After a few years of strategic planning, management teams almost always ask, “How can we put life back into our strategic planning? We’ve achieved great success, but we’d like to have the same level of excitement we had in the first few years.”

This question often comes up for reasons that are inherent in the process itself. First, strategic planning – as an ongoing process – tends to yield easy benefits in the first couple of years, as your team focuses attention on the low-hanging fruit. After a couple of cycles of this, the fruit that is left may seem to be a little harder to reach…and often, it is. Secondly, if your process is well-run, each cycle of planning will seem more like a part of your management routine and less like a special event. This is true of any process that you repeat routinely, but with strategic planning, the first couple of years seem strange and wonderful because good strategic planning is so far outside the norm for most managers. Finally, as your team gains experience with the process of identifying strategic objectives and effectively implementing them, they also learn how much work is involved…and there may be a natural reluctance to commit to the big, exciting projects that bring so much energy to the first few years of strategic planning.

Over the years, I’ve developed exercises to give the ongoing planning process a little more “zing”. In general, these exercises fall into 3 categories:

1. Making the strategic plan more personal – many plans lose their “zing” because they seem to be about someone else…so identifying how individuals affect – and are affected by – the strategy can help reverse this.

2. Giving the vision more substance – sometimes, the vision encompassed in your strategy is too abstract for the team to “get into it”. In these cases, some work on what the reality of that vision will look like can be just the thing.

3. Drilling deeper into specific parts of the strategy – in many cases, there are things just below the surface that can dramatically transform your company. A little digging in some specific areas can turn up gold!

Make it More Personal

While personalizing the strategic plan is one of the most effective ways to bring energy and commitment to it implementation, it’s also one of the most difficult ways to do this. This is because, unlike many of the variables of the strategic planning process, the complexities of the personalities involved pose analytic difficulties that are both broad – covering a wide range of possibilities – and deep – making them far more difficult to unravel than, say, a question of market responses to certain product changes. Even so, there are some ways of working with the personal nature of involvement with your strategic plan that can yield excellent results

One way of driving home the personal nature of commitment to your team’s plan is to bypass personality issues and address the question in a fairly neutral way. An exercise I often use to do this involves asking the team members to identify exactly how they envision themselves contributing to forward motion along the lines of the strategy, and how they see themselves (and their activities) creating obstacles to that same forward motion. As you might guess, it’s much easier to get team members to discuss their positive roles in a group setting. One way around this is to reduce the initial interactions around this to a one on one conversation. It’s also a great exercise to have team members pair up and discuss the positive contributions, then have each member report on the positive elements of his/her partner.

To reassure the team, I like to tell them that this exercise is not about who is the best, or who has the least weaknesses. Instead, I point out that the greatest opportunity in this exercise lies in our ability to find the best adaptations to existing weaknesses – and that the more obstacles we can identify, the more obstacles we can get out of our way.

So…here is one process, in outline form:

1. Ask the team members to pair up and spend 5 minutes describing to their partner the ways they can drive the strategy forward.

2. Ask the team members to spend 3 minutes identifying specific ways they either (have created obstacles to this in the past) or (could create obstacles in the future).

3. Lay out what you consider to be the KEY elements of the strategy in a diagram (say, on a flipchart). Ideally, it’s optimal to have just 3-7 key elements, such as “customer relationships”, “quality processes” or “asset acquisition”. For a FULL description of the modeling discipline I use, see Jay Forrester’s Industrial Dynamics.

4. Ask people to point out where their partners can contribute the most on your diagram, and illustrate it.

5. Ask people to point out where they might/do obstruct the strategy in the same way – but be VERY encouraging about it. The key here is not to fix the person, but to get the pieces of activity that don’t FIT the person moved to someone else. A useful set question here is “How could we accomplish this effectively? Are you the right person for this task? Can we use your skills better elsewhere? Is there a process, person, or piece of equipment that would take some of the difficulty of this activity off of your shoulders?”

6. One of the best ways to really tie this up is to ask the team where they feel they personally can create the biggest improvement in the effectiveness of the company. It is important NOT to permit discussion of what other can do, but rather to keep focus on how you can change yourself, or what you do, to increase effectiveness. At times, I’ve encouraged this by suggesting we will devote resources to the one or two best ideas, but even simple verbal encouragement will generate good results.

The point of this exercise is to really connect team members with the key elements of your strategy. As you progress with your strategy, this exercise can serve both as a reminder of this connection, for the team members, and a diagnostic for some types of implementation issues, for the CEO.

