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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 Grow Your Business

August 3, 2010 By
Achieve high performance through better strategic planning and execution.

We're drawing closer to fall which for my business tends to be a busy time - a time of renewal as business owners and managers get back from summer vacations... and begin looking forward to Christmas vacation. I really got stuck on the idea of touching the pulse of as many savvy people as I could to really find out what the top issues are right now. So last week, I did something that seemed logical at the time - I asked the folks on my list a very simple question: What's the biggest challenge you're facing … [Read more...]

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

How to Survive on Fewer Resources

August 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Use financial controls and Balanced Scorecard to do more with less.

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. Do More With Less Our clients have no budget for anything but the … [Read more...]

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

Strategic Planning in a Challenging Year

June 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Focused Strategic Planning

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of being the facilitator for Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington (ABC) at their annual Leadership Planning Conference in Blaine, WA, overlooking both the Pacific Ocean and the border of Washington state and British Columbia, Canada. It was a spectacular location, complete with incredible wildlife like the eagle in the picture above. But it also focused the spotlight on the importance of a rigorous, regular strategic planning process for any serious … [Read more...]

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

Strategic Action – From Horror to High-Performance

August 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Action plans make strategic plans come allive. Learn how.

If management consultants made horror films, most would somehow feature the theme of strategic planning gone lame.  Let me pitch an example flick and see if you’ll greenlight me. After years of neglect, Acme Widgetry finally does it – they “get serious” and build a strategic plan.  It is a good plan full of good information and well-intentioned statements about priorities and what is important.  At great expense, the plan is copied, bound, and distributed to key personnel who each … [Read more...]

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

Block and Tackle, But Know Your Goal

November 4, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Set the right goals and follow up with the right action plans for high performance.

In a classic 1964 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Viking Jim Marshall recovered a fumble and made an impressive 66 yard return all the way to the end zone.  Unfortunately, it was the wrong end zone, resulting in Marshall handing a free score to his competition when he threw the ball out of bounds. In business, we’re often told that when times get tough it’s a mistake to over-think. That instead, we should just drive hard to get the ball and push down the field at all costs, but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Action Planning, Fix Your Processes, Issue Discovery, Reboot Potential Tagged With: , , ,

Sabotage Your Business in Ten Easy Steps

July 30, 2008 By 1 Comment
Businesses fail for common reasons. Learn how to avoid them.

The nice thing about cars is they’re predictable. Every model has its own quirks that tend to act up like clockwork, and any mechanic worth his salt can tell you what to look for.  I remember my 1987 Honda Accord (an otherwise exceptional vehicle) had a body joint below each tail light that, as if on cue, rusted out… right along with every other 1987 Honda Accord in the exact same spot. It’s the same with businesses.  Businesses tend to have very common cracks and crevices that expand and contract as the … [Read more...]

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