Making a difference
Beginning of a new year, new decade
IF you do things well, do them better. Be daring, be first, be different, be just. (Anita Roddick)
Here we are at the beginning of a new year and a new decade. This series of short articles will explore ways in which SMEs can make a positive difference as we move through the decade.
As a customer I want to do business with businesses that share and demonstrate similar values — honesty, respect, integrity, cultural and gender awareness and so on.
Many larger organisations, especially government ministries and departments have statements proclaiming their vision, mission and values on the wall but rarely in the hearts and minds of the board, leadership, staff and customers.
It is easy to write down a list of words that make us feel good — it is much harder to live by these same words.
Because of their size, SMEs have the opportunity to breathe life into these ideas.
Firstly, we need to be clear about our own vision — this is our big picture — the world we want to be part of.
It is a long-term view of what we want the world in which we operate to be. It should focus on the future, be a source of inspiration and provide clear decision-making criteria.
Making money is not the vision — we make money in order to help us work towards our vision.
Oxfam’s vision is a “just world without poverty” — very clear and unambiguous.
Microsoft – a computer on every desk and in every home; all running Microsoft software.
A hairdresser in New Zealand — we change the way you think about a haircut.
Return to sender (funerals) — to be buried with dignity.
A mission is a statement of how the vision is going to be achieved.
For example, the hairdresser quoted here provides “full service comfort, friendly staff, a relaxing atmosphere, and the best prices in town to give you an experience that will leave you glowing both inside and out”.
The funeral business provides “choice to families who want their final vessel to be in alignment with what was important to them during their lifetime”.
Our values are our guiding principles — our core beliefs.
Taken together, vision, mission and values combine to form the organisation's ambition.
They need to be in constant use from recruitment throughout employment and at all levels of the business including the board if we have one.
They should be meaningful to everyone every day, measurable and shared with customers, staff and suppliers.
If you do not have these ideas written down, make a commitment to do it within the next two weeks — involve your business colleagues, your family, your staff and even your customers.
Ask them what they think. It is easy to write statements that sound nice, but which are meaningless; where what we say and what we do are two different things.
Most of us would have the value of honesty but are we honest when it comes to paying our bills on time or paying our taxes or treating our staff well?
Do we demonstrate our support for the environment by refusing to use plastic and by only selling quality goods?
If we really are ambitious for our SME to make a difference, then we must not only say so but be that difference ourselves in everything we do.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world”. I stayed in a small guest house recently in Samoa where, when we checked in, we were given a card which outlined their vision, mission and values and we were asked to comment throughout our stay with examples of where we saw these statements put into practice, or not.
This small business lived its values daily and provided an inspiration to all who worked or stayed there, and they were constantly measuring how well they were doing.
If you are not sure where to start or simply want some external advice on your own practice for making a difference then please contact me.
Next week, I will explore how we make a difference by being a great employer.
Chris Elphick is partner in Breadfruit Consulting, supporting the development of a range of businesses and organisations in Melanesia and other parts of the Pacific. He is an experienced trainer, coach and business mentor and has years of experience of working with small and medium enterprises. He and his partner Hazel Kirkham live in Vanuatu. Breadfruit Consulting is also involved with developing mentoring services for new and young entrepreneurs.
If you have an issue or query related to this article, please contact Chris at chris@breadfruitconsulting.com or text to +6785500556. Go to www.breadfruitconsulting.com for more information and ideas.