Rick Slark

If you’re going to create change in your business, the first step is to establish a sense of urgency. Why? Because significant change is difficult. It requires cooperation, initiative, and sacrifice. Without a compelling reason to act now, the effort required to change loses out to the comfort of continuing as you are. Recognizing that change would be good is not enough. You have to recognize that it is necessary and that postponing it has consequences. 1. Understand what prevents urgency...

You have thirty people working for you, including several crew leads and a manager who oversees the daily schedule. Payroll is tight. The crew leads know the work, and you still talk with them regularly. You begin to wonder: Do I really need this management position between me and the people doing the job? It is a reasonable question. Removing a layer could save money and let people make decisions faster. It could also send every schedule change, customer complaint, and employee problem back...

Is the Market Limiting You, or Are You Limiting the Business? The market may be setting the limit. There may not be enough demand at a profitable price. Competitors may be taking work you once won. You may be unable to find the people or financing needed to expand. Or the limit may be inside the business. Important decisions still come to you. Employees wait for direction they should be able to give one another. Customer relationships and problems depend on your personal attention. The...