Five Great Questions for Business Decision Making

What would you do?  How would you handle this? Would you say yes?  Do you think this will move us to success faster?  These are questions I get a lot from my clients. 

Here are five questions to help you in your business decision making:

1)    Does this serve me well / does it further my goal?

If the action you are considering is not related to your goals or does not serve you well, reflect on why you are even considering it.  What is driving you to consider this action? What are the potential results of saying yes?  No?  Usually if it doesn’t serve you well, and it is not in alignment with your goals, it is not a course of action to choose.

2)    Does this generate revenue?

Keeping the business plan and profit in mind is essential to business and team success.  Finances and profit must be part of the business decision equation.  Sometimes your choices and actions will produce revenue directly, and sometimes it will be more indirectly, however, prioritize with those decisions that put money in the bank first.

3)    Is it in line with our vision, values and strategic plan?

Double check your decisions, options and actions against your company and team vision, values, and strategic plan. Is the decision and actions congruent to the vision and values? Will your decision support the strategic plan or further it along?

4)    Who else do I need to include/ASK or engage?

Who else needs to be engaged for input, advise or decision making? What questions do you need to ask and what research must be completed? Who do you need to bring along with you?

5)    Is there another way to accomplish this (and if yes, what?)?

There are often many routes to the end goal.  Some more complicated than others. When you are evaluating your choices, consider if there is a more direct, faster, smarter or cost effective way to accomplish your end goals.

Carefully considering important decisions can positively impact your end results.

I co-authored a book GPS Your Best Life- Charting Your Destination and Getting There in Style.  It has some great tips on goal setting, decision making and creating the life you love.  You can find out more information at GPS Your Best Life 

You can order the book at:

 

What is Your Goal & How Do You Stay On Track?

Recently I did a presentation for the West End Business Association The topic was on creating partnerships and collaborations with other businesses, something I am very passionate about, in fact, in a previous career I facilitated the planning processes for many partnerships and collaborative projects for government departments, stakeholder groups, businesses, entrepreneurs to name just a few. 

One of the tips that I spoke about was the importance of your goals.  Many years ago my husband Christopher and I were in a sailboat accident, one that was almost fatal, and, changed my life. As we swam for hours trying to get back to shore, I became so aware and present to the fact that the only thing my brain needed to focus on was the shore line...my goal!

Many years later we were preparing to take friends sailing.  Part of getting ready to sail is preparation, and setting the sails.  You can see in this photo we had a sail malfunction. That malfunction while not major would impact our ability to maintain the course, sail with ease and resulted in us coming back to shore for some minor repairs. In business and in life, sometimes we have to return to the starting point to re-adjust, make minor repairs and then set back out on the journey.

Here are a few points from the business presentation I delivered....

GOAL- you need to know your shoreline.

People and Plan- you have to have a captain, a skipper. Someone needs to lead the team.  Then you must assign the right people to the right task.  Teach them the skills they need to know.  You need to have a plan. The plan begins with preparation and ends with preparation.  

Staying on Course- here is a safety line to keep you on course and on track:

.

T-  training

R-  relationships

A-  ASK

C- courageous dialogue and collaboration skills

K- kindness

As you set the sails for a new day in business, take a few moments to:

1) Know your shoreline

2) Set the sails and have a back up plan

3) Make sure you fill the boat with the right team and that roles are clear

4)  Be prepared to veer off course if the waters get rough

5) Ensure you have your safety line....just in case

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Business Plans & Goals: The SMARTER Way

Business Planning and Goals: The SMARTER Way

I learned the SMART way of setting goals many years ago (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely).   

For Many years, this was the process I used in facilitating goal setting sessions, business planning and team building with my corporate clients.  Several years ago  I created my own take on SMARTER planning and goal setting, every year I used this to set my goals for the new year:

 

S- Set the intention: Get clear on your goals; think about what success looks like.

Make a decision to take action and succeed.

 M- Map out the plan. Clearly define action steps, accountability partners and resources needed. Determine some rewards for success.

 A-  Ask for help. Have an accountability partner or team up with someone.

R- Retrain the brain. Keep focused on goals and avoid being distracted by the BSOD’s (bright shiny objects & distractions) that move you away from your goals.

T- Take the step and tell others. When you act, and include others, it creates a sense of synergy, and mutual support. Take three steps every day towards your goals.  In one week, 3 actions becomes 15, and in a month you have accomplished 60 strategic actions.

E- Educate and Evaluate. Make sure you have the information you need to succeed. Evaluate success and progress. Monitor your actions and the results on a regular basis. Modify your action plan as needed.

