In my travels around a wide network of people: clients, candidates and associates in my trusted circle, it has become apparent that the most successful (and happiest) businesses have something in common – they are taking action to become fitter for the current market and to be prepared for when the cycle changes.

I have condensed the main learning points from all these sources into a checklist to share with you.

I also have a very special offer - but hurry as places are limited. Read on to find out more.

Checklist – 20 ways to become a fitter business

1. Strategy that is communicated by a good leader is the most effective

2. Inspirational, knowledgeable and confident leadership is essential to driving your business forward. Are your leaders inspiring and leading or are they just watching performance?

3. Your response to uncertainty is crucial. Are you in suspended animation or taking steps to invest in the future?

4. Successful businesses have a clear strategy and remember to align the people to all get behind it.

5. “Its not the business strategic plan that’s important, its having the capability to deliver it” Darren Shirlaw, Business Coach.


6. To reflect changing times the organisation structure and its operating methods should be modified for optimum efficiency and effectiveness at the front end and in the back office.

7. Are you working on increasing your marketing efforts to take up the opportunities for growth that will come from the end of this cycle? Don’t forget that there is a time lag between investment and results.

8. Have you changed the strategy for packaging what you sell to reflect the economic conditions, and can you be agile enough to change the strategy/packaging again when conditions change? For example, last summer we launched a modular system of recruitment to assist businesses who were struggling with reducing HR budgets.

9. Have you considered the most relevant distribution channels for your product in the current climate? They may be different from two years ago.

10. Are you thinking about what investment in your people will deliver significant business results/ turn your performance around?


11. Did you know that the most overlooked piece of change management is changing the culture and aligning the people to it?

12. How do your people feel at the moment? Are some of them busy and feeling productive whilst others are struggling to know what to do?

13. There may well be hidden talent in your business. Have you thought of matching the right people to the jobs in your restructured/modified organisation using objective methods to uncover both talent and hidden issues?

14. A flexible, multi-skilled workforce can be adapted to different market conditions. Can you retrain your people? I recently heard of a legal firm that had retrained its conveyancing people in employment law to work on a restructuring assignment for a major client.


15. Consider whether you have the capability to deliver your vision. Think about your breadth across all functions of the business and your depth in each function, from strategy down to implementation on the ground…for today’s market and for the future.

16. To achieve a business of successful people you should attract and retain the talent that is properly matched to your culture

17. Can you develop internally or should you be recruiting new skills into the business, to lead some of your teams in a different direction?

18. Are people truly working as a team today and do they understand what you expect of them now and in the future?

19. Need to recruit a new leader? The recruitment market has changed – get yourself up to date


20. Remember…If you do the same thing you will get the same results

Do any of these points resonate with you? Thinking them through, it has occurred to me that my colleagues have experience across the business spectrum needed for the current uncertain times.

Riches Consulting has significant strengths in strategy, structure, culture and capability. So, if you are feeling in need of help on any of the points in the checklist please don’t hesitate to ask.

Call me on 01225 812 070 or 020 7849 6024 or email here

Best wishes Janice

Please contact us on 01225 812 070 or email here

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