Running a business is rather like flying an aircraft: set your course, altitude and cruising speed, switch on the autopilot, and turn your attention to other tasks.
Obviously, pilots are reminded to take back control of the flying process otherwise landing would be a problem, but business owners may be content to leave the autopilot switched on? In this way we become victims of past planning and these choices may no longer create the best outcome for our business.
For accountants, February is probably the best time to reconsider your options. The past tax filing season has come and gone, there is still time to consider planning options for 2017-18 and half-term may be an opportune time to organise time out of your practice.
What to do on your blue-sky days?
The first task is probably figure out what your past assumptions have been. For example:
- Staffing
- Resources, office space etc
- Technical support, software, IT, data security
- Service options – compliance activity
- Service options – added value activity
- Changes in legislation that affect the organisation of your practice – data protection etc.
Once you know what your autopilot is set to deliver, you can decide if you need to change course, or simply land and refuel.
We all exhort our clients to spend time working on their businesses, and we should follow this advice. Switch off your autopilot and take back control, you may find the process rather exhilarating.
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