The Business Axiom of Systematic Management changed my life when reading just two chapters of a well-known business book. The axioms contained in its pages took me on a 30-year adventure of spreading a gospel of business management using well-designed systems. Equally important, fixing ALL non-conformance by implementing one system at a time.
An axiom is a statement or concept regarded as established, accepted or self-evident truth. To emphasize … a fact needing NO PROOF.
Example, “A + B = B + A”.
No Other Opinion Needed | Thank you!
Once reading and considering how process systems operated in business, I didn’t need someone’s opinion, nor my employees’ confirmation that Systems work. In fact, I didn’t need 50 other opinions from 50 various sources confirming systems will remove chaos in my business.
Why? Because, I knew TRUTH when I read it. No other opinion needed
Amazingly, many small business owners deny truth, when a business axiom, like “Total Quality Management Works” is so glaringly evident. To be blunt, it’s just foolish resistance! How do I know?
Folks, look around at most small businesses and you will find shoot-from-the-hip management with disgruntled employees, errors and miscommunications in plain view. These same “axiom deniers” complain about the chaos in their business year after year and take no real steps to fix them.
Sadly, if someone suggests a FIX for the chaos – i.e. systematic management – negative statements, from those business axiom deniers, spew forth:
- “We’ve put in systems before, they just don’t work!”
- “There are not enough hours in the day to systematize our business.”
- “Chaos in business is just normal”
- “That systems crap doesn’t work for small business!” Hmm!
Notice the businesses you regularly patronize. They didn’t get your continual business by making errors and delivering products or services late!
Systematic Management | Not for Quitters
Our biggest disappointment, over the past 20-plus years, is working with business owners who start out with much enthusiasm and optimism, only to give-up a short-time later. Reminds me of one of those people who trys every fad-diet to lose weight; soon quitting, to find themselves growing heavier! Those same quitters will likely say, “THAT diet doesn’t work!
Foolish resistance, to proven methods of management (and diets), are all too common. A gloomy Axiom.
Business Axiom of Defeat | Quitters Don’t Win!
Many business owners QUIT implementing business systems, because they lack discipline to see projects to completion. Sadly, they exhibit poor leadership by giving into “axioms of defeat.”
Our suggestion, to those who lack staying power to systematize – they should keep their business small enough to manage it in their heads. In other words, their brain is the “SYSTEM” that maintains and manages their business. However, the owner must stay close enough, so employees can plug into them at any moment, for information needed to do their job.
To be fair, many small business owners enjoy working IN their business along-side their employees, and are happy doing so until they retire. No problem.
HOWEVER, for those of us envisioning the day we OWN the business, and are NOT satisfied just having a job inside our business, Systematic Management is key.
Did I mention? “Great Systems Work” is an Axiom for success!
Philip Beyer, founder/president of Ebiz Products LLC and founder of Beyer Printing Inc. in Nashville Tenn., is a chronic entrepreneur, business systems analyst and consultant. Author of "System Busters: How to Stop Them in Your Business" and recipient of an InterTech Technology Award for the design and development of System100 business process management software. Beyer speaks to business owners across the country on how to bring lean, sustainable order to their businesses. Contact him at (615) 425-2652.