| |
| |
|
Strategic Planning Information |
|
|
|
Vision Getting Dim?
A recent conversation started with a typical question, "How's business?" The reply was equally typical and prefaced by a sigh, "You know (another sigh), same old / same old." Clearly the person responding has "VCD" or "Vision Challenge Disorder." VCD happens when the vigor goes out of the company vision like air going out of a balloon. Maybe the original vision has been reached and the business is just coasting, maintaining the status quo, marching in place. The overall energy and focus of the organization has shifted from taking initiative and towards the security of sameness and "playing defense." With no vision to focus on and no challenges to face, the staff gets frustrated. They flounder because there is no guiding direction to align their performance expectations; the business stagnates - "You know (sigh), same old / same old." This stultifying attitude can be the beginning of the feared slippery slope ending ultimately in the demise of the business. When VCD rears its ugly head it is time to reevaluate the company and its core foundational elements. Is the vision exciting, expansive, and energizing? If you look at the two previous sentences and yawn, your company has a VCD problem - "you know (sigh), same old / same old." Here is a four-step process to insure you don't let Vision Challenge Disorder enter your company. 1) See if your Vision for the company is still relevant - if you don't have a Vision written out, that's a different, but no less important, problem. 2) Discover if your staff is aware of the Vision and if they believe it is still relevant. 3) Review your Vision, clarify it if it is indistinct, modify it as needed 4) Work on making that Vision your reality - implement, implement, implement! When the Vision is well articulated and integrated into weekly, monthly and yearly goals, the company will reenergize and look towards the future with enthusiasm, optimism and a renewed sense of purpose. Your clients will feel it, your competitors will fear it so dust off your Vision, polish it and enjoy your future. Larry Galler coaches and consults with high-performance executives, professionals, and small businesses since 1993. He is the writer of the long-running (every Sunday since November 2001) business column, "Front Lines with Larry Galler" Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.larrygaller.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
If You Dont Focus, Innovate and Evolve, You Die After 128 years of business, a household word, Montgomery Wards, Inc., closed their doors forever and filed bankruptcy. Writing Your Business Plan is Actually Storytelling Storytelling and writing a business plan actually go hand in hand. The same ingredients used in telling a story are also used in writing a business plan. How to Snuff Out the Competition Without Leaving a Mark Does the competition drive you crazy?Are they relentless about taking your clients away?Are customer loyalties becoming a thing of the past?In our ever changing world, it seems securing business these days comes down to, who will provide the most service at the lowest possible price.To add insult to injury your previous customers have taken on a new militant attitude about obtaining your services. Memo: Sustaining Growth in Your Business What gets measured gets done.How do you keep your business growing? How do you ensure the health of your business and your personal income against threats from competition, market cycles, commission payout changes, regulation of all kinds, and the human threat of complacency?The answer isn't to run faster on the same treadmill. Becoming Wise - Wild & Free - Writing A Successful Business Plan - Part 2 - Do It In Steps So you've decided to write your own business plan because you know the value that the experience will give you. With the books and software that are out there today you can probably sit down and complete the plan in a day or so, right? Plug in the numbers, add the notes, write the whole narrative (story), print it and get it out to the banks or investors. Could You Be Setting Your Business Plan Up For Failure? David E. Gumpert, author of Burn Your Business Plan, often tells the story about how he and his partner failed to raise money after sending their business plan around to venture capitalists and meeting with several others to make presentations. ERP Role in Selling Your Mid-size Business - Microsoft Great Plains and CRM Example If you own the mid-size business and actively work in it as executive manager or lead, say marketing, - you probably know exactly what needs to be done on the daily basis to keep it running. However, in many cases this business critical knowledge exists in your head only. Take A Systems View To Ensure Your Business Stays Healthy How are you feeling today? Good, not so good, great? Let me ask the same question in a different way: How is your gastro-intestinal system functioning today? What about your lymphatic system? How's the old circulatory system flowing along? Are all your bodily systems aligned, in sync, and cranking at peak performance?In order to get everything done perfectly and on time, your body must use many systems that effectively work side by side. Just as it is important to take a systems view when it comes to your body's health and well-being, it is equally important that you have a clear understanding of your business and its organizational systems. Getting Started with Succession Planning: Part II Succession planning requires the owner of a small or medium-sized business to plan for what the company will look like and how it will operate after the transition to new owners is complete. Unless the owners have succession goals in mind, they won't achieve them. Scheduling of Additional Auto Detailing or Mobile Car Wash Units If you own a mobile car wash business or auto detailing business then you realize that when you are parked working you are making money and when you are stuck in traffic you are losing money. Sure you can say when you are in traffic people see you and write down the phone number, but you are not making money, that is potential future income, which is work you still must do in the future. TQM Total Quality Management, the book Every decade we seem to come up with a buzz-word to describe the things we should be doing right all the time. Forever we have heard our parents or grandparents use little phrases to get our attention. Microsoft Great Plains in Aerospace & Defense industries - implementation & customization highlights Microsoft Great Plains fits horizontal markets clientele and in case of Aerospace and Defense industry we'll talk about contractors - parts and subsystems for government contracts. We do not necessarily talk about large corporation, however models described could be implemented for large publicly traded company. Home Improvement Construction Project Planning The first task before hiring a contractor for home remodeling is laying out the details on what exactly you want done. This will ultimately save you time and money, as you will be able to choose the perfect contractor for your construction job, and get the job done correctly the first time. Call in the SWOT Team: Produce More Opportunities to Expand Your Business Have you ever done a SWOT analysis? No, it's not some dangerous military maneuver. It's actually a fun and incredibly helpful business development exercise that will give your company focused direction and great marketing ideas -- whether your business is brand new or has been around for years. To Go or No Go, That Is The Question Last week we talked about a few of the ways to test the feasibility of a business idea to help determine if the idea really had merit or just looked good on the surface. To recap, I said don't bet the farm on the opinions of friends and family, consult with knowledgeable business experts, and conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis. SWOT Analysis Is No Magic 8 Ball Q: A key investor in my business has suggested that I hire a consultant to do a SWOT Analysis to help plan for the future. I try not to argue with my investors, but I'm not so sure I need to have this done. Business Plan 101 How to Write a Table of Contents No matter what business you plan to start in your next entrepreneurial endeavor you need to be thinking about writing a business plan. Even if you are not seeking funding for your new business or already have secured funds from family members, angel investor types, personal savings or partners. The Impact of Price Popularity on Profits The goal of almost every business owner is to generate a profit either for themselves or their shareholders. This can be challenging at best. Elite Positioning Brings Higher Profits Imagine spending the same amount of money on marketing and performing the same amount of work to deliver your products or services, but earning more money and keeping more after your expenses. That's what happens when you institute elite positioning for your business. Cost-cutting Essential to Maintaining Profits Why cut costs now? Efforts are multiplying to cut costs wherever possible in order to achieve or preserve high profits. The resulting benefits for all of a company's employees should be obvious.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