R- Review and Learn. Review Progress regularly. Be patient and flexible- know sometimes it feels like you are not making progress. Two steps forward and one back, but the good news is you are still moving forward.

(Hammond, 2010)

The Review and Learn Process:

1. What went well

2.  What was a challenge

3.  What did I/we learn

4.  What will I/we do differently next time

These are the very questions I use in strategic planning, and team building processes

The Process

• —  Make a decision on what you want to accomplish (and know WHY)
• —  Write it down
• —  Assign deadlines and schedules
• —  Mind map the actions (every single task)
• —  Create the plan (strategic and operational)
• —  Take success action steps daily 

Summary:
1) Set SMARTER Goals
2) Complete the review and learn process
3) Create your  Plan

As you wind down 2012 and move into a new year.... what three actions will you take to  create a plan for success for the New Year?

Wishing you all the very best in 2013!

How did a career in Corrections help me in business?

My first career as a jail guard and Correctional Officer taught me alot about business ... I just didn't know it at the time.

Not all the inmates were as happy and friendly as our dog Toby... although some were much better behaved than Toby.  :)

Jim, the host of  Building Your Extra-Ordinary Business Radio show, interviewed me about how we have built our business, the successes, and the learnings along the way.  It was interesting to reflect upon how working in Correctional System prepared me in many ways for my next career and then my entrepreneurial business pursuits. We talked about how I met many people (staff and inmates) who were stuck.  Jim suggested they were "imprisoned in their own minds" which was true in so many cases. People  were stuck in patterns of behaviour that did not serve them well, relationships that were not healthy, inappropriate coping patterns, and the list goes on. I discovered that so many people had somehow lost their passion along the way.  Years later I discovered that my passion, became the foundation of our business. When you put your passion into your business, the results can be truly amazing.

What helped me cross the boundary of going from the safety and security of a 9-5 job, to being a full time entrepreneur and opening not just one, but two businesses?  I took the dive, jumped into risk, knowing little about business....the learning began. My career in Corrections led me to my next career, a dispute resolution and mediation expert. Working a government job and running a part time business (16 years ago) became difficult to do, so, I decided to give entrepreneurship a chance. I quit my job, and in a month I was full time in my business, within the first year we hired our first employee, and secured a brick and mortar location. We continued to grow at warp speed. Within three years I had two businesses, two offices, and ten employees.

Jim asked about the struggles on the way to success, there were many learnings, but here are a couple of what I shared on the interview:

1) Making the shift from a weekly paycheck and employee to business owner (and instability)- big mindset difference.  I had to learn how to ASK for help.
2) I learned about business as I jumped in, which resulted in me being in a constant learning curve for several years, making some decisions I would handle differently today but learning what not to ever do again, and, what worked and to keep doing.
3) I discovered the importance of the almighty plan- a succession plan, a marketing plan, a business plan, a media plan, a growth plan, the list goes on. Plans are essential to manage growth and thrive during the economic downturns.
4) Collaborations, relationships and strategic alliances can advance your business quickly, but, be careful who you say "yes" to collaborate with. Sharing similar values, work and business ethics and being congruent is essential for success in collaborations.

We also talked about how we stay in relationship with our clients, how we innovate and manage three separate brands. 

What do you know now that you wished you knew then? What are your three top learnings? What would you tell a new business owner?

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jim-nemley/2012/10/24/the-building-your-extraordinary-business-radio-program

You can hear how I responded to those intriguing questions by listening to the radio show link above.

Business Take Aways:
- Have a plan, review the plan, modify the pan
- Build strong relationships and be a champion for others
- Come from a place of cooperation and collaboration, not competition
- Sometimes you have to say "no" to opportunities that come your way, to be ready for the big HECK YES opportunities
- To be successful in business you have to understand business, know how business works and seek guidance of the experts
- Build your team. We have a team that includes financial advisors, marketing advisors, legal and accounting advisors, brand experts, media coach, publicist, to name a few. This team has been an important part of our Hammond business model. 

How to Plan Author Events that Rock

Every now and then I like to feature other perspectives on my blog. Today is one of those days. Have you ever had to plan event for your team, workplace or a non profit organization that you volunteer with?  What about pull a fundraiser together for your children's soccer team (at the last minute). How about help your friend who is hosting an event for their company? 

Planning successful events has both a science and art component to it.  From my experience exhibiting and speaking at events around the globe, I know that creativity, a purpose, passion and planning are part of that science and art mix.  Today my friend Sheri Fink shares her tips about planning events for fun and profit.  Thanks Sheri for being my guest blog!

