Growing pains? Tips for growing businesses

Q: As my small business grows to seven employees, we’re finding that communication and scheduling are issues. Any suggestions on how to resolve?

— Marty

A: Your question heightens the good and bad of growing small businesses. On the upside, it’s exciting to create a business that is expanding. But other issues crop up, such as communication breakdowns.

Right away, you can do two things: 1) Set down some ground rules for your employees, and 2) Give them the chance to succeed.

Create a winning culture

The freewheeling ethic that accompanies a business start-up phase changes as it matures. Simply, you need to consider your business’ culture as it starts to grow.

Culture is a business buzzword that’s easy to ignore. But the culture of your business is what sets the tone for everything. It’s what employees expect when they come into the office to start the day. Is it going to be intense day? Will the boss probably yell at someone? Will it be a fun, interesting day? These are examples of the environment or culture you set for your staff.

The smart, savvy entrepreneur will have a culture by design, but most small business owners end up with one by default.

If your business is not running the way you want it to and your employees aren’t productive or happy, let me suggest that you define the culture you want and then implement it.

Here’s how:

• Decide on your core business values and communicate them with your staff
• Create procedures that reinforce these values
• Reward people who play by the rules and do not tolerate those that don’t
• Be an example and live this culture daily

By creating a culture that fosters and rewards teamwork, communication, and cooperation, you will begin to reverse the previous heady, busy, crazy startup days where the culture was “anything goes!”

The tools of success

Of course, culture and values only take you so far. To increase communication and teamwork, your people need the right tools.

Computer technology is not the place to skimp; the right tools make your business more competitive, productive and profitable. So, as you update your culture, you should probably update your technology too.

Whether that means new computers, updated software, Blackberries for those on the road, success happens from making jobs easier and, hence, more productive.

For example, my friends at Microsoft have tools intended to make your office more efficient:

• Exchange Server 2007: To simplify, a server is sort of a security-minded hub computer that all other computers log into. It becomes the brain of your office. You can use it to create an Intranet, collaborate on projects, post schedules, retrieve shared documents and more.
• Response Point: This is a phone system software system designed for small businesses. It is simple and elegant, offers a cool voice-activated user interface, and has an easy setup and management system. It’s user-friendly and can grow with your business.
• Outlook 2007: Outlook is the program of choice for business for a reason: It will keep your staff organized, help them manage communications and collaborate more easily.

Having growing pains is a nice problem to have. It’s even better when you have workable solutions at your disposal.

Steve Strauss is one of the country's leading small business experts, a columnist for USATODAY.com, and the author of the "Small Business Bible." If you would like to have Steve speak to your group, or to sign up for his free e-newsletter Small Business Success Secrets!, visit his Web site. Have a question for Steve? Send him an e-mail.