The Best Cure For Your Ailing Business

If your business is feeling out of sorts, maybe it's time for a business health check.

I recently met with a client and asked one simple question, "Who is the brains of this operation." Without hesitation, he said, "Me", and while it's true it takes brains and a whole lot more to start and run a business, what if it's your team that's the brains of your operation.

If that thought freaks you out, maybe it's time to figure out why you are uncomfortable with that thought.

First, though, let's talk about what the brain does:

Your brain:

* Controls body temperature

* Controls blood pressure

* Controls your heart rate and breathing

* Accepts a heap-load of information from sensory details (seeing, smelling, hearing tasting, touching, and insights)

* Is a message center for physical movement, including running, walking, talking, standing, sitting)

* Is a message center for dreaming, reasoning, and experiencing emotions

Your team:

* Controls the "temperature" of your business in terms of how it's perceived by the outside world

* Is the pulse of your operation

* Is the bloodline to the success of your business

* Is a sponge for information coming in and going out of the business

* Handles tasks that require physical attention

* Is the visionary for where the business can go and for building lasting relationships with your customers

Clearly, lots of parallels exist. So, let's look at a few healthy foods that a brain needs to survive.

Feed your brain:

* Berries. Berries are full of memory-boosting nutrients.

* Cherries. Cherries are an anti-inflamatory, and help to keep the blood flowing.

* Apples. Apples fight against neurodegenerative diseases

* Curry. Curry contains antioxidents

* Eggs. Egg-yokes help with mental clarity

* Fish. Fish like sardines help with brain functions and communication

* Oysters. Oysters help with brain clarity and provide zinc and iron proficiency

Six key things to feed your team:

* Visuals. Keep your vision statement visible, so your team is clear on what the vision is for your company

* Meetings. Schedule meetings and encourage trust and open-communication to "keep the company" blood flowing freely.

* Incentives. Offer incentives that will keep your team eager and encouraged to think outside the walls of the office.

* Training. Toxins in business can build up if communication is bottle-necked and clogged. Training can help you build up the areas your team members are strong in and strengthen the areas where they may have shown weakness.

* Brainstorming. Two heads are better than one for a reason. Your team might have new, exciting ideas to present and potentially explore. Make sure they notice that their ideas are taken seriously, and reward them for concepts that turn into lucrative results.

* An attentive ear. Many times we say we are good listeners, but are we? Practice active listening skills but repeating back to the team what you think you heard, and encourage them to treat each idea with respect and consideration.

Every team member needs to feel like they count. Bear in mind the business cycle, so you are always aware of the importance of each team member: The team nurtures the customer; the customer nurtures the business, the business nurtures the business owner, the business owner nurtures the team. And round and round it goes.

People don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses. Stay fit. Feed your brain. Keep your business fit. Feed your team, and in turn, feed your dream. Hey! Even "profit" has "fit" in it. Starving your company in any of these areas and thinking it will thrive doesn't only hurt you, it harms your team and ultimately, it harms your business.


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Peter Williamson, Business Coach and Master Licensee. For advice and access to proven systems that will advance your business, visit http://www.actioncoachcalteam.com/ or http://actioncalteamblog.com