How Does a Company Grow Successfully?

Every so often I like to take a moment and look back at our company and remind myself of what it was like when I started versus where it is today. I remember being so happy at being offered a position at a great company. I thought that the company and job couldn’t get any better. I was wrong. As they say there is always room for improvement, and when you stop and look back, you are often surprised to see that it happened.

Some companies are changed overnight by buyouts and an infusion of cash, but the really good companies change slowly over time. They set a course for where they want to be in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, etc. They then plot out the steps they need to take to get to their desired level and start taking those steps day after day, year after year. There are rarely any ‘AHA’ moments, just small improvements in many areas over a period of time. It isn’t until several years have gone by and you look back that you can fully appreciate the breadth of those changes. It is sometimes referred to as ‘continual improvement’. On a day to day basis, continual improvement may seem like a small change that doesn’t make a big difference. But take enough small changes over a long period of time and you now have significant improvements that make a really positive impact.

Try making small improvements in your own work area. Set up a schedule on what small things you want to change and determine when you will implement each one over a period of time. You’ll be surprised one day when you look back and see how those small changes have added up to a real improvement.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading packaging machinery manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.