tighter planning and cutoff dates could let marketing complete their creative tasks without the pressure that leads to mistakes.<\/p>\n Poor communication within a company does more than create chaos. It erodes trust in the team and leadership for more than 40%<\/a> of employees. And internal communication troubles impact a larger proportion of remote workers. About 54% of offsite staff say it negatively influences trust in leaders, while 52% say it lowers conviction in the team.<\/p>\n Whether your small business operates remotely or in person isn\u2019t the issue. It\u2019s how, when and what you communicate. Effective communication requires avoiding mixed messages and choosing the right channels for different kinds of information sharing. You wouldn\u2019t explain a major change in company direction via Google Chat any more than you\u2019d hold an all-hands meeting to ask a question about an invoice. Choosing the channel according to context, your audience, and the nature of the information will enable you to get your message across in the right way at the right time.<\/p>\n Not surprisingly, Slack is one company that has internal communication figured out. Its real-time messaging platform allows team members to communicate instantly, eliminating lengthy email chains and enabling quick decision-making. Designated channels keep conversations organized and relevant team members engaged. And because conversations are searchable, all employees can call up needed info on demand.<\/p>\n1. Delegate Like a Boss<\/h2>\n
2. Do a Process Audit<\/h2>\n
3. Optimize Internal Communication<\/h2>\n
Growing Your Small Business<\/h2>\n