If everyone is just being active yet not productive the business will not move forward

Activity Vs. Productivity

Have you thought about whether your business is active or productive?

These two words are spoken quite a bit around the halls at PaySimple (and probably in many growing organizations around the world). But what do they mean?

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Activity defines the person who is willing to put in time, but not willing to engage himself – a person who tries hard, but is not willing to care. Active people are essentially going through the motions, doing what they are told, but adding little or no value in the creation process.

Productivity defines the person who is fully engaged in what he is doing, and not just at the office, but in life. Productive people are passionate about their goals, accomplishments, and destinations. They are creators. They can change a concept into an experience and a napkin sketch into an operating business. That is the power of productivity.

So why is it so important to small businesses? In my view it is critical for all businesses to focus on productivity, versus activity, because small businesses simply have fewer resources and less room for error. If everyone is just being active yet not productive the business will not move forward. In today's business climate, if you are not moving forward you, you are moving backwards, and we all know businesses will not survive for long going in that direction.

If everyone in a growing business contributes at a high level of productivity, it not only makes for a great company, it makes for an incredible collective experience.