November 8, 2020

Throw Out Your Business Plan and Pivot

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Competitive Advantage, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, Management, Mentorship, Personal Development, Planning, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, small business owner, Teacher, Uncategorized

If this current pandemic has taught us anything at all, it’s that putting together a 3 to 5 year business plan is a total waste of time, energy and money. If this current pandemic has taught us anything at all, it is that our crystal ball is a little murky and it’s impossible to predict the future. Burying your head in the sand and waiting for it to be over is not the answer. What this current pandemic has taught us is that those who learn to pivot have a better chance of having a future.

Worth Remembering … “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln

Restaurants expanded their patio to provide outdoor dining and encouraged customers to order online for curbside pickup or have it delivered to their door. They reduced their indoor dining area to create a safer environment for their customers and their staff.

Manufacturing companies retooled to produce and sell personal protective equipment. Distilleries used their expertise in making spirits to make sanitizer. Clothing manufactures switched over to making masks and garments.

Small businesses have had to change their flow patterns to help their customers social distance and they put up plexiglass barriers to protect their staff. Administrative and sales people started working from home and connecting online.

Worth Remembering … “A pivot is a change in strategy without a change in vision.” – Eric Ries

What this current pandemic has taught us is that the future, although not ideal, can be brighter if we learn to look for the possibilities. A basketball player learns to pivot, not to give up on their chance of scoring a basket, but to change direction and give themselves a clearer path to reach their goal. Conditions have changed. Throw out your business plan and pivot.

Copyright (c) 2020. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. To find out more about Brian and what he can do for you and your organization visit: https://briansmithpld.com

October 5, 2020

Stop Trying to Change People

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, Management, Mentorship, Personal Development, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training, Teacher, Uncategorized

Everybody is good at something. Some people are good planners while others are better at executing those plans. Not everyone can sing a song well but they can play an instrument. We’ve listened to great communicators and some who have a difficult time being understood. It’s rare to find someone who is good at everything.

Worth Remembering … “Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you will begin to understand what little chance you have in trying to change others ” – Unknown

You can’t take the stripes off a tiger or rub the spots off a leopard no matter how hard you try. Stop trying to change people. You can’t. You would have more luck trying to herd cats. Trust me it’s darn near impossible. Spend your time putting people in positions where they can do what they do well.

Worth Remembering … “The task of an executive is not to change human beings. The task is to multiply performance capacity of the whole by putting to use whatever strength, whatever health, whatever aspiration there is in individuals.” – Peter F. Drucker

Great leaders do what they do well and surround themselves with the best people they can find who do somethings better then they do. Great leaders understand that success comes from everyone on the team doing what they do well. Play to their strengths and stop trying to change people?

September 19, 2020

Learn To Count To Ten

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Coping with Stress, Customer Service, Dealing with Difficult People, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, Management, Mentorship, Personal Development, Personality Types, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, small business owner, Soft-Skills Training, Teacher, Uncategorized

According to Wikipedia patience is the ability to endure difficult circumstances such as perserverence in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer term difficulties. Patience is a much needed 21st Century skill. Some have it in spades, others have to work at it. Picking up a 2X4 and smacking someone on the side of the head may not be the way to go when you are frustrated. You need to learn to count to ten.

Worth Remembering … “Patience is bitter, but it’s fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle

Do you need to develop more patience? Here are some things to keep in mind.

1 – Expect challenges. Expect delays. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. Something will go wrong and when it does, work around it or climb over it.

2 – Go slow to go fast. You don’t want to end up doing things twice. Get all the facts before making a decision, but make a decision in a timely manner. Procrastination is a killer.

3 – Be empathetic. People will make mistakes, everyone does. When things go wrong, fix it, don’t dwell on it.

4 – See the big picture. Don’t get bogged down in the weeds. Keep your eye on the prize. A minor set back is just that. Keep moving forward.

Worth Remembering … “He that can have patience can have what he will.” – Benjamin Franklin

Those that know me best know that patience was never my strong suit. It’s something I have had to work at. I’ve had to bite my tongue on more than one occasion. If you want to be a more effective 21st Century manager or business leader then you need to learn to count to ten.

August 21, 2020

How to Create a Competitive Advantage

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Competitive Advantage, Customer Service, Entrepreneurship, Management, Mentorship, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, small business owner, Teacher

The only competitive advantage you have is the level of customer service you provide, and if you aren’t delivering exceptional customer service then you put yourself and your organization at a distinct disadvantage. Chances are you won’t be in business very long. Think of your own experiences. When was the last time you had exceptional customer service? I mean eye-popping, wow service. How did that make you feel? When was the last time you had terrible, so-so service? The kind of service that made you decide never to do business with that company again.

Worth Remembering … “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” – Zig Ziglar

What is it going to take for you and your organization to be exceptional? The 4-P’s – Price, Product, Promotion and Place are no longer relevant. The internet and social media have created a level playing field. Now no business is too big to fail. We can name a number of companies like Sears who thought they were. Going far beyond the call of duty, exceeding your client’s expectation; that is what exceptional service is all about.

Worth Remembering … “If you want to succeed at any job, make yourself invaluable. Go the extra mile; make them never to be able to imagine doing business with anyone else but you.” – Ross Mathews

Every time you do business with your clients is a test. Make sure everyone on your team is up for the challenge. Every time your clients do business with you, they are comparing you against your competitors. If you are going to be exceptional then you have to be better than your competition. You have to remain one step ahead. Never compete on price, someone is always willing to sell for less. Find out what your clients value the most and deliver on that every time you do business with them. That’s how you create a competitive advantage.