"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." — Robert Collier
A great culture is built when team members know their purpose, know their role, and know the work that needs to be done today. Many big problems can be avoided by simply making sure the little things are done right, every single time
Stop work from getting lost or having tasks forgotten about. Having a standardized system for delegating out work and tracking its progress is essential. This can be as simple as using a large calendar on the wall or as complicated as implementing software such as Monday.com or Todoist. Every business is unique and the solution your team needs will also be unique.
Hire great people by using efficient methods, such as assessment centers, to simulate your work during the hiring process and find who is best fit to join your team with as little investment as possible. Avoid any accusations of discrimination or favoritism by making sure your process is fair and standardized–and mostly importly–legal! Learn to uncover the hidden talent in the workforce and find the people you need.
Make your job descriptions clear by identifying the roles and duties for your people. This allows you to get the attention of the people you want working in your business and eliminate job role confusion for the people you already have. Pay scales are just as important and should be transparent as much as possible. Learn ways to standardize pay which also helps keep wages in budget and predictable. Develop methods to reward excellence, honor seniority, encourage advancement, and ensure that employees are paid fairly for the local market.
Get your team on the same page. Develop a skills matrix to identify the skills your team needs and track who needs to be trained on what and by when. Close customer service gaps and improve job safety and efficiency. Tracking your training needs is also essential for keeping insurance costs low and avoiding costly regulatory fines. Comply with MIOSHA, FMCSA, or other authorities unique to your industry by making sure your staff has the training they need.
Don’t let your employees burn out or feel undervalued. Improve your culture by implementing a process that works to expose challenges your team faces, encourage your team’s advancement, rewards their accomplishments, corrects their deficiencies, and makes them feel heard. Having a regular and effective way of evaluating your staff is key for improving the culture and reducing turnover.
Get your team using the same methods and producing the same quality of work. Eliminate confusion or complacency amongst your staff and improve your product or service. Make your SOPs easy to read and not boring or inaccessible. Ensure your team has quick access to the info they need, when they need it.
Why are your employees showing up to work everyday? Aside from earning their paycheck, meeting KPIs should be high on their priority list (and yours!). If you do not know what your KPIs are–your team is spinning its wheels–and we can work together to identify your KPIs and find ways to track them.
Employee manuals, disciplinary policies, regulatory compliance policies, and more… your business needs them! If you need help developing these, or even want a draft written for you, just reach out.
Your revenues and expenses can probably be predicted! There should not be too many surprises here. Go into work each week with confidence, knowing your financial position. Every single dollar needs to have a purpose, otherwise you might as well not even have it. If you want to get a better grip on this, let’s talk.
Make sure your current software is being used to the best of its ability. Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, QuickBooks, Odoo, Monday.com, or whatever you use, it needs to be set up properly and your staff needs to be trained to use it.
Trying to add some new software into the mix? This can be a great thing or it can crash and burn. The keys to success include careful process mapping and staff training.
Switching systems? What an exciting time! The data from the old system needs to be brought into the new system and generally this is not straightforward. This usually requires very careful database mappings, lots of data cleaning, and tons of import testing. This one is expensive. But hey, if this is what you are doing, it needs to be done right.
I am passionate about enhancing work culture by streamlining the way an organization manages its people, processes, and technology. I spent eleven years working for an internet service provider in Michigan, serving as General Manager for eight of those years. During my tenure, I specialized in fixing internal chaos, directly overseeing critical projects that included:
For over a decade, I have worked on the side as a firefighter and medical first responder. This background has given me invaluable expertise in controlling situations that seem uncontrollable and applying the methodical principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to everyday business operations.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ferris State University, focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. I am focused on delivering down-to-earth, practical solutions to common business problems.