I’ve tried this exercise several times with different clients now, and I’ve been impressed with the results, even with clients who have been through several cycles of the strategic planning process already. There are some critical issues that tend to surface with this approach, and team members feel really good about what we achieve when we put this exercise into the strategic planning process.

Another exercise that helps make participation in the strategy more personal involves identifying key relationships.

Using a diagram similar to the 3-7 element flowchart mentioned in my last entry, you can ask the team which relationships/communication points are most critical to effectiveness in each area. For example, in some companies, the key to effectiveness in customer relationships is the relationship between sales and operations management. Since these areas involve very different mental disciplines, it’s not unusual to find the two departments don’t communicate well with each other, and there may be some excellent opportunities there to improve effectiveness.

One way to dig in to this diagram is to ask each team member how value is created or destroyed for the customer in their department. Once you have identified, say, the top three ways value is created in each department or area, you can draw lines that connect those value drivers to the departments involved. In many cases, this mapping process can identify areas where you can greatly increase your value to the customer by putting a little effort into improving how the involved departments communicate and work together.

After completing this diagram, it’s useful to ask the individual team members how they might improve their role in the identified relationships. You may also want to ask individuals to pick something they do that works well in this area that the other managers might benefit from trying.

I almost always use these tools when discussing strategic issues in the simplified strategic planning process, which is in the second meeting of the cycle.

Giving the Vision More Substance

If the exercises for making the vision more personal don’t have the desire effect, or if I think it will be too time-consuming (which it is), I often short-cut to a discussion of what the company will look like after five years of pursuing the vision we are discussing. Again, I like to get individuals to state this in their own words, and from their own perspective, because I want to ferret out strategic issues that people expect to see but are unwilling to voice. A good way to do this is to ask team members to write down two or three good things about how the vision will affect them and two or three bad things. As with other exercises, don’t focus too much on the bad things, but do be aware they may indicate issues that must be resolved for your vision to get full support from the management team.

Another simple way to give the vision more substance is to attach numbers to it. I normally do a projection of what the company’s sales and profits will look like based on our assumptions and the strategies we are discussing. For many teams, seeing these numbers brings home the reality of what we are proposing better than any other exercise.

Drilling Deeper

When I talk about drilling deeper, I’m definitely talking about a strategic planning process that involves the top management team, and not external stakeholders or media. When you take planning outside the organization, you are generally looking to communicate why your strategy is a good one rather than how you came up with it. An example of what I mean by “drilling down” could be seen in an airline examining the customer satisfaction impact of all the contact points a passenger may have with them. This might involve some detailed analysis of the operation, combined with insights from market research on things that affect customer satisfaction. While it would look tactical to an outside observer, this kind of “drilling down” can identify places where operational, financial, IT or HR practices (to name a few) can be changed to be better aligned with the overall corporate strategy.

This kind of work is unlikely to be productive with the media, because it is time-consuming and hard for them to package. They will, however, appreciate any surprising bit you might come up with. For example, when Sears acquired K-mart, they saw the real estate involved as the key piece of the value of that deal. This was interesting, because it was a merger of two huge retail brands, not just a real estate transaction. The news media were fascinated by this, without really knowing why that made sense for Sears.

Outside stakeholders may have more appreciation for the actual “drill down” process. The best way to handle this with them (if you have the resources) is to walk them through the key questions. They won’t have the data or experience of the management team, but – if you are well-prepared – you can throw those in as trump cards to move the conversation and its conclusions along.

One important point here is that the process of strategic planning is entirely different from the process of communicating the strategic plan. Both are important, but it’s possible to do either poorly if you mix them together without considering how you will affect the quality of the strategy or the perception of the resulting plan.

Hopefully, in one of these three areas – making it personal, giving it substance, and drilling deeper, you have found a nugget or two that will help you reinvigorate your strategic planning process. In any case, you should also consider using an experienced strategic planning professional, because such a person can usually spot issues that may be holding you back and suggest exercises that will get your strategic planning process back on track.

Copyright 2007 by Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan – Reprint permission granted with full attribution.

Author: Robert W Bradford
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cool mobile gadgets

Small business grants are closer than you think. They can also be the ideal way to fulfill your dreams of becoming a business owner. It is often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. They are given to those people who want to start their own small business as a means of supporting themselves while at the same time contributing to the US economy. Business grants are also provided by the US government. Remember, Small Business Grants are not loans and that’s why many people refer to them as Free Grant Money!

