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
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
"Most great plans aren't... Read More
Before becoming a netpreneaur, I was an entrepreneur... Read More
"Rubbish!" shouted the large, aggressive man in the red-striped shirt (we had to pay attention to him because he owned the company)... Read More
Every business experiences slower periods... Read More
Whether you are seeking capital for your company or are optimizing your business strategy, the most important element - particularly for outside investors - may be your written business plan... Read More
It is always said "If you Fail to Plan, you Plan to Fail" Success in business comes as a result of planning... Read More
A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join together for a set period of time... Read More