Business and Cars
We drive around in various shapes, sizes, makes, models of transport. Some big and some small. Some owned and some not owned. We even pay other people to drive us home or to wherever we want to go. So, what has this got to do with business? Well, the answer is that every business (company) is like a car.
Car is a generic term that can represent any mode of transportation of any size and description.
4 wheels
There are 4 wheels to cars. These serve the purpose of keeping the car on the road and going forward. In business, this equates to the management structure. They create the stability and the direction of the company.
Engine
Possibly the most important part of the car. This is what drives the wheels and in fact, the whole vehicle. The engine can only go as fast as its capacity will allow it. The engine in the company is the staff. The most important asset. The employees drive the company forward and this is under the direction of the management (wheels). Employees are only able to work as much as they are capable of. There is no perfect formula to the working of the engine and likewise, the staff. The engine needs regular check-ups and can burn out or blow up. The staff are the same. Once strained or blown up, it is a costly endeavour to recover from (if at all).
There are always warning signs when there is a problem. Sometimes subtle but none the less, present. Sometimes, the problem is present by a little smoke or steam. Sometimes, it is a massive BANG which is pretty obvious. As with the people that make up the engine, unhappiness is the little leak or smoke that can carry on for many miles without notice. Often, once found, it is too late. Employee troubles always start small and end up a massive problem. The problem is that the staff are the company. Without staff, no company will run. On the other side, a well-oiled and maintained staff is the lifeblood of a healthy and productive business. An engine that is willing to go “into the red” if needed.
The body.
Ah, the shiny, glossy outer shell of the business, which everybody sees. First impressions last when it comes to cars. The cleaner and sharper, the better. When it comes to cars, it is often the looks that sell the car. This may be strange, but it is true. Many cars have engines that are exactly the same. Some car engines are made in the same factory and labelled differently. Either way, the outside is not always what the inside has.
The same can be said about any company. The outside is glossy and well put together. The advertising is catchy, the logo is amazing and widely known. The brand is known for what the company stands for etc. As with cars, this may not be same as the inside. Companies can be “perfect” on the inside but underneath that surface lies a badly rotten core. This is more common than many companies want people to know.
Cars are an essential part of life as are the businesses we run, no matter the size, shape or colour.