Business Grant or Business Loan…?

Grant programs don’t require credit checks, collateral, security deposits or co-signers. In some cases recipients are required to submit periodic progress reports to demonstrate that the grant funds are being utilized properly and goals are being achieved as projected in the application. Grants differ from loans in that they are not repayable. We all know what it takes to get a common loan…like auto loans, home loans, cash loans, etc. Why not try a free grant program that writes the grant for you and also addresses every issue you’ll need to cover before submitting it to the proper agency.

Business Grants Do What?

Business grants are one way that women can run successful businesses whether they have a home-based business or a business outside of the home. They are available to start a new or expand an existing business, equipment financing, acquisition of a new or existing business, rent, salaries, office expenses and overhead. Given to women who are small business owners to encourage and promote economic growth as well. Grants are available to anyone over 18 years of age. In fact, the small business grant you need to start or expand your business may be available right in your own home state.

The Purpose of Grants

A grant supports the business idea and turns the dreams of an entrepreneur in to reality. There are many types of grants offered by the government that include individual grants for personal necessities, business grants for starting new business, housing grants, ,education grants for funding education and many more.

Business Grants & Women

Grants are also available for women who want to buy an existing business. They are also available for women who want to attend business school so that they gain the knowledge they need to start their own business. They are also awarded to women who excel in their respective fields. The best part about business grants is that they are free in the sense that you do not have to pay back the money to the funding agency or the government. Women can also get money to encourage advanced online education have a distinct advantage over any business that leaves advanced learning to chance. Businesses that fall into this arena often find they are eligible for small business grants.

There are Other Options…

Also remember that the federal government, through the SBA, does offer a fine array of very attractive loans to start or expand a small business. There are also low interest and no Interest Government loans available for you to take full advantage of. Most small business owners have to look to personal resources and loans to finance their small business. You may have looked into bank loans, asked friends and family for a loan or looked into getting a few credit cards to pay for you to set your business up.

Grants for Women

Women have the largest opportunity of any group to benefit from the generosity of the Government Grant Programs. Women are taking more initiative to work for themselves. Womens small business grants are available in many forms. Women continue to account for the majority of stay at home parents. Women interested in accessing small business grants to start or expand their own businesses should understand certain limitations inherent in small business grant funding. Women have a 75% greater chance of success in business ownership.

Grants for Education

Education is a priority for any government, and for this reason the government. Education grants are available from various sources and are generally funded by the government, although many are established and sponsored by private institutions. They can vary in the amount of the grant as well as the period the grant is made available to the student. Women are also much easier to qualify for and get than education grants. Scholarships are also available for a myriad of situations.

A Little Info about the SBA

SBA does not provide lower interest rates for small businesses. SBA is not related to granting any free government grants, but instead it provides counseling, technical trainings and assistance in areas which are required to run a small business management using its resourceful SBDC or Small Business Development Center at absolutely NO extra Cost to you, its totally FREE. SBA has offices in every state and worked with various non-profit, lending and educational and training organizations nationwide. SBA also runs programs that are intended to help women with training and technical assistance, access to credit and capital, government contracts and such. As far as individuals are concerned, SBA does not offer business grants to any entrepreneur but it does help the minority groups, the women entrepreneurs, economic development of underdeveloped regions, and numerous such activities.

Author: J Pickett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rate

An often offered comment to me when I speak about strategic planning to small business owners and managers is that their company or organization is too small for strategic planning. Or they will offer any number of other excuses why they do not use strategic planning for their business. In my opinion, this is a sad commentary on the thinking of these small business people. They do not realize or comprehend that their business or organization is on their way to the business graveyard without a strategic plan.

Well, I really believe if the truth were told, the real reason they do not do strategic planning is related more to fear than anything else. And so I ask this question: “why are so many of these businesses strategically challenged, strategically averse and/or just plain scared or fearful of strategic planning?” Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach reviewed and reflected upon experiences with this type of small business thinking and offers the following list of ten major fears that drive small businesses away from strategic planning.

Fear #1: Fear of being intimidated and overwhelmed by the strategic planning process.

Many small business owners and leaders have pre-conceived an idea of what strategic planning is and fear that the process of strategic planning will be too overwhelming for them. Therefore, they feel intimidated by the process and do not want to even start the process.

Fear #2: Fear of repeated past bad experiences with strategic planning.

Small business leaders may have had some extremely negative and possibly harmful experiences with strategic planning in the past. They may have had a very poor consultant that was brought in and nearly ruined the business. Maybe they spent weeks in meetings without accomplishing one thing because they did not use a professional facilitator. Or maybe they launched a plan without any means of accountability.

