Are you in control of your systems, or are your systems controlling you?

In this episode of "The Business You Really Want," hosts Gwen Bortner and Tonya Kubo invite you into the world of systems and how the behaviors within your business shape the results you see. Whether you're running a solo operation or managing a growing team, understanding and optimizing your systems can lead to more efficiency, less stress, and greater success.

Here’s what you can expect in this episode:

• 2:38 - Systems are actually just behaviors
• 6:32 - Learn your behaviors by consciously observing them
• 10:00 - How to document your systems once you know they work
• 12:35 - How to identify the behaviors that make up your systems.
• 17:28 - Why being too flexible might be sabotaging your business success
• 20:28 - Creating intentional systems that align with your goals and values
• 22:58 - The time it takes to standardize behaviors into effective systems
• 27:54 - Free yourself by standardizing behaviors for recurring decisions

Key Takeaways:

• Systems are not software: Understand that systems are the consistent behaviors and processes that happen in your business every day.
• Observe your behaviors: Start noticing the automatic decisions you make daily; these are your true systems.
• Document only when necessary: Don’t waste time writing down processes until you know they are effective and repeatable.
• Balance flexibility with structure: Too much flexibility can lead to chaos; find the right balance to keep things running smoothly.
• Leverage outside perspectives: Sometimes, you need an external observer to point out unconscious behaviors that could be impacting your success.

Ready to optimize your business systems? Try this:

1. Start by observing: Take a week to note down every step you take in completing your daily tasks. What patterns do you see?
2. Ask why: For every action, ask yourself why you are doing it that way. Is there a better or more efficient way? 
3. Streamline your processes: Identify areas where you can reduce steps or make things more straightforward.
4. Get feedback: Consider working with a coach or a trusted colleague to gain insights into your habits and how they could be improved.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review!

Also, be sure to check out Episode 8, where we explore solving the right problems in the right order.