Whilst we’re all familiar with the plumber with the leaking tap syndrome, it’s still a challenge to avoid it occurring in one’s professional service firm.
This is because most practitioners are too busy with day-to-day client matters to orchestrate a consistent business improvement program for themselves.
In this regard, I’ve observed that accountants’ high attentiveness to their client responsibilities make them prime candidates for remaining with the status quo. Don’t believe me? Try engaging accountants in strategic matters when they are behind with their tax lodgement program!
On the other hand, those that successfully implement projects designed to improve their business are well on their way to building a prosperous firm of the future.
To help practitioners appreciate what’s involved with this process, I like to share the analogy of a wheelbarrow. One can fill it with the greatest business improvement ideas in the world, but unless someone grabs the handles and pushes, the barrow just stands still!
It’s my contention that your strategies don’t even have to be that brilliant. Consistent implementation of good ideas beats brilliance gathering dust in your wheelbarrow every time.
The joy of implementation
A colleague wearily said to me the other day that many of the strategic planning sessions in which he’s participated over the years had ultimately been worthless, because nothing was implemented. Sadly, he’s not alone.
Conversely, by mastering the art of getting things done you’ll reap enormous benefits. That is, by completing business improvement projects on the way to implementing agreed strategies, you can expect to enjoy:
a) Massive improvements. If each and every quarter you implement up to three projects that will make a significant difference to your business, then well within 12 months you will have a vastly better business.
b) Team morale. Deep down, everyone wants to play on a winning team. Continuously improving the way business is done in your firm will create an unstoppable, success-orientated culture.
c) Better business outcomes. Implementing your projects is the key to achieving your business plans.
Six tips for successful implementation
As you will doubtless have to implement a significant number of projects on the way to building your ideal firm of the future, it makes sense to adopt a standard approach to undertaking them. Here are six tips which have been compiled from observing the firms in our coaching program who have turned implementation into a core competence.
1. Time allocation
Success starts with creating the space for it to happen. That’s why for working on your projects and, indeed, all of your other non-client responsibilities, it pays to set time aside to fulfil them. Once you determine an appropriate time split, it is recommended that you go to the extent of colour coding your diary for the times when you’ll be focused on projects. Although there will always need to be flexibility, train your team to avoid making client appointments during project times.
2. Frame up your projects
In the inset are some suggestions for running your projects. For starters, there are three essential specifications if your projects are to be successful:
– Clear definition. It’s amazing the difference in one’s results when a project must be well defined before commencement;
– Time budget. This incorporates when the project needs to be completed or, in the case of a large project, when each phase needs to be finished; and
– Resource allocation. Resources could be in the form of team members, a time and expense budget and/or external resources. What will it take to get the project completed?
3. Kanban
Here at Slipstream Coaching, we’ve embraced Kanban, a system originating in the car industry for tracking manufacturing progress.
Each project is represented on coloured paper, with the colour denoting who is responsible.
Each project gets prominently displayed on a wall in the office, enabling its progress to be continuously tracked. Importantly, no project can be lost or forgotten.
The project stages we use are (see image): not started, brainstormed, scoped and costed, started, 50 per cent completed, refinement, re-view, and completion.
These stages become “column headings” featured on the wall, with the paper for each project being moved from one stage to the next as it gets completed.
4. Get out of the office
Ironically, the features that make your office a great place to get client work done – access to client files, rapid exchange of emails, proximity to business partners and responding to the needs of team members – can kill off the focus and creativity required to develop something new.
Some of our clients report their best thinking gets done on the way to and from their quarterly group coaching meetings. Personally, I’m all for working from home on occasion or even taking oneself off to someone else’s boardroom to get away from all distractions – yes, those emails can wait! Do, however, appoint an accountability buddy, tasked to ensure you stick to working on the business and enquire about what you achieved.
5. Guns for hire
Because it’s challenging to get sufficient periods of uninterrupted time, principals would be well advised not to take on the role of “projects officer”. Invariably this means spasmodic attention at best, typically on weekends. Instead, the best roles for principals to play are that of originators, supervisors, mentors, reviewers and approvers.
On the other hand, a part-time projects officer or contractor to work on specific projects leaves busy professional staff and your practice manager free to concentrate on what they do best. There may also be roles for external experts – software trainers, video producers, marketing consultants and others – to play in fulfilling the brief.
6. Be accountable
The easiest person to let down is yourself so for best results, share what you are striving to achieve with others who can be relied upon to expectantly enquire about your progress.
At Slipstream, we encourage and foster accountability – to business partners, your team, coach and members of one’s external coaching group.
Recap
It’s worth repeating the benefits you can expect to receive from consistently implementing projects – massive improvements in targeted areas, a team culture of accomplishment and your business objectives achieved.
Scott Charlton, director, Slipstream Coaching
