The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 31: June/July 2017 | Page 13

PERSONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GROW YOUR PEOPLE TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS By Ellis Bardsley Often I hear, “I should invest in training people, but what if they leave? Then we’ve wasted money…” My response is, “What if you don’t invest in your people and they stay…?” Successful businesses create a culture that promotes positivity, they invest in their people, they coach their people, they create an open, learning orientated atmosphere. They structure to win! To own a business that works without you requires you to develop a strong team that can manage the day-to-day operation. Any business that relies on the owner to function is in fact a job, not a business from the owner’s perspective. To sell a business, or to get your time back through developing a passive income by others managing your business, means your culture should be carefully nurtured and rigidly enforced. Your people must be grown as individuals and as a unit. Ellis Bardsley 7 culture tips: 7 keys to developing a winning team: 1. Establish a clear vision, values and purpose document that every team member understands and can connect with 2. Hire based on attitude, not skills. You can teach and develop skills. 3. Look for people better than you and only hire the best person for the role, never compromise, take your time 4. Develop clear job descriptions and person specifications before searching 5. Hire slow, fire fast… 6. Resist the urge to put on your Superman suit every time things are difficult or go wrong. Encourage your team to figure it out, don’t do it for them! 7. Create a frequently asked questions file. Help your team learn for themselves 1. Provide consistent, strong leadership and management 2. E stablish the rules of the game and enforce them 3. Develop a common goal and share it 4. Have an action plan that everybody understands and is involved in 5. Support risk taking by individuals, trust, stretch and grow your people 6. Generate 100% inclusion, irrespective of the role 7. Provide constant training, coaching and learning For more info: www.actioncoach.com/ellisbardsley @ActionCOACHEB [email protected] 01865 362109 Swindon College How can Apprenticeships deliver for your business? Apprenticeships help businesses grow by: • Reducing training and recruitment costs • Increasing productivity and profitability • Developing a skilled, motivated and qualified workforce • Improving customer service results • Providing financial return on investment. More than 100,000 employers of all sizes and from all sectors in England currently use Apprenticeships to attract new talent, re-skill existing staff and tackle skill shortages.  TOP PERFORMING COLLEGE IN THE SOUTH WEST FOR APPRENTICESHIPS Source: Skills Funding Agency 2014/15 For further information about taking on an Apprentice please contact the Apprenticeship Team at Swindon College on: [phone] S w i n d o n C o l l e g e , * [email protected] N o r t h S t a r A v e n u e , S w i n d o n , @ www.swindon.ac.uk W i l t s h i r e , S N 2 1 D Y THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017 13