Fear #3: Fear of the amount of anticipated time and commitment to develop a strategic plan.

Small businesses do not have a large corporate staff and are so busy putting out fires and managing day-to-day activities that they believe they will not have time to focus on long-term and strategic thinking. They want to keep working “in the business” but avoid working “on he business.” And this translates to a basic fear that if they divert time to strategic planning, the business will fall apart in the meantime.

Fear #4: Fear of academic or the ivory tower thinking.

Many small business owners are distrustful of theories, systems, generalizations and formulas. There is the fear of “this is fine in theory but I does not work in the real world.”

Fear #5: Fear of the facilitation process.

The most effective strategic planning meetings use the skills of a professional facilitator. Small business owners and mangers may fear that the meetings, no matter how well intended, will end up as gripe sessions or hours of aimless wandering without a clear agenda or purpose.

Fear #6: Fear of commitment.

A benefit of strategic planning is that it leads to decisive action. So, in companies where the owner and management likes to “hold back” or “hedge bets,” work on many things at the same time and “keep all options open,” this can be a real problem. This stems from a fear of making a decision and following through with commitment to carry out that decision.

Fear #7: Fear of accountability.

Most small business owners are only accountable to themselves and many times that really means they are “not accountable to anyone” and are not really held accountable. With strategic planning, there is a system of accountability built into the plan and this causes some real fear and distress to some small business people.

Fear #8: Fear of failure.

In small businesses the cost of failure is high and the personal risks are great. In large companies, the management is really dealing with someone else’s money. In small business and especially with entrepreneurs, one’s livelihood is at stake. A winning strategic plan could help the entrepreneur realize his dream, but a losing plan could result in a nightmare.

Fear #9: Fear of the cost of strategic planning.

This fear arises when there is no strategic thinking used to look at the value of strategic planning to the business compared to the cost. Fear also arises when strategic planning is viewed as an expense rather than as an investment.

Fear #10: Fear of discomfort and confrontation during the strategic planning process.

Many small business owners and managers are very fearful and uncomfortable with “confrontations” and they go to great lengths to avoid them. They are very uncomfortable in any confrontation and are fearful that they will be confronted with some issue or problem during the strategic planning process that they would rather avoid. Therefore, they decide to not engage in the strategic planning process.

Your strategic thinking business coach strongly encourages you to fully realize the benefits of strategically thinking and planning to manage and grow your business. If you would like to learn more about how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at http://www.businesscoach4u.com or by email at jgecoach@aol.com

Author: Glenn Ebersole
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Mobile device news

Small business grants are closer than you think. They can also be the ideal way to fulfill your dreams of becoming a business owner. It is often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. They are given to those people who want to start their own small business as a means of supporting themselves while at the same time contributing to the US economy. Business grants are also provided by the US government. Remember, Small Business Grants are not loans and that’s why many people refer to them as Free Grant Money!

Business Grant or Business Loan…?

Grant programs don’t require credit checks, collateral, security deposits or co-signers. In some cases recipients are required to submit periodic progress reports to demonstrate that the grant funds are being utilized properly and goals are being achieved as projected in the application. Grants differ from loans in that they are not repayable. We all know what it takes to get a common loan…like auto loans, home loans, cash loans, etc. Why not try a free grant program that writes the grant for you and also addresses every issue you’ll need to cover before submitting it to the proper agency.

Business Grants Do What?

Business grants are one way that women can run successful businesses whether they have a home-based business or a business outside of the home. They are available to start a new or expand an existing business, equipment financing, acquisition of a new or existing business, rent, salaries, office expenses and overhead. Given to women who are small business owners to encourage and promote economic growth as well. Grants are available to anyone over 18 years of age. In fact, the small business grant you need to start or expand your business may be available right in your own home state.

The Purpose of Grants

A grant supports the business idea and turns the dreams of an entrepreneur in to reality. There are many types of grants offered by the government that include individual grants for personal necessities, business grants for starting new business, housing grants, ,education grants for funding education and many more.

Business Grants & Women

Grants are also available for women who want to buy an existing business. They are also available for women who want to attend business school so that they gain the knowledge they need to start their own business. They are also awarded to women who excel in their respective fields. The best part about business grants is that they are free in the sense that you do not have to pay back the money to the funding agency or the government. Women can also get money to encourage advanced online education have a distinct advantage over any business that leaves advanced learning to chance. Businesses that fall into this arena often find they are eligible for small business grants.

