Morihei Ueshiba, founder of the martial art Aikido, once said: “Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead.”
And I couldn’t agree more.
Growth is fundamental to our existence as human beings and even more so as business owners. It takes discipline, focus and ambition to initiate growth in not one, but all of the many facets in our lives.
Seeking challenges and development on a personal level strengthens us in many ways; it moulds our understanding and sharpens our intellect, it builds our intuitions and perspectives, it breaks down barriers and gives way to opportunities, and it brightens our pathway to an often opaque future.
While business owners are hard-wired and driven to achieve growth in profits and revenues, seeking growth in other crucial areas of business and life is just as important.
So what other areas should every one of us be nurturing and focusing on?
Let’s take a look.
Five Important Areas That Should Always Be Growing
As a business coach, I engage with many different clients that have a staunch focus on growing their businesses mostly towards a better top-line and profits but find that not enough interest is placed on personal growth, staff growth, networking and credibility, and the processes that drive success within their business.
Businesses should inherently be on a journey of growth, while also providing value for their shareholders. It’s important for many different areas to constantly be in a state of growth and development for not only the staff, the clients and the entrepreneur, but the owners, too.
It’s so important for every business owner to constantly be challenging him/herself, building on new and existing areas that are always in need of progress.
So what areas should we work on growing and improving?
Personal Growth:
The number one investment that anybody can make is in themselves. Putting in the energy, time and effort to enhance and develop yourself is one of the greatest things that you can do for your business and for your life.
We all determine what personal growth means for us on an individual level and what I might deem important for my growth might differ from the next person.
Whether it’s spending money on education, learning and exploring new skills, reading more to better your understanding, or spending time with interesting people that you don’t generally interact with – each and every one of us should constantly be striving for personal progress.
There are different areas of personal growth that you should always look at improving and enhancing, such as expanding your network and engaging with other entrepreneurs, or specialists in different fields to build beneficial relationships; taking courses or lessons to advance your existing skill set and any other interests that you might have; and working on your lifestyle to either spend time discovering or enjoying your passions and interests, as well as taking care of your health in terms of diet and exercise.
One of the absolute best ways to develop yourself and your business is by having a business coach, so keep that in mind when you’re looking for a place to start.
Your People:
Taking the time to grow and develop the people that work for, and with, you is just as important. Your employees are absolutely critical to the success of your business and investing in them shouldn’t be considered an expense.
If your staff are constantly growing in terms of their skills, network and knowledge, then your business will become far more efficient and productive.Giving promotions or raises isn’t necessarily enough to motivate them to get the most out of their roles, but educating, training and exposing them to new areas of growth will go much further in creating a far more enjoyable and powerful work culture.
It’s important to realise that supervisors, managers and other staff members also need to develop their approach to leadership to get the absolute best out of their team, as well as themselves. Take good care of your people and they will do the same for you.
Processes and Policies:
Having outdated processes and policies can slow down your business and the functionality of your staff and your returns. Seeking new ways to improve your processes through the use of technology and other tested strategies will enhance productivity, employee and customer satisfaction, as well as reduce risks.
Tasks and processes that often require a lot of repetition waste plenty of time and effort. If certain processes can be automated or approached more effectively, then looking into modern methods should be prioritised to get the best out of your staff.
The same applies to the satisfaction levels of your employees and your client-base; if employees are able to focus on more important processes within your business, then they can produce much better results for your company and for clients.
By avoiding outdated technology and processes, you also avoid far more risk. Human error, fraud and slow information transfer can be harmful to your business in terms of both security and revenue. Growth in this area should be a high priority for you, as it will make operations far safer and smoother for everybody involved.
Clients:
Spending the time to grow your relationships and interactions with clients is highly beneficial for any business.
The experience that your clients have with you will either make or break your brand identity. Evaluating which of them you love and which of them you hate can help tremendously in your approach to growing the relationships that you have with them.
Loads of research and literature exists to prove just how important customer/client satisfaction is for any business and ensuring that you constantly strengthen your interactions with them is absolutely essential.
Remember that existing clients are more likely to spend more with you and that word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool in this day and age, so treating them in remarkable and unforgettable ways will go far in the development and growth of your business.
Exposure and Credibility:
Making the effort to develop your credibility and the perspective that outsiders have of you and your business is a very important facet of being an entrepreneur.
If people are to see you as unreliable, inconsistent, or unremarkable, then you’re sure to have problems. The first thing that comes to anyone’s mind when talking about your business can ultimately shape its success.
You need to constantly be building your credibility and exposing yourself to different audiences in strategic and impressionable ways. Leaving a good and lasting impression on anybody that you interact with, whether staff, clients or strangers, will strengthen your position in their minds and improve the perspective people have of you and your brand.
Growth in this area can come in the form of achievements that your business has made, through positive and impressive testimonials, as well as your ability to be authentic, reliable and consistent.
Seeking growth in areas other than just profit will make you a much better business owner at the end of the day.
So make sure that you focus on these different aspects of your business and embrace the benefits that come with the nourishment and care that you provide to your clients, staff, processes and yourself.
My role as a business coach is to give you all of the necessary tools, supplements and nutrients that are essential for your growth as a business owner. Let me be the person to bring about those improvements in your business, as well as your life and I’ll see to it that you attract success in everything that you do.
When you’re ready to bloom, then be sure to get in touch:
+2783 253 3339
