Reasons to be cheerful

Written by Alan on November 23, 2009 — 2 Comments

An upcoming CBI report will herald a shift in working attitudes and practices. At last. Why it has to take Meltdown for us to realise that, only far more accomplished students of the human condition than I can answer. Business should be simple. Sell more than you buy is a pretty good start. The CBI will tell us their study means companies will now look to integrate sustainability and ethics into their business model. Woo hoo. They will look to be visibly accountable to customers and staff in order to retain both. Woo hooo. The seers at CBI also tell us that companies will look at partnering with other businesses and(surely not) even competitors, to secure long term futures. Wooo hoooo.

That my loyal reader, is the drum I (and others) have been banging for years. Up until recently however, I have been viewed as a bit ‘woolly-tie, open-toed-sandal-wearing, (not that I do either!) Guardian-reading, soft leftie’ interrupting the conversation of the grown-ups’. Except now the Grown Ups have to shed their capes, take down the Sherman McCoy posters and recognise that common sense is generally profitable. In recent years common sense has become an oxymoron, a bit like customer service, but those businesses that can demonstrate honesty and trust with customers and staff will be the winners. The irony is that trust has probably always been high on your list of criteria when looking for a new supplier, but it seems OK to forgoe  some of those criteria when selling to customers..? It’s just a healthy balance sheet…

Here’s my Top Five tips;

  • Have a clear manifesto on how to deal with colleagues, suppliers and customers, with no exemptions.
  • Test, measure and publish results of processes and initiatives.
  • Be wary of short-term gain, it can bring long-term pain.
  • Add value to whatever you do.
  • Be cheerful! Find a way to enjoy (at least parts of) your business.
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In ? We Trust…

Written by Alan on October 20, 2009 — 1 Comment

Please fill in your own (non-religious) blank.

 

Sweeping generalisations follow. No qualitative research, studies or substantive figures have been troubled in the making of this picture…

It may come as a surprise to you, but we face a crisis of confidence. In fifteen years of being a consultant I have never felt the degree of trepidation as exists amongst business owners right now. Plenty of analysts and economists are talking up Recovery, but they are countered by almost as many talking it down.

One of the first things I like to do with a new client is to agree a direction for the business. It may be a revolution or it may be an evolution, but it needs to be clear; services, products, pricing, processes and all the rest. If there’s an action, what’s the reaction? If there’s a choice, what’s the consequence? If there’s an innovation, where’s the consternation? If there’s a fault, who’s to blame? Aha! Right there, can you see it?

B L A M E – we seem to need it, we’re unsettled if there’s no-one or nothing to point the finger (or mouse) at. And, right now, it pervades like a virus through everything. So what’s happening is people, companies, institutions, governments are thinking, ‘…if we’re gonna get blamed anyway we might as well get something out of it for ourselves…’ What’s the result? A complete breakdown in trust. We don’t trust anything, we take nothing at face value and believe the worst in everything. The definition of value has been subsumed by discounts and freebies which are neither discounted nor free (in real terms). We’re all losing our balance… But before you fall…

There are great businesses out there, run by great people, who struggle to rise above the noise with a message that says ‘We’re very good at what we do. Pay us a fair price and You Will Be Happy.’ Seek them out.

Profit is great. I love it. But, not at any cost. Life’s too short and the World’s too small…

Listen, I subscribe to no doctrine, worship no Guru, and prescribe no formulaic solutions. In fact, I’m thinking of starting a group where the only criterion for joining is to be a decent human being. Too radical?

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What am I?

Written by admin on September 29, 2009 — 2 Comments

 

8.30 Dinner Party conversation (over the pre-prandial olives)

‘What do you do Alan?’, my fellow guest asks with a mixture of mild interest and obligation.
‘I’m a Business Development Consultant for Small and Medium sized businesses’, I answer with an equal measure of obligatory enthusiasm.

The light in his eyes switches to energy saving mode.

Being the perceptive guy that I am, I sense this. ‘…you did ask…’

Consultants have a bad name. I get that. They come in to your business, take all the information you give them, masticate and regurgitate it back to you in a (very nicely) bound document for a very nice fee. This process will either leave you feeling justified in doing what you wanted to do all along because you’ve just had it ‘independently validated’, or so frustrated that you vow never to use ‘Consultants’ again. Either way it’s a waste of time, energy and cash.

I’m not like that. No, seriously.

(Note to self)

8.30 (next) Dinner Party conversation (over the pre-prandial shrimp)

‘So what do you do Alan?’, he asks with a mixture of mild interest and obligation.
‘I’m passionate about helping SME business owners feel great about their business again.’

The lights stay on

‘Easier said than done, these are tough times’

‘There’s nothing revolutionary, I use pretty much the same tools as everyone else. It’s just my solutions that are probably different. I only really earn when I achieve results. So I achieve best results with clients that had a good proposition at start-up, but have either become big, but not big enough or they’re too indebted or too sidetracked and have lost sight of how to develop the business.’

‘As I said’, he said, ‘Easier said than done.’

‘Easy for you to say’ I said.

Still, the post-prandial chat was much more fun. He knew Robin Jenkins’ stuff and we spent a bottle of wine debating Duror.

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Our People are our Greatest Asset?

Written by Alan on September 28, 2009 — 2 Comments

5.10pm At my post, headphones on

I’m moved to write, feeling somewhat inadequate. My scratchings are brought to you from exactly the same alphabet that Paddy McAloon uses. How can that be? Anyone that can write a pop tune that starts,

‘I look around me, and I see
Folks leading more constructive lives than me’

…and, excuse me, go on to tell a story, with a… Pardon…. Who the fork’s Paddy McAloon..? Who said that?

My point is, wait I do have one, that as a Consultant I have a fantastic opportunity, with every new business I go into, to affect the way people go about their work and feel about the rest of their lives. For anyone, employer or (especially) Consultant, to think that work life and home life are not inextricably linked is…a mystery to me. Productivity, absenteeism, loyalty – all these things are better and stronger with clear direction, realistic targets and consistent decisions. Communicate clearly inside and external clarity will communicate itself.

Would it be too pious to suggest we should all try to lead more constructive lives? To do a ‘smash & grab’ with a consequent ‘crash’n’burn’ is at best amoral and at worst fraud!

9.10pm Back at my post, headphones on

They say we all have a book in us. I’d happily settle for a 3 min PaddySpecial.

For a selection of words that just shouldn’t be possible in a pop toon look at www.prefabsprout.net (I beseech you – forgive him ‘King of Rock and Roll’)

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