System is not a 4 Letter Word

You may feel that your business doesn’t require policies, processes and systems (after all, boring!!) but what is a system? And, how can these improve not only your business but your day to day life?

System = A series of processes that are interdependent, predictable, and repeatable so that you generate consistent results every time.

From this definition, you can see that almost everything you do on a daily basis can be classified as systems, processes or sub-systems. For example

• Your morning routine
• Checking your emails
• Generating new leads for your business
• Getting paid for your work

In other words, important stuff.

Why Should you Systemise?

As a business owner, consultant, virtual professional or entrepreneur you have limited resources – time, money and hands. Systems (done well) can :

• Strengthen your brand
• Honour your work and your lifestyle
• Make everything run more smoothly
• Reduce your stress by saving you time and energy

When you create systems and replicable work habits, your business can gain momentum and become more successful. Leaving you with time and energy for other, more fulfilling and profitable work.

What Systems do you Need?

In order to ensure you’re doing the right things in your business you need systems that will help you to achieve specific results (which will need to be measured) for :

• productivity
• growth
• profitability

Each day you can choose to

• Act – take action immediately
• Assign – delegate to another person – employee or outsource, OR schedule the task for another day
• Automate

Where to Start with Systemising

Think BIG, but start small.

Step 1 – Assess your Current Situation

What’s happening in your business right now?
What’s working?
What’s not working?

An easy way to check is by keeping a daily plus/minus list for a week or two.

Step 2 – What are the Benefits of Change and Why

What’s going to be the payoff and win(s) in your business and your day to day routine?
What will you do with the time you gain? And.
How will you measure this?

Step 3 – What do you need?

Take some time to consider what systems, processes, checklists you need in your business. And, what do you have, or use currently?
Also think about Resources.

Step 4 – What will it Cost?

Evaluate the cost of changing but also the cost of NOT changing.
Some examples are

• Time
• Help to action change (human resources)
• Knowledge
• Resources – what do you have, what do you need?
  • Soft or hardware solutions
  • These could be free or paid options

Step 5 – Create a System Design

1. Plan your Project
2. Decide on the desired outcome
3. Map out the steps
4. Examine the steps for opportunities to – act, assign and automate
5. Test and measure (to determine success)

More on this next time!!!