The Parthenon, the greatest of all Greek temples of the Classical age, is supported by over 150 pillars. Similarly, your business is also supported by pillars – Specific areas of activity – that are essential to its integrity and survival of your Business.
The Business you are building is an important to you as was the Parthenon to the Greeks. It took many years of painstaking planning and excruciatingly hard work to erect this magnificent temple. The same is true of your own efforts to build a successful, growing, lasting business. Like the Parthenon, your business is also supported by pillars, each of which is central to its integrity and its survival. The Parthenon was built to last so too your business must be based on rock solid principles.
Imagine the result of a small increase in the strength of each of the supporting pillars of the Parthenon. As each pillar is strengthened, it will affect the robustness, durability of the structure. Clearly a small change in each pillar will give rise to a large change to the overall structure. The same is TRUE of your Business. This gives rise to the Parthenon Principle:
Small Improvements in multiple areas can result in large improvements in results.
Consider the seven core foundational “Pillars” of your Business: Sales, Services, Pricing, Promotion, Referrals, Productivity and Profitability. Focus on these seven areas in your business to create activities to increase the results in each area by 5 – 10%. How can you increase sales? In what ways can you improve the quality of your services? What would you have to do to raise prices, even marginally? How might you improve the effectiveness of your promotional activities? What would it take to increase your number of referrals? What steps can you take to improve productivity? What can you do to reduce costs?
Focusing on activities on these seven areas of your Business will virtually double your productivity and profitability of your Business. Basically allowing you to work ON your Business vs. IN your Business. Give it a try!
By Mark R. Steinke – Elite Business Coach, Focal Point Business Coaching of Pennsylvania
1.610.768.7774