Controlling a business as a way of earning your daily bread is far from what you see in the movies.
The image of the unscrupulous boss dressed impeccably and barking orders at his sad and sorry staff is comical. The real world isn’t the fantasy of a Hollywood writer; it’s much more brutal.
Of course, no one will tolerate bad manners and being treated like a rusty cog in a gearbox, but it’s harsh in other ways. The day to day grind of trying to thrust forward to your goals, makes even the most level-headed business owner shirk their style.
You can get lost in your ways, allow standards to slip in among your workforce, and begin to justify a means to an end. This is where protocols, procedure, communication, and your vision begin to slowly but surely fade.
Soon, before you know it your business is fragmented and nothing seems to gel anymore like it used to. Fixing the main problems first should be your only priority in such desperate times.
Jumping over hurdles
When departments aren’t speaking to each other, disaster and ruin lay ahead for any business. Both verbal and professional communication is important but not entirely equal.
For example, different departments that are tasked with similar tasks that will eventually join together at some moment in the future, need a rallying point.
The information and progress you’ve made on your products and services together with daily improvements are on servers. When you have too many servers, accessing them promptly won’t be achievable.
To fix this fragmentation contact certain IT companies that offer virtualisation services. They take all your servers and make a consolidated virtual version.
This simplifies access and storage points, providing an easy way for other departments to see the work of specific teams. On top of this, you’ll be saving money through lower electricity and cooling bills.
Competitive internal rivalries
If this were a perfect world, there would be no veering off from the central line that a business leader creates for his or her employees.
However, when businesses are internally competitive, it makes them the fire-breathing dragons that competitors fear. Much like a professional sports team, you want your employees to rattle and compete against each other slightly.
However, when you’re dealing with a client that has broad needs, internal rivalries can become too disruptive. One side may want to go in one direction, the other in the total opposite.
Normally you see this fragmentation between disciplines with similar fields teaming together. For example, researchers will form alliances with the analytical and technical staff. Developers and marketing might form up to get what they want.
The key is to lay down the law. Take a little from every side and make sure that your client’s needs are not changed in any way to appease any one department.
A fragmented business occurs when internal problems are not met head-on. When there is a lack of communication the number one priority is to secure stability in the ways of working.
You can call a meeting to talk about verbal communication problems, but first, make sure your servers are aligned with all corners of your business.
Understanding why there are rivalries in your business will be to your supreme advantage. You want your staff to compete against each other but not to a point whereby your client’s needs suffer.
