My previous blog post The Truth About What You Do spoke about the importance of being able to articulate your actual company offering and deliver on it. My question to you today is this: How would you truly know if you are delivering on your message? I mean, Really, Honestly and 100% know that what YOU say you do and what you and your company actually deliver are the same? How do you know that your clients are deeply satisfied when working with you? Are you sure?

One way to get this information could be to survey your current customers to get their feedback. But would it be a true reflection of what’s going on? Or would it be biased? Customers base feedback on how they feel that day, their personal relationships with you or your team or even preferred pricing or just a bad day. There are so many factors that influence how people feel.

You could check in with your management team and the staff to see how they feel you are doing and if there are things that need to change. How many of them, like the customers you survey, would be 100% honest. Even anonymous staff surveys are not totally honest. People can sugarcoat things if their reputation, salary and career could in any way be linked to it.

The above feedback is helpful, albeit subject to interpretation and will definitely give you a starting point. The real answer, is YOU!

You are the one who needs to ask and answer critical questions about your business, your vision and ability to deliver to your customers and company with extreme honesty. Pick up the mirror of truth and don’t put it down until you are completely satisfied that you have seen through the fluffy stuff, taken off your rose-tined glasses and cut out the bull.

Your job does not stop there. You need to do this often. Make it part of your role as an entrepreneur, boss and business owner. Ask yourself on a regular basis “Am I delivering on my promises?” “Are my customers getting the best that I/We can give them?” “Are my team delivering the vision? - Really? ” “Is my vision still my vision?” “Am I keeping up with the times?” “What’s the biggest risk I face right now?”

If you find it difficult to question yourself on these questions, find a partner to help keep you on track, honest and accountable. Meet regularly to discuss these questions. If your vision or purpose changes, that’s alright. Just make sure those around you know about it. Lack of communication is as bad a poorly communicated information.

In short, you have worked long and hard to establish a business that is guided by your vision. Make sure you action and all those involved are supporting it.