There are Other Options…

Also remember that the federal government, through the SBA, does offer a fine array of very attractive loans to start or expand a small business. There are also low interest and no Interest Government loans available for you to take full advantage of. Most small business owners have to look to personal resources and loans to finance their small business. You may have looked into bank loans, asked friends and family for a loan or looked into getting a few credit cards to pay for you to set your business up.

Grants for Women

Women have the largest opportunity of any group to benefit from the generosity of the Government Grant Programs. Women are taking more initiative to work for themselves. Womens small business grants are available in many forms. Women continue to account for the majority of stay at home parents. Women interested in accessing small business grants to start or expand their own businesses should understand certain limitations inherent in small business grant funding. Women have a 75% greater chance of success in business ownership.

Grants for Education

Education is a priority for any government, and for this reason the government. Education grants are available from various sources and are generally funded by the government, although many are established and sponsored by private institutions. They can vary in the amount of the grant as well as the period the grant is made available to the student. Women are also much easier to qualify for and get than education grants. Scholarships are also available for a myriad of situations.

A Little Info about the SBA

SBA does not provide lower interest rates for small businesses. SBA is not related to granting any free government grants, but instead it provides counseling, technical trainings and assistance in areas which are required to run a small business management using its resourceful SBDC or Small Business Development Center at absolutely NO extra Cost to you, its totally FREE. SBA has offices in every state and worked with various non-profit, lending and educational and training organizations nationwide. SBA also runs programs that are intended to help women with training and technical assistance, access to credit and capital, government contracts and such. As far as individuals are concerned, SBA does not offer business grants to any entrepreneur but it does help the minority groups, the women entrepreneurs, economic development of underdeveloped regions, and numerous such activities.

Author: J Pickett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

In our strategic planning work, we often work with companies who have tried strategic planning before. Almost inevitably, the companies we meet were disappointed in the results they got before using Simplified Strategic Planning. While some of these disappointments can be attributed to poor strategy or process issues, many – perhaps a third – were disappointed because the plan failed to lead to good implementation of the strategy.

This is a shame, because your management team puts some of its best thinking into your strategic plans. Often, the team is quite excited about the vision portrayed by your strategies. So, how is it that strategic plans are so often poorly implemented?

In our experience, there are five main root causes of poor implementation. Some of these are very closely linked to each other – that is, it’s common to see pairs of this issue operating in tandem. But, ultimately, each of these items, by itself, can torpedo your strategy implementation:

1. The plan is not linked to implementation

2. The implementation lacks follow-through

3. The implementation is given insufficient resources

4. Managers change their objectives too quickly

5. The plan attempts too much too quickly

Let’s examine each of these issues, and how to mitigate its negative effects on strategy implementation at your company.

1. The plan is not linked to implementation

This one is unfortunately, very common. In many cases, the plan’s issues can be traced back to a consultant who wanted to sell each step of the implementation as a separate service, but sometimes, it arises from sheer ignorance of the pitfalls of strategic planning. Many people who attempt strategic planning for the first time assume that once the strategies are written down, the organization has a plan. In a sense, this is true – written strategies are, technically, a plan. Writing your vision down, however, doesn’t guarantee that it will come to pass. If it did, we’d all be living in the utopia of the mission statements most of us labored over in the 1980s and 1990s.

The clearest symptom that a plan isn’t linked to implementation is an absence of clear, measurable objectives and related action plans that define, at a fairly low level, who is going to do what, when, how much it will cost and when it will happen. Sometimes this happens when the process stops after identifying strategies and goals, and sometimes the objectives are set, but no action plans are created (often because there are just too many objectives).

The simplest remedy for this problem, of course, is to follow a process that drives implementation by progressing beyond strategies and goals to measurable objectives and appropriate strategic-level action plans. Yes, this takes more time than the cheap and cheerful one- or two-day retreat that a lot of companies seem to like, but it has such a profound impact on the results generated by the plan that it is time well spent.

2. The implementation lacks follow-through

Sometimes, we see companies that do a decent job of linking their strategies to objectives and action plans, but still lose steam in the implementation part of the planning cycle. A lack of follow-through is one of the most common causes of this ”petering out”.

