Boosting Your Productivity & The Top Five Books on the Subject
Looking for ways to make your small business more productive? In today’s fast-paced world, who isn’t? From maximizing your employees’ potential, to channeling your focus, we have several tips that will boost the effectiveness of your day-to-day operations.
Define Productivity
How do you measure productivity within the realm of your business? Furthermore, what are the benchmarks for defining high versus low productivity? Depending on the nature of your franchise or small business, productivity may be measured by how long it takes to complete one project. If Employee A gets the job done in 90 minutes, but Employee B can do it in under an hour, it’s important to investigate the reasons why. As managers, employee motivation, or lack thereof, is the easy scapegoat here. However, operational procedures could be the real problem at hand for impeding their performance. If this is truly the case, uncover the root of the problem and fix it immediately.
Find the Strengths in Each of Your Employees
Small business opportunities create work conditions allowing managers to harness the full potential of each employee. Tap into the strengths of your team members, and let them shine in areas best suited to their natural abilities. Once you’ve uncovered those talents, give them a bigger stake in the company by overseeing these matters. This will not only boost their confidence but will have a positive effect on the business overall. "When employees take on more responsibility they become more accountable, and thus, more productive," says Paul J. Rauseo, Managing Director of a small business management consulting firm in Chicago.
Keep the Flow of Communication Open
Many entrepreneurs seek franchise opportunities as a way to start a family business. If you fall into this category, keeping the flow of communication open is more important than ever. From the advice of an owner of a small family bakery out of New York, weekly meetings are essential. Everyone has their duties, so when you meet, it’s important to make sure all team members are on the same page. During this time, employees may also offer ways to improve company policies and procedures. In the end, this allows for full team integration towards making your business more productive and efficient.
Hone Your Focus
Whether you’re seeking a business franchise opportunity or have already ventured into this territory, our advice is simple: prioritize your tasks. Make a daily to-do list, and stick to it. Finances, employee issues and personal matters may all be top of mind, and managing these affairs may truly be of equal weight. Identify what’s essential, eliminate what’s not, and stick to the agenda you put in place. Honing your focus in key areas of importance will result in better decision-making, time management and overall productivity.
One Word: Unplug
Managing digital information can sometimes feel like a futile task. With an endless amount of emails, texts, and calendar reminders, today’s business world is on information overload. Per a recent book review, “Bit Literacy is essential reading for anyone who has experienced ‘digital overload’: the daily flood of email...a cluttered desktop, and the constant distraction of cell phones and other devices.” With essential tips on how to be more productive in the digital age with less stress, this book is a must-read for those looking to start a business.
For other books related to this topic, we recommend:
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
- The Power of Less by Leo Babauta
- Tribal Leadership by David Logan
- The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz