Every business owner has been there: neck deep in work, deadlines fast approaching, the phone ringing off the hook, and seemingly no time to possibly accomplish everything that must be done. In a word – chaos.
Now, few business owners and managers would say that they enjoy chaos. But the truth is that the entrepreneurial nature of many business owners results in a great deal of chaos. The average business owner is creative, inventive, fast-paced, and often restless. This combination can lead to a whole lot of good, profitable ideas—but also to chaos, because it’s a whole lot easier to come up with a great idea than it is to implement a system to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
Not only have I experienced this, I see this all the time with my clients. They have great ideas, they are often making good money and providing excellent products and services, but they experience a whole lot of stress and chaos in the process. The reason is almost always that they haven’t created the systems they need to keep their operations running smoothly.
Most business owners recognize this. And while they may not enjoy the chaos and the stress, they deal with it because “that’s the way it’s always been.” What they often do not realize is that this chaos doesn’t just create stress, it can also severely harm the business. Here are several specific examples:
1) Poor service. Unfortunately, clients and customers often end up paying the price for disorganization. Whether it is missed deadlines or simply miscommunication, chaos can result in poor service, poor products, and a poor experience overall. For this reason alone, businesses should take eliminating chaos very, very seriously.
2) Missed growth opportunities. How many opportunities to grow your business have you missed because you were too busy “scrambling” to meet a deadline? Whether it is a networking event, a speaking opportunity, or a lunch with a potential source of new business—when you’re scrambling to beat a deadline, you often miss out on valuable opportunities. Keeping your business organized means less scrambling, and in turn more time spent building your business!
3) Unhappy employees. You personally may not mind a fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment—but many of your employees will. And if you are unable to create a stable, productive atmosphere, you may find that promising employees no longer want to work for you. No matter how much they may enjoy the job and how strong of a “fit” they may be – many employees simply won’t be able to handle a stressful environment.
4) Burnout. Finally, don’t ignore the impact that constant chaos has on you. There are many adverse effects that stress can have on your body and your mind – from trouble sleeping to poor eating habits to a weakened immune system. You may feel fine right now, but if you aren’t careful, you may end up burning yourself out.
There’s a big difference between “fast-paced” and “chaotic.” Most small businesses will always be fast-paced, and that’s fine. But chaos isn’t fine—it’s not good for you, your employees, or your business. So make it your mission to eliminate the chaos… and please feel free to get in touch with me if you’d like help getting started!