The best indication of poor follow-through is action plans that haven’t been updated since the plan was completed, or perhaps a month or two afterwards. The team set up their implementation plans with good intentions, but then dropped the ball as more urgent activities drove strategy implementation out of their minds. This is common because the very best strategies are never urgent – they are undertaken well ahead of time, because time and money can usually be traded off in strategy implementation. Companies that choose to spend time when they have it – even when the strategic initiative is not urgent – are almost always more efficient.

To remedy the lack of follow-through requires commitment from the highest level of the management team. If the owner, president, or CEO insists upon a serious, routine periodic review of progress on strategy implementation, it is highly unlikely that your company will drop the ball. Practically speaking, this means you must keep to the monthly monitoring process that we outline in the Simplified Strategic Planning seminar and manual.

3. The implementation is given insufficient resources

Another way of stating this is ”implementation is given insufficient priority”. It’s not uncommon to see, in a company that is relatively strapped for management resources, that action plan step postponement is a heavily used tool in the management team’s time management. It is always easier to postpone a strategic action than, say, to hire a new executive.

A common symptom of this issue is action plans where many steps are postponed two or three times before completion. Implementation is still progressing, but at a much slower pace than originally intended.

Fixing this issue isn’t always easy. Naturally, if you have the money, adding horsepower to your management team can help. Giving executives clear priorities, especially about the relationship between their routine operational responsibilities and strategic responsibilities, can also help. Finally, be aware that this issue may actually be issue number 5 (the plan attempts too much too quickly) in disguise. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between trying to do too much and having too little to do it with, because they are essentially two ends of the same stick.

4. Managers change their objectives too quickly

In some companies, the main strategy implementation amounts to a kind of corporate ”short attention span”. Many of these companies don’t make much headway in their strategy implementation because they are never heading in one direction long enough for the strategy to pick up steam.

A common symptom of this implementation issue is a company that seems to be perpetually in the middle of dramatic changes. In a company with a sound, consistent strategy, change is occurring, but change tends to flow around the strategy, because the strategy represents a stable, unchanging reality, such as ”Starbucks customers like good coffee in a good environment”.

Another symptom is the classic ”flavor of the month” syndrome, where the company shifts direction every month or two based upon the viewpoint of the management guru that is currently in favor with the top executives. This is a dangerous problem, as many of today’s management gurus espouse strategic outlooks that are diametrically opposed. For example, ”The Experience Economy” espouses a strong, service-centered specialty strategy, while ”Nuts!” centers on a focused commodity strategy. You might succeed in shoehorning both of these outlooks into one company, but you are just as likely to end up with a train wreck.

The annual planning process, and strict discipline around that process, is the best antidote we know to ”short attention span”. The key here is to make sure you have sound strategic reasons for every change you make in your objectives (and no, ”there’s a lot of money to be made” is NOT a sound strategic reason). Likewise, test every change against the wisdom that is inherent in your own strategy. If it fits, great – but when it doesn’t, be very wary of making changes because of small, temporary changes in your marketplace or (worse) your reading list.

5. The plan attempts too much too quickly

This is probably the second most common issue, and, as we said, sometimes difficult to distinguish from issue 3 (The implementation is given insufficient resources). As managers, and as teams, we all seem to have eyes that are much bigger than our stomachs. If five objectives are good, ten must be better, right?

Well, wrong… ten objectives are almost always worse, from an implementation perspective, than five. There are two key reasons for this. First, we psychologically tend to focus more on items when they are limited in quantity. Everyone in your company is likely to know your company’s objectives if you only have four or five. If you have forty-two (we call this a ”laundry list”), chances are no one will know most of them, and few will even care. This is not because your employees are bad – rather, it’s because it’s not humanly possible for a group of people to remember and properly prioritize forty-two objectives.

The solution for this issue is simple, but often difficult. Don’t let yourself tackle more objectives than you can handle. If you had trouble with nine last year, try seven this year. In our experience, implementation is optimized somewhere between five and ten objectives, depending on the organization, its culture and resources.

These are just a few of the most common implementation issues we run into in our work as strategy consultants, assisting companies like your own in strategic planning. It’s not exhaustive, but hopefully, as you get out your plans for this year, you will think about taking some of the steps outlined here to improve your implementation.

Copyright 2007 by Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan – Reprint permission granted with full attribution.

Author: Robert W Bradford
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News

Small business grants are closer than you think. They can also be the ideal way to fulfill your dreams of becoming a business owner. It is often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. They are given to those people who want to start their own small business as a means of supporting themselves while at the same time contributing to the US economy. Business grants are also provided by the US government. Remember, Small Business Grants are not loans and that’s why many people refer to them as Free Grant Money!

