To get people to change their minds, use a little TLC
Getting people to change their minds is tough. Just look at the divisions in the US over the last months in the lead up to the presidential (have you ever seen anything less presidential?) election. Most set out to change somebody's mind by telling them they are...
A template for productive meetings.
There is a lot of useful, standard advice about how to ensure meetings are productive. Have an agenda, a time limit, ensure only those who can contribute to the discussion attend, ensure there is agreement about what next, ensure everyone has the opportunity to speak,...
Are we in a ‘Stockdale moment’.
The brutal reality of our current situation is that we are in a crisis of many shapes. Significant parts of our economy have tanked as a partial consequence of the global Corona bug, our biggest trading partner is exercising their power in ways we should have,...
Focus: three ways to get it.
Focus across the activities of a business is essential. It means everyone is on the same page, and there are only the key performance drivers that are there, all else has been, or is being eliminated until the value is greater than the cost. This sense of...
8 ways to address the second most common problem of SME’s
Over 25 years of consulting, the second most common problem I see being faced by SME's, after managing their cash, is to attract and retain talented people. Many managers do not put enough time, thought and energy into their personnel roster, as they do not...
Is cash always king?
Cash when it is working for you, is king. However, cash sitting idle in a bank account fritters itself away, slowly, and over time. Inflation, small purchases, fees, all eat away at the cash like mice in a wheat silo. A bit at a time. Cash does not...
The most potent competitive tool few have ever heard of. OODA.
We are all looking for ways to increase the competitive leverage we can bring to bear. It is tough to find the sources of that leverage, and then apply it effectively in aggressive and often homogenised markets. However, there is a thought process that few have ever...
Make the ‘About us’, ‘About them’, and sell more.
Almost every 'About us' dropdown on websites is, as expected, about the owner of the website. Who started the company, where they went to school, how they came to be in Sydney, Seattle, or Bullamakanka, how great you are, and some soppy stuff about your story....
How to identify where your potential competitors will come from
How do you identify those who might emerge as competitors? Might as well ask what the weather will be like next week, or next year. Just looking out the window will not help much, as things tend to change pretty quickly. So it is with identifying potential...
7 tactics to increase the accuracy of your forecasting
Certainty in forecasting is the holy grail, being certain of the future means success. However, as we know the only thing we know for certain about the future, is that it will not be the same as the past, or present. Quantifying uncertainty appears to be an...