Posts Tagged ‘Business’
A Message To Business Owners
Most business owners implement systems that solve problems, sometimes they do it without looking into who they ask to help solve this problem or problems. It happens because there is a precieved urgency, something that just can’t wait and must be solved immediately. So let me ask you, is that any different than impulse shopping? Yes & No.
I’ve learned over my 50+ years that most things can be solved by slowing down and thinking through the challenges rather than making a knee jerk reaction to something that is most likely not that urgent. Sometimes the problem or need isn’t urgent at all, it’s just a need and you fill it without making sure that the person or thing is actually qualified to fill that need. Worse yet, how far in the future are you looking when you do hire someone to fill a role or fulfill a need?
Most business owners don’t look past their own sphere of influence when hiring or solving a problem, I’m generalizing of course but you know business owners that do just that everyday. A problem I see and have yet to figure out a solution is, how to grab the business owner before they make these kinds of decisions. If you have influence, credibility and you know how to help them, then you have a chance. The bigger problem, how do they find out about you? That’s another topic of discussion.
So business owners, please take the time to look more closely, so you actually solve the precieved urgency and or hire the right people. Hasty decisions cost you, how you make decisions in your business speaks volumes to the outside world and your accountant.
What do you think?
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Owen Greaves Consulting.
What's Your Plan For 2010?
You notice I didn’t ask you what your New Years Resolution(s) was or going to be? I don’t believe in or like New Years Resolutions because they set you up to fail. I won’t go in to why but I think you already know. We take more time to plan our vacations than we do our careers and or business goals for the next 1,2,3…5 years.
If you are a business owner you know that everything is in the plan, without it you don’t have a target, objectives and a road map to where you want to be in the next year, or the next 5. There are plans and then there wish lists, plans have long & short term goals. Wish lists don’t, they are nice to have’s or something you would like to have happen as a bonus to your plan.
Many of you are wondering what 2010 will bring, is business going to improve, will you find more work and so on. I don’t have a crystal ball, if I did I would know what’s going to happen to me let alone the sate of the Global market. I know this, we spend far too much time worrying, chasing and forgetting what’s truely important in our day-to-day lives.
Youv’e heard it said before, no one ever says on their death bed that they wished they worked more hours and had a bigger house or more money. They always say, I wish I had of spent more time with my kids, wife and taken more time for myself. You should know that I survived a heart attack in 2001, I can tell you first hand I never once thought about my job, my car, my house or any posession. I can tell you that I thought about my Lisa, my two boys Tyler & Brandon, my goals since then, to be and do more with them more often. I have and I continue to make sure my family gets the best of me.
We all have plans for different parts of our lives but mostly about our work and things we want from a material point of view. Business plans are abundent this time of year as new goals are put forward, hoping business will be better the next year than the last. That’s OK, you should set those objectives, it’s good business to do so.
In 2010 much is going to change, but what? How will it impact your business and could you survive those changes you don’t see coming. The level of risk when planning to upgrade full ERP systems, Payroll Software or an Office Suite may be low, but what happens when your business doesn’t reach sales objectives? How do you respond, what should you do? If you have a plan, you’ll know exactly what to do and even see clearly what steps to take to turn things around.
There a many, many templates and websites that can help you if you don’t have a plan, the business plan, the I.T. Strategic Plan and so on. I review many business plans and even more I.T. Strategic Plans and I can tell you almost immediately which ones are going to help when a crisis arrives. Everything is in the Plan.
What’s Your Plan For 2010?
Mine? Go over my plan and make adjustments as needed long term. I’m currently working on my short term plan, for the coming year called 2010. I’ll share some of my plans in my next Blog post.
You? Do you have one you can work from to ensure the next year has a road map?
What it Takes to Be an Overnight Success – Chris Brogan
As I mentioned in my last post, Chris Brogan also brings it and he to has a great message, he just finished his 4th in a serious on “What it takes to be an overnight success”. Just as I have given Gary Vaynerchuk space here on owengreaves.com, I’m giving Chris Brogan more press as well. I what I like about Chris is his more down to earth and very honest, real message.
Rather than read more of my ranting and perspective, listen to Chris’s 1st video on the serious.
I.T. Strategic Planning – ANALYSIS: S.W.O.T.
S.W.O.T.
This section may answer some question but will also bring out more, consider it an opportunity to think tank with your team. The S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) gives a quick reference to things that may or may not be real, but are possibilities. The accumulation of all these steps builds a road map, an understanding, and makes it possible to explain or describe where you are going in a short concise way, and makes it obvious what you are planning to do in the coming month’s and or years.
Keep in mind there is no wrong or right answer here, you are merely compiling and observing your organizations current status. This is just one step on the journey, one step in building a business case, and one more step in assessing what services and changes are needed to support your organizations business requirements. The basics rarely change, only the technology does, and of course there is always a list of nice to haves, documenting everything helps you filter what’s important and what is not.
Again, this list will be different…it should be as technology and business needs change. Here is an example:
Strengths
1. Minimal Core Infrastructure (name your application here)
2. New, enthusiastic team
3. Knowledge
4. Relationships
5. History
Weaknesses
1. 85% of staff are new to the organization
2. Unable to meet the expectations (Can’t move fast enough to please everyone)
3. Network instability
4. Lack of integration of core applications
Opportunities
1. Social Media Networks
2. Open Source
3. Standardization
4. Partnering
5. Virtualization
Threats
1. Inability to compete for qualified skilled people
2. Security – hacking, spam etc.
3. Inadequate budget
4. Little control over vendor products or direction
5. Little control over technologies
This is just an example of what your S.W.O.T. might look like, pull your team together and ask all the tough questions, make an exhaustive list and then pick the top 5 from each of the 4 areas in your SWOT.
This is the prime definition taken from the Wikipedia site on SWOT Analysis:
SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, who led a convention at Stanford University in the 1960s and 1970s using data from Fortune 500 companies.
Until next time
Gary Vaynerchuck's CRUSHIT Trailer – I'm a Fan!
OK, I’ll admit it, I’m a Gary Vaynerchuck fan, well I’m a fan of his message to be more specific and soon a fan of his new book called “CRUSHIT!” . (Amazon Link) Many struggle with his message, possibly because they think they have to be just like Gary. You don’t, you have to be the best you, your voice matters, and above all your passion matters to you!