Business Grant or Business Loan…?

Grant programs don’t require credit checks, collateral, security deposits or co-signers. In some cases recipients are required to submit periodic progress reports to demonstrate that the grant funds are being utilized properly and goals are being achieved as projected in the application. Grants differ from loans in that they are not repayable. We all know what it takes to get a common loan…like auto loans, home loans, cash loans, etc. Why not try a free grant program that writes the grant for you and also addresses every issue you’ll need to cover before submitting it to the proper agency.

Business Grants Do What?

Business grants are one way that women can run successful businesses whether they have a home-based business or a business outside of the home. They are available to start a new or expand an existing business, equipment financing, acquisition of a new or existing business, rent, salaries, office expenses and overhead. Given to women who are small business owners to encourage and promote economic growth as well. Grants are available to anyone over 18 years of age. In fact, the small business grant you need to start or expand your business may be available right in your own home state.

The Purpose of Grants

A grant supports the business idea and turns the dreams of an entrepreneur in to reality. There are many types of grants offered by the government that include individual grants for personal necessities, business grants for starting new business, housing grants, ,education grants for funding education and many more.

Business Grants & Women

Grants are also available for women who want to buy an existing business. They are also available for women who want to attend business school so that they gain the knowledge they need to start their own business. They are also awarded to women who excel in their respective fields. The best part about business grants is that they are free in the sense that you do not have to pay back the money to the funding agency or the government. Women can also get money to encourage advanced online education have a distinct advantage over any business that leaves advanced learning to chance. Businesses that fall into this arena often find they are eligible for small business grants.

There are Other Options…

Also remember that the federal government, through the SBA, does offer a fine array of very attractive loans to start or expand a small business. There are also low interest and no Interest Government loans available for you to take full advantage of. Most small business owners have to look to personal resources and loans to finance their small business. You may have looked into bank loans, asked friends and family for a loan or looked into getting a few credit cards to pay for you to set your business up.

Grants for Women

Women have the largest opportunity of any group to benefit from the generosity of the Government Grant Programs. Women are taking more initiative to work for themselves. Womens small business grants are available in many forms. Women continue to account for the majority of stay at home parents. Women interested in accessing small business grants to start or expand their own businesses should understand certain limitations inherent in small business grant funding. Women have a 75% greater chance of success in business ownership.

Grants for Education

Education is a priority for any government, and for this reason the government. Education grants are available from various sources and are generally funded by the government, although many are established and sponsored by private institutions. They can vary in the amount of the grant as well as the period the grant is made available to the student. Women are also much easier to qualify for and get than education grants. Scholarships are also available for a myriad of situations.

A Little Info about the SBA

SBA does not provide lower interest rates for small businesses. SBA is not related to granting any free government grants, but instead it provides counseling, technical trainings and assistance in areas which are required to run a small business management using its resourceful SBDC or Small Business Development Center at absolutely NO extra Cost to you, its totally FREE. SBA has offices in every state and worked with various non-profit, lending and educational and training organizations nationwide. SBA also runs programs that are intended to help women with training and technical assistance, access to credit and capital, government contracts and such. As far as individuals are concerned, SBA does not offer business grants to any entrepreneur but it does help the minority groups, the women entrepreneurs, economic development of underdeveloped regions, and numerous such activities.

Author: J Pickett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace

Are you interested in starting up your own business? If so, you should carefully consider writing a business plan. The thought of preparing a business plan tends to fill most business owners with dread; it can be a difficult, stressful, and time consuming process. For this reason alone you may want to think about seeking assistance.

One of the many ways that you can seek help to write your plan is by hiring a professional, who in this case is a professional business plan writer.

What Is a Professional Business Plan Writer?

Before deciding whether or not you should hire the services of a professional business plan writer, you should first clearly understand what they are. In most cases, you will find these individuals to be experienced, professional writers who are well versed in business terminology and who can effectively understand the needs of businesses. It is important to understand when writing anything, even a business plan, that it is the wording which makes all the difference; the words used can be the difference between success and failure. That is why a large number of small business owners turn to professional writers for assistance.

What a Professional Business Plan Writer Can Do For You

When it comes to searching for a professional business plan writer, you will find that different writers perform different duties. For example, a large number of writers will merely take your ideas, which you have already thought out and developed, and present them in a professional matter; they will just present your plans in a more professional way than you could.

