Twice a year, Bill Gates goes to a remote island hide-a-way for a week at a time. No, he's not going for a fishing vacation; instead of rods, reels, and lures he takes market analyses, position reports, engineering reports, and opportunity papers. In solitude he reads and thinks and reads some more, writing notes in the margins then composing questions, thoughts, and his own positions that will impact the future of Microsoft and the entire technology industry for years to come.
Getting away from the daily pressures for an extended period of careful thought and consideration in his "Think Weeks" are the way Bill Gates works on the vision of the company, determines what new projects to pursue, and plans for the future. It is the same rigorous work and thought process that CEO's of every business should pursue. Do you?
Now, I'm not suggesting that you should take a "Think Week" twice a year. Your business is much less complex than Microsoft. But, if your business is to remain competitive in this business environment and grow, you must take some think time. Maybe you need to take a "Think Hour", a "Think Afternoon", a "Think Day", or even a "Think Weekend" with no telephones, no people, and no distractions. Go off onto that remote island (even if it is just behind your closed door with a "do not disturb" sign and a disconnected phone) to put the interruptions of the day-to-day far away. Have an agenda. Ask yourself some hard questions:
"Is the business on track to fulfilling my vision?"
"Is the growth rate or profit rate on target"
"If not ? what can we do to improve it?"
"Where is my industry headed in the next five years and how do I position my business to take advantage of the changes?"
"What changes in our company culture, policies, strategies, and tactics are necessary and how do we implement them?"
If Bill Gates can get away from his multi-billion dollar business for two "Think Weeks" a year, you should be able to do it for two "Think Afternoons." It will make a difference.
Larry Galler, a Coach and Consultant, works with Owners and Managers of small and mid-size businesses to substantially increase sales volume and profitability through creative marketing strategies and streamlining or eliminating "administrivia."
To learn about ways Larry helps businesses acheive their goals visit http://www.larrygaller.com
Culver prom limo .."Did you hear what your competitor is doing?" This question... Read More
With the help of balanced scorecard strategy map, it is... Read More
"Begin with the end in mind," says Stephen Covey in... Read More
Business plan financial projections seem daunting because they are so... Read More
Six Sigma is becoming a proven approach for businesses and... Read More
People often ask "What makes a good business plan? Or,... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of what needs to be... Read More
All investors greatly desire and are motivated by a clear... Read More
How important is a vision statement to your company or... Read More
Writing a Business Plan these days is tough, venture capitalists... Read More
Have you ever done a SWOT analysis? No, it's not... Read More
When looking at Akron carefully one cannot help but notice... Read More
More than $117 billion passed hands from Internet shoppers to... Read More
No "meme" isn't a typo and Got Milk, the more... Read More
Scenario OneDuring a recent presentation, a business owner was given... Read More
"I don't need a business plan."Neither did Alice in Wonderland."Would... Read More
Making money doesn't make your reputation... your reputation makes you... Read More
"Bozo" ? A clown with a forlorn look, always finding... Read More
A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join... Read More
I've either been involved with or held a process-related role... Read More
I love the excitement of starting up a new home... Read More
Ask Yourself three simple questions that affect your strategy planning...... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains Dynamics is excellent fit... Read More
1. Largest Selection -One way that you can make your... Read More
Storytelling and writing a business plan actually go hand in... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..Much of what we heard in the mass media about... Read More
If you own a mobile franchise business and wish to... Read More
To stop a computer virus you must understand how it... Read More
What do Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Allen, Anthony Robbins, Andrew... Read More
I am surprised how few sales professionals, independent consultants, and... Read More
One of the most important initiatives in the domain of... Read More
GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains Dynamics is excellent fit... Read More
Note to Northwest Airlines ? It's not about fuel costsFor... Read More
From time to time there seems to be a flurry... Read More
Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your... Read More
When someone mentions business planning we have been conditioned to... Read More
Writing a business plan is not an easy endeavor, nor... Read More
Canada's lean leaders need to look beyond the horizon and... Read More
We have been spending many hours surveying the market for... Read More
Part 1A few weeks ago I attended a seminar sponsored... Read More
We all agree Strategic Planning is a critical part of... Read More
By cranking up others development to meet your business needs,... Read More
If you own the mid-size business and actively work in... Read More
There's nothing automatic about corporate growth, particularly in the information... Read More
Human beings are rational agents. Rationality endorses one to take... Read More
The first step in starting a restaurant is proper planning.... Read More
A survey released by the American Institute of Certified Public... Read More
A menu is the foundation of any restaurant; Guests will... Read More
A focus group is a group of employees or current... Read More
Strategic Planning |