Leaders, listen up: 2 tips for better operations

Simple concepts often have considerable value, and these two concepts will help you achieve leadership excellence. The first is about how you need to see your situation from multiple perspectives.

The second one can save you if you're accustomed to doing everything in-house. You should be focused on the core of what differentiates your organization from others.

The core tasks must be carried out and constantly innovated by your internal team. The rest often can, and should be, outsourced.

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1. Grasp both the big picture and the view at ground level

To get the bigger picture, you have to look at your situation as if you were seeing it from the window of an airplane. Observing a situation at ground level is also very beneficial. You can immerse yourself into the details to check the facts.

To lead effectively, you need to have both perspectives. You need to become a visionary who is also able to get down and dirty. You need to understand the strategic value, but you also have to know how to make things happen.

Your vision must be your goal – however, you also need a plan to make it work at ground level, according to an article on the strategy-business.com website.

2. Outsource what is not key

When you're preparing a new product or service, don’t do everything internally. At least not during the initial stages. Being open to outsourcing opportunities gives you flexibility and enables you to manage things more effectively.

So consider outsourcing almost all tasks. Only the most essential functions should be kept and done in-house.

Evaluate cautiously which business activities are the most critical to your success, then focus strictly on these activities. Back-office, technology, legal services – those can all be done by someone else.

Effective outsourcing enables operational excellence. Low-leverage, but necessary, chores are exactly the tasks that need to be outsourced.

-jk-

Article source Strategy+Business - a U.S. management magazine
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