In graphic design, sometimes the difference between a good layout and a great layout comes down to the details. Move a line of text down a hair. Adjust the spacing between some letters. Nudge a couple of elements a little farther apart. In business, especially a small business, focusing on the details can get in the way of seeing the big picture.
It is not hard for small business owners to get into a rut or bogged down in the details. You want to put out a great product or service. The problem with this is focus. Sometimes that thing you are concentrating so hard on is actually keeping you from providing that great product or service.
Many people start a small business based on something they are good at. They think “Hey, I’m good at this, I like doing it, why not make a business of it?”
Herein lies the problem: Being good at something does not make a business.
People who are good at something tend to focus on that one thing they are good at – as if that is the most important part of the picture. As a business owner you need to be able to see the whole picture.
Just watch any of the flood of business turnaround shows on TV such as “Restaurant Impossible,” or “Hotel Impossible,” and you will see many examples of businesses that are in trouble because the owner is myopic. They have staff that is not trained because he or she is too busy cooking or doing the bills or customer service.
So where to start?
Here are some steps you can take to help you get out of a rut.
Take a break. Get out of the kitchen, per se. While developing good habits like making a daily list and follow through is important, sometimes you need to get away to get some perspective. Go someplace unfamiliar where you can sit and relax and think. Try the library. When was the last time you went there? Even if only for half an hour. Do this consistently. You will be surprised at how it helps. Studies show that most creative ideas come when you are doing something relaxing. Ask yourself questions such as “How is what I am doing benefiting my customers?” “What complaints (from staff and customers) am I hearing the most?”
Ask someone else’s opinion. Taking a break is a start. But you need to get a different perspective on things. Be open minded. You may not like what you hear but it may be what you need to hear.
That said, friends and family may not always be the best people to ask. Their advice can be clouded by what they think is best for you.
Get help where you need it. You don’t know everything. Very few will admit that. Some people are going to be smarter than you in some areas. You just have to have the smarts to listen. Try to find a mentor if you can. A mentor has been through it before and can give you ideas on how they would solve a particular problem. Or he/she can just be someone to bounce ideas off. Resources such as SCORE can help provide guidance in areas you are not good at. Creativity books cans also help break patterns and open your mind. A Whack on the Side of the Head comes to mind.
Ask your customers. What is important to them? It may well be that the thing you are concentrating on is not that important to your customer. You may be trying to make this award-winning layout and they are more concerned that it is legible and on time. You may be concentrating on putting out high end food, thinking service needs to be just okay and the customer’s thinking they should get really good food with impeccable service for the prices you are charging.
It is not hard as a business owner to get stuck in a rut. These are just a few ideas that can help whack you out of your rut and start seeing the big picture.
