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Business Coaching

Could decision making in your business be improved?

It is part of the human condition to rush to conclusions based on a superficial analysis of the facts, sometimes relying entirely on intuition or some in built bias. We can  make broad assumptions based on a single 'fact' or unsubstantiated opinion! The sad reality is that we tend to be lazy when it comes to decision making. We will…
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Goals – be aware of downsides

Conventional wisdom is that having goals is the key to success and that the SMARTer (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound) the goals are the better. But there is an alternative view, supported by research, which suggests that there can be negative consequences from having goals. Goals can be limiting if interpreted by those responsible for their achievement as being a boundary…
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Why you need to review your Organisational Culture

It is important to know what your culture is so that you can check whether it is aligned with the company vision. Without alignment between culture and vision achievement of business goals will be difficult, if not impossible. Culture is sometimes defined as 'the way we do things around here'.When it comes to assessing what kind of culture is needed…
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Mobilising for ACTION

If you find that your business plans regularly 'fall' at the implementation stage I suggest that you review the following checklist to see if you have taken the necessary steps to position your initiatives for successful execution : 1. Strategic Planning is completed - structured inclusive process from which has emerged a clear business vision, strategic direction and goals. 2. Priorities…
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The Art of the Possible

Politics is sometimes described as the 'art of the possible', implying that making some progress is better than stalemate or insisting on an ideal solution that will never see the light of day. While it is easy to be cynical about politics I feel that business leaders can usefully apply some of the approaches used by the best politicians to…
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Communication and the Key Decision Maker

If  you are an owner manager/leader of a small management team there can be a tendency to assume that communication between yourself and those who report to you is good, simply because you talk to each other on a daily basis. It might be worthwhile to test this assumption.What messages are you sending out by the way in which you…
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Tips for employee engagement

Engaged employees are enthusiastic, committed to and inspired by their work. They are emotionally connected to the organisation and keen to give of their best. They are alert to issues /opportunities on behalf of the company. It will come as no surprise that research indicates that engaged employees significantly out perform less engaged or disengaged employees. So how do you…
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How good is your business strategy?

To answer this important question try benchmarking your strategy against the following tests:1. Do you have a meaningful competitive advantage? Is there something different about your offering v direct competitors, new sources of competition and potential new entrants ? Remember 'winners are different'. 2. How strong are your capabilities? Does you business control scarce resources, possess distinctive competencies or have some…
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How good is your Business Model?

If you have customers, by definition, you have a Business Model. But do you know what it is or how  good it is? Your Business Model is more than the products and services you offer. It comprises all the elements of the value proposition that your customers perceive as addressing a need /pain point that they have. It encompasses soft…
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Dealing with complex strategic challenges

Sometimes it can be difficult to follow a structured approach to strategy development, when faced with one or more of the following challenges : - apparently unresolvable differences between different stakeholders e.g. employees, shareholders, creditors, government. This can happen when different stakeholders have different values and priorities. - difficulty in identifying the root cause (s) of multi dimensional problems. The…
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