Strategic Outsourcing Professionals

In this economic downturn, businesses are doing everything they can to weather the storm.  Unfortunately, most are taking a simple approach by making cuts in the easiest way – its people.  That is understood; human capital is expensive and business needs to do what must be done.  However, by going lean, businesses are putting themselves at risk of losing market share when the economy picks up.  Management teams need to think about positioning the business to outpace their competition and capitalize on the economic rebound.

To do this, Executives should focus on achieving operational excellence to position business for rapid growth.  Operational excellence isn’t a form of just managing the way business is done; it’s also about how the business is organized.

In my view, there are low-cost investments that can add significant value to the operating model of a company.  Further, their measured success will allow a company to scale and grow operating income at a faster pace.

1.     Continuous Improvement: Measure, Adjust, Improve, Iterate

2.     Develop a Strong Product Feedback Loop: Your angriest customers are the source of your greatest learning.  Use that to your advantage and build what people want and require.

3.     Enable Self-Learning: Drive content and metrics for everyone to learn about the business.  An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into tangible action, is the ultimate competitive advantage.

In the words of Walt Disney, “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”  

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