Put your staff in the driver’s seat.

Getting your staff involved in driving continual improvement within your business is a win-win; often they are closer to many aspects of the business operations than you and so are better placed to identify areas of inefficiency.

Just as important however is the galvanising and motivating effect this can have both on individual staff – who feel more empowered – and on the team overall, as ideas sessions can help increase team bonding and encourage creative thinking.

Adviser of the Year Jenny Brown uses a few different approaches in her practice: The 10 at 10 meeting runs for 10 minutes on a Monday and is a ‘stand-up’ meeting to ensure it remains focussed. Every team member needs to explain what exceptional or surprising act of service they have provided for a client, team member or provider in the previous week that goes above and beyond their normal KPI’s. They then suggest what additional act they are planning that week that is above and beyond their normal KPI’s, which may generate ideas such as an additional client video explaining a process, doing something for a client that is “out of the box”, or helping a team member who is overworked.

JBS also use a1% board/ideas board, where team members are encouraged to make suggestions on how to improve / change / upgrade things. Even if that improvement is only 1%, lots of 1% ideas can make a huge difference when combined.

All of this has been done in conjunction with team retreats and externally facilitated workshops, focussed on team generated ideas and outcomes.

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This is an extract from a collection of business improvement tips for advisers, launched at Zurich’s Trax2Success national roadshow, featuring the 2013 AFA Adviser of the year Jenny Brown.

Click here to read Hot business tip number 1: Look after yourself and your staff

Click here to read Hot business tip number 2: Survey your clients

Click here to read Hot business tip number 3: Place a higher value on your time

Click here to read Hot business tip number 4: Review your client onboarding process

Click here to read Hot business tip number 5: Adopt an estate planning methodology across your business

Click here to read Hot business tip number 6: Tailor your communication strategy by client generation

Click here to read Hot business tip no number 7: Change your approach to review meetings

Click here to read Hot business tip number 8: Create a differentiated service offering (segment your client base)

Click here to read Hot business tip number 9: Set up a Board of Advice

Click here to read Hot business tip number10: Develop a client retention strategy

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 12: Build your emotional intelligence

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 13: Go Social

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 14: Get better at handling objections

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 15: Create stronger referral sources

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 16: Set up a Google account

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 17: Learn from leading advisers

Click here to read Hot business tip number. 18: Make better use of technology in your business

Click here to read Hot business tip number 19: Improve your office environment

Click here to read Hot business tip number 20: Develop a great value proposition

Click here to read Hot business tip number 21: Make more use of video in your business

Click here to read Hot business tip number 22: Optimise your website for mobile

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