As business owners we are in the change business. So much of what we do is initiating and managing change. Change is an essential component of building a successful business. Some examples: We create new products We expand into new territories We implement new systems We bring new people onto our team We add new…
It wasn’t a big change and so we didn’t expect anything to go wrong. How wrong we were! The change was merging two small office locations into one. Compared to previous office moves we had managed this was one was small. And yet it threw us a few nasty surprises that could have been avoided.…
Do you know the purpose of your business? Do you clearly understand why you started your business? Have you communicated this purpose to all those who work with you? Have you documented the purpose? If the answer to any of these is ‘no’ then you are probably finding it difficult to stay on course as…
One of the common attributes of successful people, whether they are athletes, entertainers, or business leaders, is their ability to focus. They are able to concentrate all of their attention and energy on the right things in the right way at the right time. They are focus gurus! To achieve the growth you want for…
Why is No so powerful? Because it gives you permission to stop doing what you shouldn’t be doing so you can focus on the few initiatives that will bring success to your business. Businesses that try and do everything rarely succeed. A good example is Apple. When Steve Jobs returned to run the company it…
Why is why so powerful? Because it enables you to get to the root of a problem, rather that applying superficial band-aid solutions that solve nothing. Rather than accepting the first reason for a problem you respond with a question starting with why. If you respond with at least 5 ‘why’ questions there is a…
Why is information so powerful? Because it is the life blood of managing a business. Without information we have no idea what is going on. Without information we don’t know if we are on the right course; we don’t know if the ship is sailing or sinking. We are like the early explorers; we know…
For many business owners they wear it as a badge of honour; the inscription reads; “I haven’t had a real holiday in years!”What a shame! I don’t mean the lack of a holiday. I mean the sad fact that they are proud of this admission. They should instead be deeply concerned because without a balance…
It is one of the great mysteries of the universe. There always comes a time when a business runs out of cash. For some it is at the beginning of every month when all the bills are due. Other businesses become cash challenged when the 3 pay period months come around. For others it is…
What is your company worth? If you were to close the doors today how much money would you have left? Do you track this number so you can manage it and help it grow? To find out the answers to these questions go to the company’s Balance Sheet. One point of clarification about company worth.…