Finding A Coach For Your Big Goal

Once you have decided on your big goal, it’s time to start putting resources in place that you need. Firstly, complete a Concept Card (1), fill in the details of your coach, key advisors and key resources but right now I am only going to talk about selecting a coach. You will probably have to pay for coaching one way or another and the reason to have a coach is to avoid the pitfalls along the way and to not start off by developing bad habits. I prefer to start off with relatively inexpensive... Read more »

Be Careful: Fast-Moving Trends Often Don’t Continue

Put the average company into a high-growth situation (for its industry) for the first time, and you’ll soon see overoptimism sprouting everywhere. In the aftermath of the Arab oil embargo and the subsequent rise in the cost of energy, Americans began using all sorts of new ways to reduce their energy use and costs. One idea for heating your home was to cut your own wood to burn in wood stoves and fireplaces. Soon, every wooded neighborhood was abuzz with the sound of busy chain saws. Prior... Read more »

Getting Your Computer Business Ready for High Tech Peripherals

Much of the effort in beginning a home based Internet business is installing and maintaining the various technical pieces of software and equipment programs you will need to market, create, and deliver your different products or services. While this fascinating technological side of starting a home based online business may seem tedious, highly detailed, costly and even frightening at first, please keep in mind that ultimately it should advance the quality of your life. It should also make your... Read more »

Planning - A Two To One Return On Investment

Let me take you back a few years to my government days, when I was head of the Corporate Development team within a peak government department. One of the areas my team looked after was Strategic and Business Planning for the department and all of the little units within the department. Now at that time the department was renowned for its planning. They loved having other departments take time to plan their strategies, projects and priorities. They created massive guideline manuals that made the... Read more »

Is Fast Growth Always Better than Slow Growth?

Growth is what it is all about. Companies that do not grow do not make money. There is a direct correlation between growth and making money. Historically growth has most often been expensive and somewhat illusory hence the willingness to accept as much growth as fast as possible. Anyone that has ever tried to grow a stagnating business knows how hard getting any growth can be so few can resist the lure of fast growth. But there negatives associated with fast growth. Some businesses would... Read more »

Overconfidence About Irresistible Forces Can Bring Humbling Profit Drops

People love to shout, “We’re Number One.” It doesn’t take much to trigger such a shout. We’ve all done it. One of the primary causes of being overly independent is a sense of confidence that as a successful enterprise “our people” are better than anyone else’s people. That feeling relates to a common psychological problem. Most people see themselves as superior to the vast mass of humanity in almost every area of activity. Carefully measure how the... Read more »

Resist Taking on Too Many Opportunities to Make the Greatest Improvement

Many people cannot resist chocolates. Put chocolates anywhere near them, and the candy disappears like morning dew on a hot day. As a result, these people weigh a great deal more than they would like. What solution do most pursue? They keep chocolate out of their offices, homes, and cars. They also avoid walking near any parts of stores where chocolates are offered. Opportunities are even more addictive than chocolate. Opportunity is what dreams are made of, and few executives want to dream... Read more »

Beware the Current Path to Profit Growth: It May Be the Most Expensive and Longest

Perhaps one of the most persistent forms of defensiveness is the sense that the enterprise is going in the right direction, but is just not executing that direction well enough. Beware the popular answer: Let’s take the most direct route from here to there, and keep it simple. Here’s why that route is dangerous: In the nineteenth century, wagon trains headed to California often experienced delays in crossing the Great Plains. Knowing that they must get through the Sierra Nevada mountain... Read more »

The Blame Game Just Delays Putting in Better Strategies for Profitable Growth

Read annual reports after a company has a bad year, and you will usually see a report from the CEO that describes a company that worked correctly and hard but was victimized by “temporary conditions.” The CEO will then indicate optimism that those conditions will soon leave and performance will improve. When you read the next year’s annual report, it may repeat the same mantra. Come back after a few more years, and a new CEO will be writing about new plans to help the company recover... Read more »

Why People Achieve More And Get More Results By Attending Seminars

Many people hesitate when it comes to seminars, events and conferences. It could be that people are experiencing time constraints, inability to travel or monetary issues. It could also be that they have tried all the seminars, the gadgets, the CDs, and the books and still they haven’t reached the success or wealth they want. The primary reason why most people fail to achieve anything after an event is all due to not taking consistent and persistent action. Most people just simply fail to follow... Read more »