Strategic focus and knowing when to say, No!

First you have to have a strategy and secondly, you have to be able to stick to it. So, make sure you develop a good strategy, one that is a) potentially successful for you and b) one that you can stick to.

Having done that, you now face the daunting task of turning down projects that are not part of you stratgeic focus. Is this possible for you and if it is how is this achieved?

1. Focus! Stay on strategy.

Send a clear message to your team and your clients. Everyone on the team needs to know what the business stands for and to know that it isn't simply there to hoover up money as and when it comes across it.

It is also a statement to clients that let's them know where you stand. It says "We are good at hwat we do and we know what we're good at and we won't let anything distract us from delivering great results to you."

2. Saying "no" to the wrong type of projects.

This is tough but it protects the critical underbelly and fragile wobbly parts of your business. Many consulting firms get overwhelmed by major projects and while they're working hard at trying to ramp up the business and at the same time delivering the projects, they're not spending time selling, marketing or building new client relationships.

Therefore, when the major projects come to an end, they find themselves in a flat zone. Now you have to start the saless boiler up from scratch. Everyone is exhausted from the last project but now you have to tell them to get back on the streets to find new work again because there is no new work warming up on the back burner.

Peaks and Troughs

By saying "no" to disruptive projects, you protect yourself from demanding distraction and can then continue to spend time developing solid new client relationships and deepening existing ones. This builds client loyalty and trust and ensures there is a regular flow of work, which, if you manage it well, will steadily grow at a manageable pace one that is in sync as the company grows.
3. Saying "no" supports the small business model.

Micro-economics. This is simply the basic formula that connects supply, demand, and price. If you continuously increase supply by saying yes to everything, because demand is high, you run the risk of applying a downward pressure on your pricing.

If you say "no" to work that is not cost-effective, you are re-enforcing the statement that your services are "in demand" and your pricing "reflects that demand." You are selling on and applying a real market "value" for the product or services.

The other option is;

• lowering your price over time because
• the quality of your work deteriorates because
• your overloading your workforce /talent (you) because
• you are desperate to generate new work because
• you're in a self-inflicted cycle or downturn because
• other

Turning away work is not an easy decision to make. It can be a very painful decision for a small business to make but a necessary one.

Are you just a gal or guy that can't say "no," even if your business depends on it. Have you better ways of keeping your business focused? Get in touch now!

Unemployed in the Festive Season? Great! Get out and Party!

It seems like only last month that we were in the middle of the Summer Vacation slump, when all our precious customers are sunning themselves on the beach instead of trawling the shopping malls, but take heart, this is a time of great opportunities, especially for job seekers..

The festive season is a great time to catch up and expand on your network, if you remain focussed, use your head and your time accordingly. The holiday season has always been an excellent time of year for job hunters and networkers.

You Send Mail

Spreading holiday cheer and New Year’s greetings over the phone, via e-mail or with a card is a great and valid reason to reconnect with people you don’t regularly see or with whom you correspond infrequently.

Parties Galore!

There are as many different types of parties and seasonal festivities; office parties, cocktail parties at your neighbours’ houses or scholl concerts for your kids. These present ample opportunities to meet new people and to network in relaxed, convivial settings.

Live Chatter

It’s so much easier to make small talk about things like family, holiday plans, shopping and gifts at this time of year, and those universal topics help break awkward silences and warm up conversations that you can eventually direct toward your networking needs.

Making Connections

The Festive season is the ideal time for job hunters, especially for those who find setting up networking meetings difficult, to make a connection with someone they want to get to know by offering them a ride to a party, providing directions or giving them an admission ticket to an event.

Embrace the Moment
You have been trying to get a hold of these people all year. So, now that they are out there, don’t dread the opportunity that these social events present; embrace them.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of the festive season’s networking opportunities:

1.Be selective

If you are furtunate enough to have multiple invitations for the same date or just don’t want to spread yourself too thin, decide which events are worth your time based on the networking potential that each provides and/or the amount of fun you think you’ll have, but don't get fun and work mixed up.

