Never take growth for granted

Focusing on what we do for our customers is short-sighted. Rather than looking at what we do, we should look at what our customers want. This is the core message from a seminal article written in 1960 by Theodore Levitt, a distinguished Harvard Business School professor.

This is as true today as it was 50 years ago. Too often we look at innovating what we can, rather than what is wanted by existing and potential customers. Sustainable business growth requires a particular mind set and focus.

Growth cannot be taken for granted, even in so called growth industries. It is more a management task of spotting where future growth may lie, rather than just exploiting what is already known. It is all about being customer centric and delivering the benefits they want.

Most growth plans are predicated on assumptions about the current status. That profit can be increased by delivering ever lower costs. That their product knowledge is such that their product cannot be surpassed or that growth is commensurate with population trends. These assumptions are short-sighted or myopic, yet they still prevail.

To achieve long term, sustainable and profitable growth focus instead on delivering the fundamental benefits that customers are seeking. Start by doing the research about what it is that your customers actually want from your company.

Can business learn from politics?

Can business learn from politics?

The Lib-Con alliance offers deep insights into how apparently opposing parties can coexist and even deliver credible leadership. It hasn’t been easy. Both parties have a rich heritage in terms of ideals, values and culture. In any other setting, they would be knocking seven bells out of each other. Yet they appear to be working collaboratively. How have they achieved that and what can business learn from their efforts.

To begin with, we can see that there are many similarities between political parties and organisations. Within most businesses there will be opposing views, conflicts of interest, individualist agendas and so on, each acting as a divisive force. Unchecked, this negative energy can lead to stasis or even worse, to decline. How can business leaders harness the energy within the organisation and use it for the good of all stakeholders and not one constituency?

The key must be in having a vision that gets all the individual agendas to fly in formation. That takes clarity of thought and good leadership. The clarity of thought is the heavy lifting that no one likes to do. Taking the time to write a compelling vision does however pay dividends. A great vision transmits who you are, the people that you serve, why they buy from you and how you will deliver that offering. Some consultants push the need for a pithy version to make it memorable and hence “sticky”. We disagree. People like to hear stories, anecdotes and parables. The vision can be in any form. But, a good story, well told, is powerful and this makes it “sticky”.

A meaningful storyboard vision is not enough. Good leaders make the story real. Their telling of the story breathes life into it. They transmit the vision constantly, without hesitation, deviation but with lots of repetition. They energise the story.

Has business anything to learn from politics? The answer is yes. Transmit the vision as if it is a story and keep on telling it.

Online Personality Testing

Understanding DISC Online Personality Testing

Knowing who you are, what motivates you and almost as important what demotivates you, is the foundation of a successful and fulfilled life. It means you can play to your strengths and work around your limitations.

Once you know how you would like to be treated, it gets even better.  Once you have a full grasp of your own self-image, you can then start to discern how others might think, act and feel.

The DISC acronym stands for

• Dominance
• Influence
• Steadiness
• Compliance

Over the coming weeks we will be outlining what each of these mean, the main motivator, the basic fear and other valuable insights that will help you build that successful career and live a life that reflects the real you.

Do keep coming back to see how it all works or call us on 0117 210 32166 for a no obligation discussion.

Business CoPilot lands new franchisee

We are very pleased to announce the appointment of our first franchisee - Kerry Hale.

Kerry began her working life in the retail and customer service sector. It gave her an insight into the world of business, which she has been keen to explore. Recognising the need for enhancing her knowledge, she completed a course in finance and started working for an accountant in 2003. Here she gained an understanding of several different business sectors. Kerry using her new found knowledge moved on and began working as a Financial Manager, where she became heavily involved in financial forecasting & business analysis.

In 2008 Kerry realised her entrepreneurial ambition and started her own business; Bristol Buddies, a social networking website for people new to the city. In 2009 she went on to launch FUSE, a singles events company, which has been even more successful. Kerry has developed a great passion and understanding of marketing, PR and starting a business on a shoestring.

We wish Kerry all the very best for the future

5 D's of Decision Making

 Our goal is to help you to make a better quality decision. We know that it is impossible to get all decisions right. But we can make better decisions by following the 5 C's of Decision Making as set out below:

1. Define it - What exactly is the problem. Time spent in clarifying the exact problem will help enormously
2. Data gathering - Find feasible alternatives for solving the problem. Think innovatively and creatively at this stage. Remember that you will not know the solution otherwise you would not have to decide.
3. Deliberate - Evaluate the alternatives. Discard the non-starters. Then choose the top two or three best solutions
4. Dwell time - Allow some time to elapse to let the sub conscience do its work.
5. Decide - Make the decision. Having gone to all the trouble to make this hard choice, implement it and make sure it sticks. If you hit trouble, get help

For more information, or if you would like to attend our Who Decides Wins Decision Making Course in Bristol and London, then link here.

"Who Decides Wins" - Business Decision Making Course

Improve your Business Decision Making skills.

Are you looking to enhance your value to your business?

As you may already know, good leaders make good decisions.  Now, I know what you are thinking. You are good at decision making; after all you do it every day.

Well I’ve got news for you. That just might not be the case. As natural as decision making appears to be, there are many ways to improve this vital business skill. In fact, we guarantee that we will transform the way you tackle decision making.

Don’t take our word for it.
“Brilliant! I use the techniques and skills in my personal as well as my business life. It has made such a difference”.

Following popular demand, we are offering another “Who decides wins” decision making course. We would like to invite you to attend the half day course in either Bristol or London.

· Do you spend hours worrying over your decisions?
· Are you decisive, but worry that you may not have included enough information?
· Do decisions come easy but feel uneasy about the way the decision is made?

Unlock the decision maker in you. Packed with benefits, it's the one course that every business manager should attend.

Here are some of the benefits:

• More time – Less wasted time procrastinating.
• More right decisions - means more money.
• More energy - reducing anxiety.
• Improved promotion prospects.
• Enhanced management and leadership skills.
• Invigorated creativity in problem solving situations.
• Amplified value to your organisation.

Registering

Register now, as places are strictly limited to ensure you get that personal experience. Click on the link below to register or RSVP.

Here’s the bottom line. This half day course will change the way you “do” business. We guarantee that you will approach decision making in a new light. You will be a powerful asset to your business.



The Course

The interactive nature of this event means a flexible approach to the programme. It is not a flat pack solution to decision making. We want everyone to benefit and flex the content and schedule around the attendees needs and wants.
Thank you for reading about the Decision Making Course, we look forward to seeing you at the event.

Ps – Can’t decide if this is the course for you. Book here right away and start being more decisive!

How do you decide?

Most senior business people take decisions, it is part of their job. Some decisions are mundane, routine and demand very little in terms of brain bandwidth. Others demand much, much more. Think about the BP problem in the Gulf of Mexico to get some scale of the decisions they have to take. Even the President of the United States is watching the outcomes.

Sadly, very few managers ever get to learn exactly how to improve their decision making skills. Most rely on their personality or their innate skills. That is fine, until you go back and “interrogate” the process, and then the flaws become all to obvious.

If you want to improve your decision making, then have a think about coming on our “Who Decides, Wins” Decision Making Skills Course.

 

We are running it in Bristol on the 16th September from 12.30 to 4.30.

 

Go here to book your place

 

Or call me on 0117 230 3166 to discuss your requirements