1: An Operations and Training manual is non-existent or out of date.

Team members do not consult written documentation on how to operate.

1: Leaders and Staff operate on a reactive, fire-fighting basis each day.

Urgent tasks come first. High importance items are fit when possible.

1: Stakeholders have no objective, market-based valuation of the business.

Managers are not measuring and managing based on shareholder value.

Business is not being promoted to qualified industry buyers.

1: No one is proactively managing multiple recruitment strategies.

The flow of qualified candidates applying for open positions is sporadic.

The candidates generated are usually under qualified.

Psychometric Placement Process

1: Candidates not screened using psychometrics and skills-based tests.

Post-hire performance data is not measured or monitored.

The effectiveness of the hiring model and the mis-hire rate is very high.

1: No key performance indicators beyond basic financial statements.

No other metrics are being measured, reported, or managed regularly.

Team has only a sense for how their performance impacts the business.

1: Team members have no commitment to eliminating waste.

Time, movement, and materials are not tracked effectively.

Efficiency is not measured, managed, or rewarded.

1: Employees leave their passion and creativity at home each day.

They contribute the minimum required effort to keep their jobs.

Staff expect base & benefits with nothing at-risk and no incentive to care.

1: No written strategic plan has not been developed.

Values, vision, mission, and objectives are poorly defined and shifting.

Strategic direction and decisions are made without team input.

1: No plan exists to identify and intentionally develop emerging leaders.

Long-term commitment is disincentivized by a turf-protecting culture.

There is win-lose approach to compensation.

1: There is no rhythm of regularly scheduled team meetings.

Shareholder and manager communication is inconsistent and inefficient.

Off-site planning is rare and decisions are communicated haphazardly.

1: Little thought is given to the system of work flow in the organization.

Spotty job descriptions and org charts create confusion and waste.

Authority not clearly defined or delegated, work moves inefficiently.

1: Individual strengths get little attention when assigning roles.

Team is plagued by lack of trust, unhealthy conflict, and low commitment.

Poor execution yields unacceptable business results.

1: Managers have no business plan to forecast cash-flow and profit.

Working capital needs and the ability to pay debt are not calculated.

Planning is done only in reaction to immediate business needs.

1: Fixed costs have bloated and sales have declined or not met plan.

Revenue is below break-even, essential costs are not being covered.

Debt is increasing continuously.

1: Receivables are growing unchecked, vendors have tightened their terms.

Price pressures and inefficiencies have cut gross margins.

Cash flow and debt problems and investments mean being postponed.

1: No compact, lively Unique Selling Proposition and Guarantee.

Price is the main differentiation, no clear & significant value proposition.

An unclear and confusing message is communicated by the team.

1: Sales team has no formal, tested and measured sales process.

Selling activity is not coordinated or managed on a regular basis.

There is a large gap between high and low performers.

Sales compensation is structured with salaries with little results impact.

1: No marketing plan produces a predictable number of leads; or tracks

conversion rates, revenue per transaction, and transactions per customer.

The results of spending on marketing and advertising is unmeasured.

Managers are doing virtually nothing to proactively drive revenue growth.

Revenue & Profit Budget

1: No month by month budgeting to forecast revenue and expenses.

Not clear if desired earnings and owner drawings can be delivered.

Financial decisions are made from bank balances and sales estimates.