Computer technology is pervasive, a blessing and a curse. With the touch of a button you have access to an up to date picture of inventory, sales, and cash on hand. Assuming, of course, you have been disciplined about keeping this information current. Technology is great when it works. Most importantly, it doesn’t always […]
Let’s face it. Repairs and maintenance are not glamorous. They are, in fact, an inconvenience. Many entrepreneurs put it off. They are simply too busy running their businesses to maintain equipment, update software, train employees, and revise procedures, for example. If you do not have time to maintain the parts of your business you rely on to […]
Most entrepreneurs are structure averse. Why cramp your style? It’s so easy to make it up as you go. Plus, it's a lot more exciting. Granted. Rules, systems and structures can feel restrictive. I’ve even known managers who enforce the rules to wield their power. It is counterproductive when your business is there to support the […]
There are many competing priorities in running a business. Everything looks important. The problem is you cannot do everything and do it all at once. Your business suffers because you cannot give the proper attention to what moves your business forward. You spend your resources on activities that reduce your efficiencies and reduce your […]
Technology transforms the way we live and conduct business. Change is fast and change is constant. Computers, internet and web are here to stay. There is a price for the latest technology. Has technology hijacked you? Instead of increasing productivity, technology can decrease your efficiency. Interrupting your focus to check your email inbox, for example […]
Remember the Girl Scout classic, “Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.” Applied to business, classic winning strategies are 1) to attract new business and 2) to keep happy customers. Offer what your prospect needs and what you can deliver profitably. Ask questions and listen carefully to your […]
When you are focused on safety, your mental energy and attention are distracted from winning. The “not losing” approach to leading fosters contracted visions and fear-based decisions. How many opportunities slip through your fingers? Even in the most challenging business environment, unexpected opportunities emerge. When your attention is on winning, you draw these opportunities to […]
Resolutions have a dismal track record of success. "Eighty percent of resolutions are lying on the floor by the end of January," said Alan Manevitz a psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan in an article in The State newspaper (January 14, 2008). In January memberships at gyms and fitness clubs increase and by […]
Making a checklist or written guidelines takes time and effort initially. Some people feel that structure stifles their creativity and spontaneity. Too much "micro-structure" like micro-managing can be counter productive. Running a business without checklists and guidelines is inefficient. People spend valuable mental energy thinking about the next step instead of executing pre-thought-out steps. Good […]
Is God or the Devil lurking in the details (small strategies)? The small strategies are critically important to your enterprise. Many of us get so caught up in the big important things we neglect the little things until they show up at the worst possible time to bite us in the worst possible place. What […]