For an upcoming enterprise or organisation, it is important to minimise interruptions
and hassles that may impair its fortunes. Although some eventualities can only
be tackled when it happens, the onus is on leaders to mitigate the detrimental issues
by preparing for it with precautionary measures and prudent processes.
Over my 10-year experience of running two successful
companies, listed below are issues that have thrown up testing challenges,
overcoming which, has driven accelerated growth:
Make Work Official With
Agreement And/Or Other Documentation.
It is easy to be overhyped when big opportunities come our way,
but experience has taught me that it is when you least expect that improper
documentation or lack thereof leaves us vulnerable. So, although it might seem
tiresome to go through the seemingly exhaustive exercise, it is crucial to reinforce
the belief that being prepared in the present is better than worrying for the
future. Remember, it is survival of the best prepared.
Make Your Brief Or
Work Details As Foolproof Or As Thorough As Possible.
Over the years improper, unspecified and ambiguous briefs
have cost us hours and hours of lost productivity that leaves both the client
and colleagues in angst and frustration. Make sure you have the modalities in
place to extract those magical words that shed clarity for all concerned,
leaving little room for lingering doubts with a clear, lucid interpretation of
what is desired. Soon, you will realise sometimes the person in question doesn’t
really know what they really want or aren’t able to express them appropriately,
so the onus is on us to extrapolate what is intended to the best possible. So,
again, a brief is most beautiful folks.
Ideate For Clients &
Execute, Or Execute Client’s Ideas – Not Both.
One of the fundamental remorse of creative work is to be caught
in the no man’s land of neither doing completely what you want as per your
creative instinct and artistic prowess nor delivering on client’s expectations
too. So, although unsavoury, it is important to stand your ground and try to
convince what you are trying to in keeping with both convention & practical
limitations, failing which, give the client the best realisation of his vision.
It is precious not be mashed in the tricky wicket of balancing, which could concoct
a monstrosity no one is proud of. So in creativity, follow your wish or respect the client’s command.
Hire Great Talent Or
Invest In Talent & Ensure Retention.
Attrition rate is an issue that continues to be an Achilles
heel for agencies, both big and small, but there are ways to mitigate the issue
and cascade the talent down to uphold your greatest strengths. If you have the bandwidth
it is advisable to target the best talent and retain them, but it has proven to
be equally effective - for the value cautious patrons - to hire potential and
invest time in training them and then see them drive the vision forward – with mechanisms
and spirit in place to make sure they stay. Although one option takes more
patience than perhaps the seemingly more arduous, but as been proven by IPL,
particularly with Bumrah & Hardik, it is the rare gem that shines
brightest.
Support Your
Infrastructure With Professional Services To Minimise Interruptions.
One of the biggest jolts that we receive is when the
infrastructural, regulatory or utility facets of our operations let us down, either
due to unforeseen circumstances or sub-par maintenance owing to an oversight. Roadblocks
caused by these interruptions not only affect our operations & deadline,
but it could also adversely impact reputation and the overall trust quotient,
that can set us back by months, if not become irreparable. And although the adage of multitasking and taking ownership of every task is applaud-worthy,
sooner rather than later, it is important to let the professionals do their
thing vis-a-vis IT, software, hardware, machine maintenance, internet,
electricity, legalities, audit & regulatory compliance among others. It serves to appreciate the pros from your
cons right from the outset.
It is understood that challenges and changes would test us, but
it is always better to have a list of the must-dos and must-considers to be
equipped with a heads up against the uncertainties ahead. So I hope these
pointers prove to be a small headway towards your path to success and glory.
All the best!
