As a small business owner, what role(s) are you currently performing that you don’t want to continue doing? Why? This is the first question I ask when facilitating Vendor Boot Camp© Talent Management training through the University of Alabama at Birmingham Academic Small Business Alliance (ASBA) program. I ask this question because I know small business owners must be able to delegate strategically to achieve business growth and long-term survival. Strategic delegation requires careful planning, which is an important predictor of small business success. However, because small business owners tend to wear many hats that require them to spend most of their time working in the business rather than on the business, long-term strategic planning is often neglected or becomes a priority when it’s too late. Lack of efficient planning is one reason most small businesses struggle to survive past the five-year mark. Small business growth often happens unexpectedly, leaving the business owner unprepared to find and keep talent necessary to propel the company forward. However, this doesn’t have to be your legacy. There are several ways you can start preparing now, to avoid having the wrong people on the bus in the future.
As a Business Psychologist, I educate small business owners on what it takes to find and keep talent to achieve growth and long-term survival. I also meet face-to-face with clients and develop a deep understanding of the current and desired state of their businesses, before providing advice and guidance for achieving their long-term goals. My primary goal is to be a resource, throughout the entire lifecycle of their business, to share knowledge and provide the one-on-one support and accountability necessary for you to work on your business so that you can be prepared for growth and long-term survival.
10 Questions for Small Business Owners
Is your small business prepared for long-term survival and growth? If you answer “Yes” to most of the questions below, you’re on the right track:
Does your company have a business plan?
Does your company have a strategic plan for the next 5 years?
Does your company have written and up-to-date job descriptions for existing and vacant positions?
Do you identify the candidate characteristics in the job description that should be assessed during the interview?
Do you create interview questions based on examples of actual job situations that lead to positive and negative outcomes?
Do you ask structured interview questions during the interview process?
Do you use behaviorally anchored rating scales to evaluate job candidates equally and objectively?
Does your company have a strategy for onboarding new hires before the first day, during the first week, and during the first 30-90 days?
Does your company provide career development and training opportunities to address current and future skills gaps?
Does your company have a formal succession plan?
A goal without a plan is just a wish. Let’s start preparing your small business for growth today! Contact Us today to Schedule a 1-hour Consultation!
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