I speak to many business people who are frustrated with technology. They see what others are getting, and would like to get it for themselves, but they don't like technology or are not comfortable with technology, therefore they get frustrated.
The technicians that are hired to do a job, take away the need for business owners to become technical, but they also take away the focus from the business.
What's the business owner to do? He/she is not comfortable with technology. The technicians speak a different language and always talk about how complex it is, and how the business person doesn't understand.
All of that is BULL! The reason that the business owner doesn't understand is that the technician is not knowledgeable enough to explain it. I have worked with technology for many years, and there is one thing that I have learned. When somebody is not very skilled, they cannot explain what they are doing. The really experienced people, understand how to explain things in meaningful terms.
As a non-technical business owner, what do you need to do?
Let's start with a dream. If you had the perfect world (for the non-technical business owner), what would you have? You would ask a business question and get an answer that you would understand. There would be no complex jargon, no "you don't understand", just simple answers to simple questions. If there was a need for learning, your supplier (internal or external), would help you learn what you need to know so that you could make the necessary decisions.
So, as a business owner, why don't you assume that this is the world that you live in? If you can't get an answer that you understand, is the technician willing to provide you with the learning, on your terms, so that you can make the proper decisions? If not, find another one. I don't mean that you have to become technical. If you have no interest in that, you shouldn't have to. The technician should be able to provide you with what you need without being a techie.
The key to all of this is focus and determination. Determination to not let technicians befuddle you with technical mumbo-jumbo.
Thry it! You might like! It works. I know it..
what would they like to see? How do they get it?
Showing posts with label communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communication. Show all posts
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Why don't more Small Businesses look at improving their business processes?
In this time of recession, many organizations are looking to reduce costs. They typically look at traditional ways to reduce costs. That may mean buying less of something reducing staff, getting cheaper products or whatever.
Most small businesses probably think that process improvement is something that only applies to large organizations, and is too expensive and not enough value for small business.
There are many stories of process improvement in large business, and the costs of doing it, as well as the difficulty in doing it. Many of these stories show how the improvements can result in big savings that can only be found in big porganizations.
While it's true that big organizations can find big savings, they also have big challenges to face. It is very hard to get a big organization working together to achieve these big goals because they have BIG communication problems. Process improvement is not hard. It is simple and straightforward. Communication is hard. Because the management team doesn't communicate their goals effectively, different people in different parts of the organization are operating on different goals. This is what causes the problem.
Most people work in isolation, not recognizing that what they are doing is having a negative impact on what somebody else is doing. This is where a lot of time is wasted. By getting everybody to look at the same process and see the inefficiencies and waste, they understand what is happenning and the problems are typically easy to fix and don't cost a lot of money.
There are times when major changes are needed and they cost a lot of money. However, it is often possible to make small changes that can have a 10, 2 or 30% improvement with minor expenditures.
How can we educate business owners that this is possible?
Most small businesses probably think that process improvement is something that only applies to large organizations, and is too expensive and not enough value for small business.
There are many stories of process improvement in large business, and the costs of doing it, as well as the difficulty in doing it. Many of these stories show how the improvements can result in big savings that can only be found in big porganizations.
While it's true that big organizations can find big savings, they also have big challenges to face. It is very hard to get a big organization working together to achieve these big goals because they have BIG communication problems. Process improvement is not hard. It is simple and straightforward. Communication is hard. Because the management team doesn't communicate their goals effectively, different people in different parts of the organization are operating on different goals. This is what causes the problem.
Most people work in isolation, not recognizing that what they are doing is having a negative impact on what somebody else is doing. This is where a lot of time is wasted. By getting everybody to look at the same process and see the inefficiencies and waste, they understand what is happenning and the problems are typically easy to fix and don't cost a lot of money.
There are times when major changes are needed and they cost a lot of money. However, it is often possible to make small changes that can have a 10, 2 or 30% improvement with minor expenditures.
How can we educate business owners that this is possible?
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