(Originally published in Business Fraser Valley, September 15, 2010) Planning is the process by which we anticipate, organize and navigate the future whether for the next few hours, days, weeks or years. It is not just a business process. We plan family gatherings, holidays, dentist appointments and all manner of personal details. We do this…
(Originally published in Business Fraser Valley, October 21, 2010) I was recently in the U.S. for an extended period. With our dollar virtually at par, I decided to do some shopping. There was a Nordstrom’s Department Store nearby. As I walked into the store I could see sales clerks everywhere. They were helping customers. Not…
A client recently asked me how I know when it is right to fire someone. She was investing considerable time into a difficult employee with no apparent positive results. Deciding to terminate someone’s employment has always been my most difficult task. I believe sincerely that any employee who does not perform adequately is at least…
At some time in the past you likely pondered where you would be in 2010. Are you there? I can guarantee that anyone who is there got there with formal goals, strategies and hard work. Seat-of-the-pants success is a myth. With a plan we get to where we want to be; without a plan we…
This is the fourth and last post in my series on values. Understanding values and their impact on our lives is particularly important to me. Like many people, I fell into my career. All my plans and dreams were pushed aside in favour of a paycheque and a company car. My seduction by a good…
Identifying Core Values Most strategic planning processes use the writing of the statement of core values as the process by which they are identified. Big mistake. Write the statement only after you’ve identified your true values. If you are focused on writing the statement you will be influenced by how your values sound to others…
“At this moment, America’s highest economic need is higher ethical standards — standards enforced by strict laws and upheld by responsible business leaders.” George W. Bush, July 9, 2002 When was the last time you saw a corporate statement of values without the word excellence in it? Companies big and small claim a devotion to…
“If you think of vision and mission as an organization’s head and heart, the values it holds are its soul.” V.R. Buzzotta Part One in a Series I started out writing an article on the importance of uncovering our true core values when developing a strategic plan. As I began explaining why values are important…
“You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” Alvin Toffler The essence of strategic planning is taking the big picture and boiling it all the way down to what needs to be done today. If we don’t have a big…
(Originally posted July 28, 2009) I recently signed up for Twitter. I intended to check it out, confirm that it was nothing more than a time dump and close my account. A few weeks later I stand corrected. Based on media coverage I expected to find inane “tweets” (messages) proclaiming trivial personal news like what…