Business owners are no different than truck drivers. No matter how responsible, careful, and skilled a truck driver is, the very structure and design of the vehicle he drives from place to place will mean that there are two distinct blind spots on either side of his trailer. Those signs are placed informing drivers that the truck drivers cannot see them when you’re in those spots.
The same goes for a business owner. By taking an overhead view of everything, he cannot see everything within a firm. We often see this popularized in shows such as “The Secret Millionaire,” where a big-time CEO spends time in disguise with people working at entry-level positions. This lets the CEO gain perspective on how all business layers operate.
Avoiding blind spots as a business owner and manager is hard unless you allow others to be your eyes.
Utilize Consulting Firms
A business consulting firm can help you take a three-sixty-degree look at everything in your firm. They can help bring harsh truths to the forefront. Consultants can assess the performance of certain sectors enabling you to see the weak spots. You may need to downsize and inflict the minimum possible pain on your workforce in the process. This approach can help owners, especially new owners, thrive in a new market.
Run Staff Surveys
It’s good to run staff surveys to the extent that you can, so they can give you their anonymous opinion on a range of issues, from how the acquisition has been going, to how they feel about their positions to what changes they think need to be made around the business. Running these surveys serves two purposes, for one it helps us get a present picture of the daily impressions among our workforces and allows them to feel heard, which of course, they deserve to be.
Listen To Your Managers
It’s good to listen to your managers and read the reports that you’re given. However, an offhand complaint here or there can lead to a real problem that affects several departments later. For instance, if a manager complains that they feel perpetually understaffed, don’t dismiss their concerns. Instead, you’ll want to explore the root causes of the business problem.
It might be a relatively small and manageable issue, or it might indicate that there are definite issues taking place within your firm. Provided you have the space to listen and make actionable changes outside of standard lip service, you’re much more likely to make a difference and become respected for your willingness to listen and see things from other perspectives.
With this advice, you’re sure to avoid blind spots as a business owner in the best possible way.
