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Do you know who you can delegate to?

It is important to understand that when you delegate something to your team that you keep hold of some of the responsibility such as the support mechanisms. However, it is far more important that the team have the correct skills and competencies …

Having a team of trusted partners makes it easier to delegate tasks!

copyright: ellen willoughby, all about productivity

Quite often you will find that you do not have sufficient skills in-house to complete the job as an expert would, so why not delegate the work out to a third party who is an expert?

I have a bank of experts that I can call on to assist my clients from accountants and bookkeepers to gardeners, photographers and web designers. One expert that I would like to introduce you to today is Ellen Willoughby from All About Quality who is an expert in everything ISO9001.

“Here’s an extract from one of her latest blog posts!”

When your a small business, the thought of implementing a standard such as ISO9001 may seem a daunting task. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t improve what you’re doing in a systematic way.

The ‘5s quality methodology’ is ideally suited to small businesses. The 5s’s will help get your business into top shape so that when the time comes from you to implement standards like ISO9001 you will already have the foundation for it embedded into your business.

The 5s’s are listed below. These apply equally well to those who work in services and use computers as their ‘workbench’ as it does for manufacturing and engineering companies.

1. SORT

   • Remove unnecessary items and dispose of them properly

   • Make work easier by eliminating obstacles

   • Reduce chance of being disturbed by unnecessary items

   • Prevent accumulation of unnecessary items

   • Remove all parts not in use

   • Segregate unwanted materials

   • Don’t keep or segregate unneeded items

2. STREAMLINE

   • Arrange all items so they are easily selected to use

   • Prevent waste and loss of time

   • Make it easy to pick up and find necessary items

   • Make workflow easier and smoother

   • Make things regular

3. SHINE

   • Sweep, sanitize and scrub

   • Clean workplace completely

   • Use cleaning as inspection

   • Prevent equipment deterioration

   • Keep workplace easy and safe to use

   • Keep your workplace pleasing to work in

4. STANDARDIZE

   • Standardise all best practices in the workplace

   • Maintain standards of housekeeping

   • Maintain everything in order and according to its standard

   • Everything in its right place

   • Every process has its standard

5. SUSTAIN

   • To keep in working order

   • To do without being told

   • Perform regular audits

   • Training and discipline

   • Get feedback regularly

I hope that the above list has given you some idea on how to improve your business. I did this as a presentation at a networking event once and a lot of people reported they went home and cleared there computers and desks of all old and irrelevant items so found immediate benefit from it.

All About Quality helps clients implement 5s in their businesses by working systematically through a checklist, helping them implement the steps and holding them accountable for changes made.

“Would you like to know more?”

If you would like to have a 5s improvement programme for your business no matter how small or large pleased do contact Ellen on 01604 210488 or click here to ping me an email and I’ll forward your enquiry.

Until next time …

KATH BONNER-DUNHAM