A Best-selling Children’s Author Shares Strategies to Plan Author Events for Fun and Profit

By Sheri Fink

I just got back from one of the most beautiful and amazing weeks of my life. I did a Book Tour in my hometown and enjoyed reading my books, The Little Rose and The Little Gnome, and empowering children to pursue their dreams. I write books that inspire and delight children while planting seeds of self-esteem and I love speaking and sharing my stories.

It was a busy week in which I visited several schools, spoke to over 2,000 kids, had an author visit with local Girl Scouts, hosted a pajama party at the library, and was interviewed for print and TV. It was a dream come true! If you are an author or aspiring author who dreams of doing something like this yourself, here are some strategies that can help.

There are many reasons to do author events such as school visits, speaking engagements, paid appearances, etc. Here are a few of the top reasons you may want to consider doing an author event:

1. To get paid for your visit, speech, advice, and/or appearance

2. To sell more books in person at the event

3. To build your email list and Fan base

4. To meet new customers who can buy from you again in the future

5. To get positive publicity for your books

6. To connect with your readers

7. To get photos and testimonials for your author website

8. To have fun!

The most important thing to remember when doing an author event is to take care of as much as you can in advance so that you can be completely present and attentive to your Fans. There are several things you can do in the planning process to make event day run smoothly:

1. Recruit a team to help you at events. Do you know anyone in the area? Can you enlist the help of friends, family members, or interns? Tell them exactly how they can support you on event day and give them whatever tools will be needed.


2. Send book pre-order forms in advance of your visit (when appropriate). Set a date to receive the orders. Sign and personalize all of the pre-ordered books a week or so before your appearance. Bring or ship the books to arrive the day of the event.


3. Provide written content (such as your bio, blurbs about your books, and reviews), images (your picture and your book covers), posters, etc. to enable the venue to easily promote your upcoming appearance.


4. Map out your venues so you know exactly where to be, when to be there, and how to get there.


5. Plan your schedule to have breaks between events so you can refuel your energy.


6. Provide a list of any equipment, special set-ups, tables, chairs, etc. that you need prior to the event. Ask if the venue can provide a microphone, a screen and projector, etc. if you know you will need them.


7. Always add value. Do you have additional resources that may be helpful to the venue? For example, if you’re speaking to a school, do you have lesson plans, coloring pages, discussion questions, etc. based on your book? Send them so they can be shared with the teachers and kids.


8. If you’re not sure about something, ASK. Some venues have rules that are unique. For example, some schools have sensitivity around photos being taken. Get clarification upfront so you know what to expect on event day and can make it a positive experience for everyone.


9. Reach out to the local media in the area you’ll be visiting and invite them to the events prior to your visit.


10. Promote your upcoming appearances on Facebook, Twitter, your websites, your email newsletters, etc. Fans love to know what you’re up to and to visit you when you’re in their local areas.

A huge part of my success has been from enlisting the help and support of others to accomplish my mission. At the Book Tour events, I had a wonderful team of three people who were carrying the cases of books, running the laptop, playing the introduction video, advancing the PowerPoint slides, setting up my table, making sure I had water and snacks, and taking care of purchases. This enabled me to completely focus on sharing my stories and inspiring the audience. When families brought their books to my signing table, I could talk with them, sign their books, and take pictures without worrying about everything else being done.

On event day, be sure to thank everyone who helped make the event possible as well as each of your Fans who took the time to come see you. Practice your readings and speeches and trust that the right words will come at the right time. Make it an extra special experience and memorable experience for your Fans. Have fun and just be yourself…that’s who everyone has come to see!



Happy Travels!

Sheri

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sheri Fink is a #1 best-selling children’s author and an international speaker. Sheri’s first children’s book, The Little Rose, is an enchanting story about a rose growing in a weedbed who learns to accept and love herself despite her differences. Published in March 2011, The Little Rose has been a #1 best-seller on Amazon for over 45 weeks and is being adapted into a play. Her second inspirational children’s book, The Little Gnome, helps children learn to look for the good in change and debuted at #1 on the Amazon best-seller list in March 2012.

In 2011, Sheri was selected as one of the top “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” She is featured in several inspirational non-fiction books, including two international best-sellers, Self-Esteem Doesn’t Come in a Bottle by Kelly Falardeau, and Dare to Dream: This Life Counts by Debbi Dachinger. Sheri is a proud supporter of organizations that make a difference in the lives of children, especially Reading Is Fundamental and the Girl Scouts of America.

To discover more about Sheri and her books, connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SheriFinkFan and explore http://www.thelittlerosebook.com/.