Systems Rule Bathurst: Do They Rule Your Small Business?

7 Lessons from the Great Race to help your small business

I’m sure many of you, like me, settled in a few Sundays ago to watch the Great Race because it was Bathurst, a time I cheer for the Holden drivers and admire the skills, strategy and contingencies of amazing drivers and their teams.

And what a start it was – I haven’t seen so much carnage in the first 10 laps in a long time.

In difficult track conditions, many of the experienced co-drivers knew that PATIENCE was going to be the goal for the day, something unfortunately a few rookie drivers learnt the hard way.

And how cool to have Holden win for the very last time at the mountain (sorry Ford fans ?).

As Bathurst is one of the best examples of a Systems Driven Business, I want to share with you 7 reasons why simple systems are essential to your small business.

Too many owners and their teams moan and groan about the rules and systems (or lack thereof) within their small business.?

Consequently, they’re ignored or dismissed as non-important, even though everyone raves about the clarity which systems provide!

Result: The small business, owner and the team continue to flounder because whether we like it or not, systems are essential for success.?

Don’t believe me:?Just watch Bathurst.

FOCUS: Build Your Systems

My Dad and godfather are avid Holden supporters who flagged for many years at Lakeside in Brisbane so each year in October, I always get ready to enjoy another uninterrupted day of great skill, excitement and hopefully a full Podium win for Holden.

And it’s often a day filled with heartache and pure joy.

This was absolutely true in 2016 because I got the Holden podium finish I wanted but my favourite driver, Craig Lowndes, exited far too early with mechanical difficulties.?

This meant his day turned from chasing his dream of winning the Peter Brock trophy, his mentor and friend on the 10th anniversary of his death; to simply driving each lap to finish in the best position possible for championship points.

I also saw Rick Kelly, a driver often cursed at Bathurst, lose his radio communication after Lap 1 so he couldn’t talk to his crew.?This meant finding alternative ways to signal what was happening as he drove alongside Pit Straight including flashing his lights and turning on his indicators.

This got me thinking:?there’s so many simple systems happening throughout the race, what would happen if there weren’t any??

One answer continued to spring to mind:?Crashes and injuries because SAFETY is paramount.?

But it’s more than that and as I delved further, I’ve realised there’s 7 reasons why rules and systems govern Bathurst.

7 Reasons Why Rules and Systems Govern Bathurst

1.??????Risk Management

The governing body and teams establish rules to ensure driver and crew safety including speed limits in Pit Lane, fire suits worn by the Pit Crew, redressing correctly on the track and not-negotiable situations which bring out an automatic Safety Car.?

Any breaches result in driver infringements which can cost you the race, and many drivers have unfortunately also paid the ultimate price.

2.?????Consistency

All drivers, crew and management need clear understanding about what needs to be done, how, when and by whom.?

Even though drivers know what to do when they get in the car, they are so focused on getting quickly back onto the track that you’ll hear instructions like this on the radio: Do up your belt, put in your radio, pump the brakes, watch your speed to ensure compliance with safety procedures and team systems.

3.?????Calmness

Under excessive stress and tension, systems and an external perspective from the Team Manager on the radio bring clarity and calmness to any situation eg ‘Only fuel to go then you’re away, yellow flag at turn 2- can’t overtake’.

4.?????Adaptability

Anything can and does happen at Bathurst (who remembers the kangaroo, the rock and the echidna to name just a few) so documentation and systems provide not only the facts about what’s happening eg who’s pitting now, how many laps has the co-driver done etc; but helps determine what each team does in the uncontrollable situation of a safety car.?

Deciding whether to pit now or later can make or break the race result.

5.?????Teamwork

It’s a highly stressful environment especially if a driver loses time due to a slow pit, as demonstrated by Rick Kelly who communicated to his crew boss that he had worked his guts out to get track position, only to lose it in the pits.?

But Bathurst success does not rest solely on the driver – if the pit crew, owners and drivers don’t all work together; no matter how good a driver you are, you won’t win the Great Race.

6.?????Communication

There needs to be clear and concise communication between drivers and crew so when they pit, everyone knows exactly what to do.?

If a driver uses an unknown term to describe what’s happening in the car, this will only ensure a longer pitstop as they struggle to find the cause and solution.

7.??????What If

Bathurst success is often determined by how quickly and accurately you adapt to a crash or unexpected mechanical challenges so before the race even begins, crews have documented procedures around numerous ‘what if’ scenarios so they can be as prepared as possible for whatever comes their way on the day.?

If it wasn’t for the multiple ‘old school’ backup plans when they lost the radio including chalk signs and a handheld radio in the car to at least hear from the crew about track conditions, Rick Kelly and Russell Ingall would’ve been out of the race after about Lap 10.

So what’s this got to do with your small business??

Everything!?

Documenting how your business operates (what’s in your and your team’s heads), knowing your numbers, thinking about your customers and thinking ahead of your competition are critical to success.?

What’s Next?

So what’s ruling your small business:?Chaos and working on the run OR clarity and streamlined systems?

Not sure??

Then please start on pole position and drive your small business through the Bathurst Business Race by completing each of these 6 laps.

Lap 1: Do you have documented procedures for every task …. for every position including yours?

Lap 2: Is there a weekly check of the numbers to ensure you have adequate cashflow and profitability?

Lap 3: Have you developed back up plans for when things go wrong, staff leave unexpectedly, technology fails or external factors eg a pandemic and its impact on your small business??

Lap 4: Do your team members have clearly documented roles, focus and KPI expectations?

Lap 5: Is meeting customer needs at the forefront when developing products, services and procedures?

Lap 6: Are your procedures reviewed at least every six months for relevance, accuracy and simplicity?

And here’s my final thought:

If you’re not able to successfully complete each lap, then I’m sorry to say you have work to do in the pits to become the ‘Bathurst Small Business’ which is driven by systems, quality, communication and success.?

And I know you’re probably thinking and maybe saying out loud, ‘I don’t have time to do that’.???To which my response is usually the Dr Phil phrase, ‘how’s that working for you right now’?

Why??Well unfortunately because many small businesses don’t invest the time and money needed to achieve this success, it really is a simple choice:

Embrace systems and watch your profit and productivity flourish OR

Ignore at your peril.