Who Runs Your Company?

EVERYbody knows SOMEbody who will do what has to be done. ANYbody can do it, but NObody did.

The first time I heard the “every, some, any, no-body” lines was probably when I was in grade school. Yet the message of the expression has never changed. What has prompted me to repeat it are two phone calls I received recently from DME providers who both had the same problem: employees were making unauthorized decisions.

• Who?

  It seems that with all the time an HME owner or manager is obliged to spend doing paperwork and monitoring cash flow, they allow employees to assume responsibilities. Now, there is no problem in having employees be responsible for segments of the business and making decisions within parameters.

  But before allowing that, the company principal must be certain those employees are capable of making the correct decisions, and that they know exactly how far they can go. The principal must remain in charge, and the employees should report exactly what they have accomplished.

  From the telephone conversations I had, it appeared the employees had assumed responsibility de facto, which simply means without lawful authority. They did not intend to assume responsibility; it just happened. The shepherd was not watching his sheep.

  Who runs your company? Don't let your company run you.

• When?

  There is no time like the present. Prepare programs to keep your people working to further develop the company. Running your business successfully is your primary task.

  A great number of the providers I have spoken with in the past few weeks are concerned about competitive bids and other mandates of the Medicare Modernization Act that can affect their bottom lines. They have shared their ideas for building new business opportunities. But when I ask if these have been put into place, often I have been told that they are waiting to see how the resulting regulations will sort out.

  Please do not wait to build your business. That old cliché “He who hesitates is lost” is true.

  Now is when you should begin to further develop cash sales, just for one example. I think you will be surprised that when many of your ideas to expand sales are started, the response will be superb.