If you want to be a benchmark business, you have to be brave. Everybody who comes in to contact with your business is either a +1 or –1. They're either promotable or they can be deselected.
They are either helping you move forward or they are holding you back. Everybody who is involved with your business – in any way – is either making a positive contribution or they are not.
There is no in-between.
What they do each day, each hour and each minute adds productivity and value to your business and drives it forward – or it doesn’t. You are either building Productivity Diamonds or you’re not.
To do this you must operate from a position of truth, not fear. That means recognising what’s in front of you and making your decisions accordingly.
There’s no sugar coating it.
There’s no giving it another few weeks to see what happens.
This guy has consistently missed his targets and is not improving.
What are we going to do about it?
This supplier has let us down for three consecutive deliveries.
What are we going to do about it?
This client is being unreasonable and difficult.
What are we going to do about it?
It is not just about your team.
As we discussed in our podcast recently the four key components to building an A-grade business are:
1. The business owners and management team.
Do you have the right people in the right positions, showing true leadership to your team?
2. Your team.
Is everybody aware of and aligned with the bigger picture?
3. Your supply chain.
You simply can’t be an A-grade business without A-grade suppliers. Hold them to account. You will be the reason they become benchmark businesses too.
4. Your clients.
You will not be productive at the highest level if you are not serving the right people.
The only way to build a benchmark business is to be brave enough to make the tough decisions to get the right people involved with your business at every level.
Power to you!
