Small Business Growth And Success Is About Mastering The Butterfly Effect

Success does not have to be a one time event. Too often I have seen business owners who have succeeded at one time, only to relate to me that they have never been able to recapture the success in small business they once enjoyed.

What is keeping them from having another successful business venture? Either they have forgotten or will not practice the small disciplines that once led them to success.

The small disciplines are extremely important. Unfortunately, they are often overlooked. And, when you are successful at the small things it will have a positive impact on your ability to grow. As for growth, it is about your ability to master the small things which allows you to take on and succeed at bigger challenges.

Edward Lorenz was a noted meteorologist who in 1960 came up with a theory called "The Butterfly Effect". His question was if a butterfly flapped its wings in Brazil could it end up causing a tornado in Texas? He was looking at, among other things, the compounding effect of many small things on the environment. Maybe if enough butterflies were flapping their wings it could change a weather pattern.

Regardless, the butterfly effect, in the more contained and controllable environment of a business does have huge consequences. The following is a true story of how the butterfly effect can have a negative impact.

An employee fills out an invoice incorrectly. It is a large invoice. You present the invoice that day to your client where the client normally writes you a check. The client will not write you a check until the invoice is correct.

You won't be able to get back to the office until tomorrow to correct the invoice and because of your schedule and the client's you cannot see each other again for three days. A faxed invoice is unacceptable.

That day you have written a large check to one of your vendors for supplies that are critical to your business. You need the supplies immediately. The vendor will be checking to see if your check will clear before he ships the supplies.

You have been counting on receiving the check from your client to immediately deposit into your account. That does not happen. Your vendor calls the bank and finds out that the check you wrote him will not clear. Your order is put on hold. Even worse, because now you won't receive the necessary supplies on time, your business comes to a stop.

You have to send an employee home without pay. The employee's attitude is not good and when he returns two days later he is now thinking of quitting. And, after thinking about it some more he does quit.

The day he quits is the day the supplies arrive. But, it doesn't matter. He has made up his mind. Now the supplies are there but there is no one except the owner or an overworked staff to make the product.

The owner and the staff jump into making the product. They must get out an order for a large client. In their hurry and because they are tired and overworked an employee gets hurt and work comes to a halt. The large account, which is extremely important to your small business is not going to receive their order on time.

This actually happened and the good news is that the business did survive. But, the butterfly effect had strong repercussions.

At best, if you neglect the butterfly effect you lose a day of productivity and profit. At worst, you lose your business. In building your small business you must focus on mastering the small disciplines. When you do, then the butterfly effect will create a positive ripple of success throughout your business.

Why is mastering small disciplines critical to the success of your business? If you don't master the small things you don't stand a chance when your business presents you with bigger opportunities for success. And, the result will be that small business growth will continue to elude you.

Remember the butterfly effect. Master the small things and you will build momentum to succeed at the bigger things. With success in the smaller things you will increase the odds of having the small business growth and success you desire.