Do You Wonder What Happened?

After years of consulting with privately owned companies of all types and sizes, several things have become clear. There seems to be a logical way to group organizations into one of three types. The first group is the one that makes things happen. These guys are in growth mode. They are the ones acquiring other companies, diversifying, thinking about 2016 and making time for planning. This group makes up a small number of the companies I observe.

The second group is the one that watches things happen. These companies are cautious, but willing to make a move once they see other companies headed in a specific direction. This segment comprises a large amount of privately owned organizations that I consult with in the print industry. For example, these companies waited until they saw others buying and having success with wide-format and/or digital presses and then decided they, too, should jump into that game. They went out—many without a plan—and bought such equipment.

The third group is the one that wonders what happened. This group thinks social media and Facebook are the same thing. Note to reader: Facebook is one of countless parts of social media. Many in this group have been lapped. Some have given up. Some do not even realize they are not in the game. Many long for the way things used to be. There is a way for such companies to turn around, but some do not want to try, or they are not willing to invest time or money to do so. I call this pure insanity. One definition of insanity is: Doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. And, there are many companies that make up this group.

We are now in the second month of a new year, and here is what I'd like to know: Do you want to get better? Do you want to grow? Do you desire to change? Do you want to strategically think about how you are going to grow the front-end of your business? Please be honest with yourself—do you really want to change?

Companies, in any industry, that are growing are "outthinking" the competition. And by the way, your competition is everyone and everywhere. You see, everyone can offer a competitive price, decent customer service, a reasonable turnaround time and good quality. These do not make your firm unique.

So, I challenge you to think about what needs to improve within your business. How do you change your culture? Your strategy? Your brand? Your sales? Your talent? A changing world? A new workforce? Many say they desire to be a "make things happen" company, but few do it. Why? You have to ask yourself that. However, always remember it is easy to sit back and play it safe.

To remain relevant in 2015 and beyond, you must review all parts of your organization from top to bottom, and side to side. Yes, you may need outside help to do this. From there, you can see what needs to improve. The question, then, is not whether you need to do this, but are you willing to do this? Trust me, all privately owned companies benefit from a fresh and objective perspective—no matter which group they fall into. I hope this post makes you reflect upon the group you fall in and that you move toward a make things happen type of year.

More at: @RyanSauers or RyanSauers.com