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The Difference Between Business Plans and Strategic Plans

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Get off the starting line with a great strategic plan.

Question: What’s the difference between a business plan and strategic planning? Answer: To some, there’s no difference, and both play a critical role.  But to me, it’s a difference in focus between planning  and action and strategic plans are the better choice when the goal is to get out of the starting gate and win the race. A full, formal business plan is great if you’re a start-up at square one, you’re going for funding or it’s a contractual mandate, or you’re at a major turning … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Action Planning, Fix Your Processes Tagged With: , , ,

How to Do Leadership

August 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Practive Leadership and The Act of Leading

In a post started here, I asked you to respond to my reader's comments on their biggest challenge in growing their business. What I'd like from you: 1. Read through the responses. 2. Find one that you know how to solve, or for which you have a helpful suggestion. 3. Leave a comment with your answer. (Remember, you can post under an anonymous "name.") 4. If your response is on this list, check back here for what people suggested. Getting Unstuck Knowing where and how to grow, and how to start.  Knowing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Issue Discovery, Reboot Potential Tagged With: , ,

Laser Focus and The Perfect Client

March 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Extreme focus means extreme clarity - in marketing, sales, and profit.

If law enforcement officers were business people, they would never struggle with questions like, “Who is my Perfect Client?” or, “Will I run out of customers if I focus on a select niche?” They would just know with confidence who they’re after. Take this extreme example from my past. It was early January of 1993 when Officer Harlan Graham of the Iowa State Patrol pulled me over north of Decorah, Ia.  Having wrecked my car the week before and now traveling seven miles over the limit, I was an easy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Action Planning, Fix Your Processes, Right Processes Tagged With: , , , ,

Making Business Resolutions Happen

January 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Use Performance Factors to make resolutions stick and High Performance happen.

We are at an interesting time.  A struggling economy is forcing many businesses into creative action to improve their position right at the turn of the year, a time when many naturally resolve to improve and do better any way. While this double whammy of introspection still hasn’t inspired everyone to new levels of action and success, in my own practice, I have definitely noticed an uptick in leaders pulling out all stops and resolving to make 2009 a growth year despite conventional wisdom. So what are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Accountability, Action Planning, Fix Your Processes, Issue Discovery, Performance Factors, Reboot Potential, Restore High Performance Tagged With: , , , ,

Building a Culture of Profitability

December 8, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Have you established profit as a goal and planned for it? You should...

Every once in a while a product comes a long that makes you shake your head and ask, “But how do they make money?”  This Christmas, one lucky recipient on my list is receiving a telephone device that promises free domestic long distance charges for the life of the unit for no fees beyond the initial purchase price paid by yours truly. That’s an extreme example, but even in companies where the business model is obvious, profit is often elusive.  We struggle to assemble the secret sauce that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Action Planning, Advisory Perspective, Fix Your Processes, Restore High Performance Tagged With: , , ,