And The Systems Will Set You Free ©

John-Paul Micek Your freedom from repetitive frustrations, damaging profit leaks, and crushing damage to your business reputation is rooted in the least glamorous and most overlooked place. It's buried deep within every single business that still has its doors open to serve clients.

If you're like 85% of the business owners out there, your energy and motivation is slowly being sapped away like a dying man in the Amazon, covered by blood-sucking leeches. And, that's all because marketing and sales efforts have been placed ahead of this critical profit generator.

I'm always amazed at how many of our coaching clients don't know why they feel like furry little hamsters stuck in cages, running furiously as fast as they can on their little "wheels" of business.

But there is a flip side. I've got to tell you how thrilled and energized I am every time we help another business owner get released from a life of unintended entrepreneurial bondage.

Can I help do the same for you?

You bet!

Jump out of the "cage" and experience the freedom and profitability that lies dormant in your business. Get started right now by reading this article and taking the suggested steps. Then partner with your coach and other members of the Owner's Club to accelerate your progress through an exceptional level of coaching, mentoring, and accountability.

Have You Ever ...

Have you ever answered a question for someone on your team that seems like the 20th time you've given the same answer? Do your employees make the same type of mistakes over and over again? If you know what it feels like to have profits slip through your fingers because of poor performance, it's time to put an end to your frustration.

In this article you'll learn how the simple truth of a systemized business can set you free from these (and many other) ongoing headaches. You'll also see how the process of systemizing your business does not have to be complex, and laborious, as many business leaders see it.

The Most Misunderstood Pillar of Profitability

Often, when I ask small-business leaders about the systems that maintain the profitability of their business, a look of abject fear appears. Too many small-business owners incorrectly equate systems with a lack of freedom and flexibility. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, taking the time to develop standardized systems for operating and managing your business will equip you to:

Maximize your time and optimize your own talents and resources.
Delegate quickly and efficiently for greater productivity.
Energize and motivate your team with a unified focus.
Generate consistent, superior results that your clients count on.
Immediately move hidden profits directly to your bottom line.
To top it all off, when properly laid out, your Systems of Operations (SOP) are dynamic and open to organic growth. As your business grows, your SOP grow. Your SOP are relatively cost free once you have them established.

If you're anxious to start boosting your net profits from day one, here are five simple steps to save you from costly trial and error.

Step 1: Benchmark.

You cannot get to where you want to go without knowing exactly where you are right now. You need specific and accurate measurements to ensure the efforts you put into systems development will yield exponential returns. Start with a benchmark.

Step 2: Innovate.

Brainstorm — develop different approaches to get the best results from the process you're developing a system for. Listen to the people with the most direct experience with the current process. Don't just think outside the box. Tear it apart, if need be, and start from scratch.

Step 3: Implement

Select the best option you come up with, put it in writing and implement it! Don't toss out all other options just yet. Keep them on the “back burner.”

Step 4: Review, Revise, and Adjust.

Review your progress on a scheduled basis. Compare your current tracking results with your initial benchmark and make adjustments as necessary to optimize your results.

Step 5: Write It, Share It, Repeat It — And Profit

The overall concept of the SOP, the implementation and results, must be accurately recorded during steps 1 - 4. In this final step you'll distill the system to its simplest form and put it in writing for publication in your systems manual.

Now that you have a system to help you develop systems, you can set yourself up to experience the freedom of effective delegation and optimized profitability. It's up to you to step up, take action, enjoy, and profit from it.

If you're serious about getting systems to set you free faster, with less trial and error, send me an e-mail. I'll personally send you the unabridged "action-report" version of this article complete with coach's notes and tips to get you started — free! Just send me an e-mail at JPM@RPMsuccess.com and put "Systems Action Report" in the subject line, let me know your first name and I'll make sure you get a copy.

© Copyright 1999-2004 by RPM Success Group ®, All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without the express written consent of RPM Success Group ® is prohibited. You may use this article/post in it's entirety as an RSS feed without previous permission, so long as it is published in it's entirety with all copyright notices. Call RPM Success Group toll free at 888-334-8151 for offline reprint permissions, or by email editor@rpmsuccess.com.

About the Author

John-Paul Micek and his partner Deborah Cole Micek are Business Growth Coaches. They specialize in helping small business owners achieve profit-doubling growth in less time than it would take to do on your own. Through their strategic coaching programs of the www.BusinessOwnersCoachingClub.com you're guaranteed to reach more goals in 12-months than most owners do in a decade. You can reach John-Paul at JPM@RPMsuccess.com or at (888) 334-8151.