Expert Teach them to extinguish the fires of others

In business, fires happen regularly.
The question is not whether they will. Question - Who and how will put them out.

First of all, let’s define what exactly can be called a “fire” in the company.

What are “fires” in business?

By this word I mean any emergency situations that violate the stability of processes and require urgent intervention of the owner.

1. Problems with capacity to pay

Unexpected (and sometimes expected) cash shortages to cover current expenses.
Those very cash gaps that always occur “not in time”.

2. Problems with suppliers

Delays in delivery, contract breaks, changes in terms of cooperation.
Here. - Loss of key customers or contracts, which directly affects production and trading processes.

3. Internal conflicts and personnel difficulties

The shortage of staff today is felt by many.
But no less painful are internal conflicts, managerial miscalculations and a decrease in team involvement.

4. Technical failures

Equipment accidents, site failures, problems in accounting systems - This is part of the reality of any business.

5. Reputational risks

Negative reviews, information attacks, errors in communication - Such situations quickly bring chaos into the usual order of work.

When the owner becomes a firefighter

Faced with any of these situations, we put on a firefighter suit, roll up our sleeves and run to save the day.

That's right.

The problem begins when after the heroic feat there is no systematic work on the cause.
The hearth may remain smoldering. - And fire at the worst possible moment.

As a result, business becomes an endless chronicle of feats.
If you write them down. - Great. There will be something to read to the grandchildren.

But seriously. - Constant “extinguishing” does not equal management.

To stop being the only firefighter in the company, you need to do the following.

How to Teach Your Team to Extinguish Fires on Their Own

1. Describe business processes

A clearly recorded sequence of actions, deadlines and the expected result already create order.

You are literally cleaning up the rubble at the evacuation exits. - They make processes understandable and reproducible.

2. Identify areas of responsibility

Blurred boundaries of responsibility inevitably create confusion and internal friction.

Each owner of the process should understand:

• What is he responsible for?
• where his powers begin and end,
• What results are expected from him.

3. Create a local regulatory framework and instructions

Clear documentation helps employees navigate difficult situations and make informed decisions.

It is in the instructions that you can prescribe, conditionally speaking, "how to use a fire extinguisher" - We don't need to reinvent the wheel in times of crisis.

4. Delegate authority and responsibility

Decisions in the framework of job duties should be made by the employee, not the owner.

The queue for agreeing small questions at your office does not enhance business management - It takes up your strategic time.

5. Identify control points

For the result to be predictable, it must be agreed in advance.

The employee should understand which checkpoints you are evaluating together the process and the end result.

System instead of heroism

These five steps - The basis for creating an internal fire extinguishing system in business.

But there is another important element. - A culture of responsibility.

• Don't be afraid of mistakes.
• Discuss them calmly and constructively.
• Learn from them and strengthen processes.

Then the company becomes sustainable and autonomous.
The owner can focus on strategic development.

Or, more importantly, - With a calm soul go on vacation.

Instead of

Any problem - It's not a timely task.

Therefore, it is better to work with the causes than to endlessly deal with the consequences.

Expert contact:

Nina Prudnikova

Practitioner with 20 years of experience in small business, B2B, B2C, B2G

Additional head and hands of the entrepreneur

The owner of TG channel "Dumb Chief." Governance wisely

Phone: +7 (962) 084 77 00
Mail: nip10@mail.ru
Telegram: @nina 2003
Telegramchannel: https:/tme/bosstupit