We have a strategic plan. It's called doing things.
Herb Kelleher founder and former Chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines.
The personal Blog of Howard Mann. Author, Speaker & Entrepreneur. - November 21st, 2008
29
Sep
08
Sep
08
Who Can You Count On When Times Get Tough?
Jason Calacanis sent out his latest email blast this weekend (That has replaced his blogging) and has turned his attention to how startups can/should react to the present and future economic pressures. Many interesting points to consider (Although not necessarily agree with). You can read a reprint here.
I like this idea in particular:
"8. Hold an optional off-site breakfast meeting on a Sunday and see who shows up: If folks don't show up for you to grow/save the company on a Sunday for a two hour breakfast, they probably aren't going to step up when the sh#$%t really hits the fan. You need to know who the real killers on your team are and you need to get close with them now.
Again, it's fine to have 9-5ers on your team--if you're the Post Office. You can't have them at a startup company. Note: if you reading this and saying I'm anti-family, save it. Folks don't have to work at startups and some of the hardest working folks I've met have families and figure out how to balance things."
My 2 cents: When your business is going through times of stress, one tends to circle the wagons and keep the pain to themselves under the belief that if you shared it with all it would create a stampede out the door. What you should consider is the power that comes from a group attacking the problem, the reality that you are not in it all alone and the energy that will come from knowing who truly cares about the company (and you).
And, of course, strip the business down to its PURE basics. Execute x 10!
Latest Posts
Archives
- November, 2008 (12)
- October, 2008 (11)
- September, 2008 (11)
- August, 2008 (9)
- July, 2008 (18)
Quick Posts
Rajesh Setty is giving away his great book "Life Beyond Code. Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps!" A very nice and useful Thanksgiving gift to yourself. Download it here.
It seems the commenting feature on the blog posts has not been working properly. I apologize. It is now fixed. Please do comment and join the discussion.
Great Harvard Business post on lessons that can be learned by the Obama campaign. Loved this part on the importance on purpose: "Bigness of purpose is what separates 20th century and 21st century organizations: yesterday, we built huge corporations to do tiny, incremental things - tomorrow, we must build small organizations that can do tremendously massive things."
Tom Peters: 100 Ways to Succeed #146: "Obsess On The Basics! Now, More Than Ever!" "....Keep on each other over those basics—and be liberal with the kudos for those who go an extra millimeter to do a "trivial" job especially well."
The VC's are yelling from the roof tops for startups to batten down the hatches. Like I said in my post from the other day, you have to double down AND batten down. What all of this really means is, of course, you need to get back to the business basics that have always worked and always will.
The smart folks over at Behance have launched an online project collaboration tool that follows their Action Method paper system. Watch the online video tour to get an idea of how it works. Looks like a simple and effective ways to track the individual action items for projects and goals.
Tom Peters and Seth Godin on one stage taking questions from Inc. 500 business owners. Priceless wisdom on a wide variety of topics. Click here to watch then sit back and enjoy!
"It’s easy to say that entrepreneurs will create jobs and big companies
will create unemployment, but this is simplistic. The real question is
who will innovate. A 50-year-old company can innovate as well as two guys/gals in a garage." From an interview with Guy Kawasaki discussing the ideas in his new book Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition
"If you want to make your website better at turning visitors into customers (or subscribers), you need to understand why most of your visitors are leaving!" a helpful article to drive home the point that launching your web site is the easy part. If you want your web site to deliver real results for your business then you need to work at with persistence.
Douglas Rushkoff is singing from the same songbook about the importance of the basics... now more than ever. "I’d love for businesspeople who feel all is lost to recognize that this is such a perfect moment to return to core competency, to remember what it was about their industries that excited them to begin with, and to reconnect with the processes and attitudes that make work fun and meaningful again." If you have not read his book you should buy it now and rock your basics!
Howard Mann is a speaker, author and entrepreneur. He is on a mission to get businesses to thrive in every way, in good times and bad, by relentlessly sticking to their basics. Learn more.
Get The Book
Your Business Brickyard will reconnect you to the basics that will make your business more fun to run.
Download the complete Book as a PDF for FREE by clicking here. OR buy the hardcover for yourself, a valued client or a business owner you know that could use a boost. Links: Amazon.com or 800-CEO-READ.
The little eBook of Business Jokes
The Little eBook of Business Jokes. 9 jokes to make you laugh and smile. Why? Because business has become a place of too much stress and laughter is still the best medicine.
Download it now and share with anyone and everyone that could use a laugh.
Speaking Engagements
Getting your business to focus on the basics starts with a strong call to action and specific steps that you can take that same day. Howard's talks have been called a one to one mentoring session regardless of the size of the audience. They are highly practical, personal, motivation and fun! Book Howard Mann to speak at your next event or set up a Business Brickyard workshop.Click here to learn more.
Post new comment