2.Do your Research

Before selecting the event you’re planning to attend, find out who is expected to be there. Politely ask the person organising the event if they might tell you whom they invited. Then identify the individuals you want to meet. Learn about these people and the companies they work for so you can have an intelligent discussion with them and thus make a positive impression, but don't be a boring geek!

3.Planning ahead.

Have some idea what you might say to break the ice and keep conversations flowing. People are going to ask you who you are and what you do for work, so know how to answer that question:

Come up with a succinct explanation, something funny or a simple anecdote that illustrates what you do and distinguishes you from the rest of the pack. Also think about what you might offer the people you meet in terms of advice, an introduction or a referral. Planning ahead will help you make the most of the event and increase your confidence going into it, but don't actually write a script and if you do do not let anyone see you refering to it.

4.Know your goals

When you finally get in front of your target contacts, what do you want to get out of the interactions? Do you want their business card, or a referral or permission to contact them afterward to discuss your mutual interests? Taking small pieces of their clothing or hair is not recommended, as this will be perceived as 'spooky'.

5.Make a good first impression

In the age of the Internet, a social event is a rare and invaluable opportunity to speak with someone face to face. So give the casual attire a break and look smart for the occasion. Also keep breath mints and your business cards handy. Be sure to have a good close shave beforehand, especially if you are a man.

6.Have a friend introduce you

If you’re rather shy with strangers and uncomfortable introducing yourself to someone new, find someone who knows the people you want to meet and ask that person to introduce you. Show your gratitude to your introducer by finding a way to help him or her. Never forget a favour, but don't pay over any cash. It's not cool.

7.Work the room in twos

You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to meet new people when you do so with another person by your side. Find someone with whom you’re socially compatible, who brings out the best in you and vice versa, and introduce yourselves to someone new, but don't dress identical cause that' just spooky again and avoid the temptation to play 'Good Guest, Bad Guest'.

8.Stay focused

A Festive season networking occasion is not about the food and drink in the same way that a working lunch is not about the food. Remember, it’s all about expanding your circle of relevant contacts and learning and gleaning as much as you can from your conversations.

It’s a good idea to take very small notes, the back of business cards will do. That way you'll be able to recall your conversation when you follow up with them. Try not to take notes openly cause then you'll risk looking like the paparazzi press.

9.Quality

Quality is always more important than quantity. It’s better to spend 'quality' time with a few key people, having a meaningful conversation than to have a dozen superficial chit-chats.

Don’t be too quick to break off a good discussion with one person to start another with someone new. You'll end up flitting around the room picking up new contacts and then quickly leaving them hanging, like some demented bulemic humming bird.

Respect

On the other side, play fair. Don’t waste other people's time or prevent others from doing a bit of networking too. Be respectful and courteous. Your goal is to be remembered for the right reasons and to get someone to take action on your behalf.

Resource or Resourceful

You need to be more than a name on a card or resume; you need be a resource they’ll keep on their radar for appropriate referrals and recommendations.

10.Hold your tongue.

It’s always better to say less rather than more and to remain silent than to put your foot in your mouth. If you don’t have anything to add, don’t feel obligated to talk. You can’t hurt yourself by being quiet, offering a friendly smile, or nodding to indicate that you are listening appreciatively.

It’s better to leave a neutral impression than to damage your reputation by speaking out of turn or making a politically incorrect statement. Plus, you never know what others who are listening could be hearing and then later reporting.

11.Be gracious

Write timely and responsive thank-you notes for invitations, assistance, introductions, referrals and advice. Not only does this show you have good manners and are courteous, but it also makes someone else feel appreciated and reminds them of your interaction.

12.Follow up.

To maximise the value of your networking efforts, be sure to follow up on the contacts you made. Make keeping in touch regularly with your network your new year’s resolution. You don’t want to be "out of touch; out of mind." Persistence is a guaranteed advantage in the job market.

Expanding your career in a shrinking market

It is the aim and nature of all professional people to develop themselves to the maximum. The mantra states; we must maximize our potential and grow our careers.

