Planning is about managing change. We plan because we want to change something or, something has changed and we need to figure out how to adapt to it. Change management is often treated like a project with a beginning and an end. It is frequently seen by senior management as a tool for driving up…
My pick for best example of the power of vision is John F. Kennedy’s challenge to the nation to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth. When JFK announced that vision he inspired a generation of Americans to achieve an impossible dream. Your vision may not be so grandiose but…
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…
“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 June 26, 2009) Understanding why existing customers buy your products or services is a great start to figuring out how to approach new customers. What is their number one reason for dealing with you? Trust? Product quality? Customer service excellence? What comes second and what comes third? Knowing what it is that excites…
(Originally posted June 26, 2009) Growing your business starts with a vision of what you want to be in 5, 10, even 20 years. With a clear vision, you can set a direction (plan) to take you there. With a vision and a plan you can move into action. Action is everything. A vision exists…