To do that you have to achieve better results than those around you and without 'over' achieving. Although, this last point is more a problem for older more mature employees.

Remember there is a tiger at the door; So you are in direct competition with everyone else in your company

Consider some simple techniques to help you get more recognition and better results for your efforts.

1) When the bell rings, come out fighting.

• Be the first to arrive and the last to leave.
  
• Be sure to be caught working all the time you are at work.
  
• Start the day with the most important, onerous or the most difficult tasks.
  
• Do not surf the Internet, make personal calls, read the newspaper or make small talk with the 'losers'.
  
• Check your list of activities for the day,
  
• Focus on establishing priorities and get on with it.
  
• Start knocking down those skittles!
  

2) Fill your day with achievements.

• Always be the one that contributes positively at meetings and in face-to-face interaction.
• Ask your boss and yourself, what you can do to provide the greatest contribution to the organisation.
  
• Let everyone know that you are willing to go the extra mile or kilometre.
  
• Do more than the basic minimum, more than you are paid to do.
  
• Be seen to be the one that puts in more effort than the others.
  
• Look for solutions, methods or tools that will allow you and therefore the organisation, to be more effective.
  

3) Set a scorching pace.

• Your career is not a quick sprint or dash across the hurdles.
• It is more enduring like a marathon:
  
• Some runners sprint off at the beginning and get out way ahead of the pack.
  
• Most will be happier running with the pack, safe in the middle, un-noticed, unseen
  
• There are many who are less fit and not really motivated. They are content to be in the race at all but they are clearly seen to be struggling and lagging behind the pack.
  
• Your place is up amongst the leaders, being in the right place at the right time. Excel in hitting targets, achieving goals and milestones.

Take control of your life, your day and yourself. Start each working day with a list of planned activities carried over from the previous day. These will be organised by their priority, so you can address each task as the priorities dictate.

This is a life discipline not just an office routine and will make you more efficient, targetted and better directed as a person. This, in itself will make you stand out from the ambling, gasping crowd and when all around are losing their's, your career will soar.

If you are looking for promotion, assume the position

Stay Focused - Tough Times ahead

Budget cuts. Layoffs. Doing more with less. Sound familiar? Every manager is suddenly tasked with putting out fires on multiple fronts, as businesses struggle to survive amid the economy's smoking ruins. Don't forget your day job, little things like keeping the service levels (SLAs), servers and network availability in the greenest of green.

The mounting responsibilities and demands can be both personally distracting and professionally discouraging for some IT and business managers: The US's work-related worries jumped from 62 percent to 67 percent between April and October 2008, according to the American Psychological Association.

Now, more than ever, focus is the name of the game, especially when people and money are tight.

Finding and maintaining your office Zen isn't as easy these days. Drawing on past experiences, here's how some current and former CIOs have maintained focus in their role and within their department during a crisis.

"After the dotcom bubble burst in 2000, business was struggling and the workplace was pretty tense," recalls Les Duncan, then senior vice president and CIO at Joann Stores.

To ease staff concerns, Duncan held regular meetings where he could speak directly about business conditions and highlighted that week's or month's hot issues. His staff knew how the company planned to weather the difficult times so they could focus on their work, he says. "This transparency also helped me to stay focused on what was really important i.e. the success or failure of the business during hard times."

Get busy and stay busy. We've all worked at businesses where large numbers of employees were cut from the payroll. Most of the employees ran around huddling in small groups talking about the latest rumour, but you want to be in the group that stays busy and focused on delivering. So busy that you don't have time to whine.

Positivity and flexibility is essential in staying on target at work. "Anticipate changes by checking in frequently with business decision makers and stay on the offensive by killing projects that are going nowhere".

Try to see the opportunity in any major change. It's a good time to offer assistance to colleagues and take on tasks that might normally be outside your scope. This is not the time to hide in an IT or business silo, but the ideal time to step out of it. Create the space and opportunity to innovate. It costs very little and can result in new opportunities and growth.