Then there are the professional business plan writers who will work with you to develop your plan from the inception of the basic ideas for your business to the finish document. Naturally since more work and time goes into to assisting you with developing a business plan from the bottom up you will probably find that the services of these writers cost more than traditional ones.

It is important therefore that before you start your search you be very clear in your own mind as to what level of support and input you require.

Why Hire a Professional Business Plan Writer?

There are a number of different reasons why small business owners turn to professional business plan writers. One of the key reasons is of lack of experience when it comes to putting ideas on paper and not knowing what format a plan should take. If you have never created a business plan before you can easily find yourself staring at a blank piece of paper for hours on end!

Although it is relatively easy to learn how to create your own plan, it can be a time consuming process to undertake the research and get into the appropriate mindset. With the right experience, a professional business plan writer will be able to create a detailed, professional business plan in half the time that it would take you to create the same plan.

How Do You Find Someone?

If you are interested in acquiring the services of a professional business plan writer, you have a number of different options. One of those options is to search for someone locally. Dealing with a local business plan writer is great, especially if you want to deal with someone face-to-face. Your search can focus on your local government business advice centers or even asking fellow business colleagues. If there is a writing group or circle in your locality then you can approach them for potential names.

The only problem that you may find is that not all areas of your country will have professional business plan writers. This means you may have to turn to the Internet for assistance. By conducting an online search you will find a large number of professional writers who specialize in creating or writing business plans.

What Should You Look For Before Hiring?

When choosing a professional business plan writer it is important that you don’t choose either the first person that you come across, or the cheapest. If a well written business plan is crucial to the success of your plans then you must be careful in your selection. Your business plan may not only be used for your personal guidance, but it may also be used to attract financing for your business and that is why your plan must look professional, be detailed and readable.

Before hiring a writer, you should request samples of previous work and also ask to see testimonials from business owners who have used their services. This will help to ensure you are getting your moneys worth and that you end up with a business plan you can proud distribute.

As with any contract you enter into be very certain what you are getting for your money. Does the contract include the provision for free updates or unlimited revisions before the final version is agreed? Will you be charged per word, per page, or by the hour? Make sure you fully understand the deal.

By following these points you should be able to decide whether or not a professional business plan writer can assist you. Whilst they can be an additional cost you may not be able to afford, in the long run it could be the best investment you ever made.

You will find a complete guide on how to write a business plan in my e-book ‘The Secrets of Writing a Killer Business Plan’.

Robert Warlow
Small Business Success

Author: Robert Warlow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: US Dollar credit card

Small business grants are closer than you think. They can also be the ideal way to fulfill your dreams of becoming a business owner. It is often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. They are given to those people who want to start their own small business as a means of supporting themselves while at the same time contributing to the US economy. Business grants are also provided by the US government. Remember, Small Business Grants are not loans and that’s why many people refer to them as Free Grant Money!

Business Grant or Business Loan…?

Grant programs don’t require credit checks, collateral, security deposits or co-signers. In some cases recipients are required to submit periodic progress reports to demonstrate that the grant funds are being utilized properly and goals are being achieved as projected in the application. Grants differ from loans in that they are not repayable. We all know what it takes to get a common loan…like auto loans, home loans, cash loans, etc. Why not try a free grant program that writes the grant for you and also addresses every issue you’ll need to cover before submitting it to the proper agency.

Business Grants Do What?

Business grants are one way that women can run successful businesses whether they have a home-based business or a business outside of the home. They are available to start a new or expand an existing business, equipment financing, acquisition of a new or existing business, rent, salaries, office expenses and overhead. Given to women who are small business owners to encourage and promote economic growth as well. Grants are available to anyone over 18 years of age. In fact, the small business grant you need to start or expand your business may be available right in your own home state.

The Purpose of Grants

A grant supports the business idea and turns the dreams of an entrepreneur in to reality. There are many types of grants offered by the government that include individual grants for personal necessities, business grants for starting new business, housing grants, ,education grants for funding education and many more.

Business Grants & Women

Grants are also available for women who want to buy an existing business. They are also available for women who want to attend business school so that they gain the knowledge they need to start their own business. They are also awarded to women who excel in their respective fields. The best part about business grants is that they are free in the sense that you do not have to pay back the money to the funding agency or the government. Women can also get money to encourage advanced online education have a distinct advantage over any business that leaves advanced learning to chance. Businesses that fall into this arena often find they are eligible for small business grants.

There are Other Options…

Also remember that the federal government, through the SBA, does offer a fine array of very attractive loans to start or expand a small business. There are also low interest and no Interest Government loans available for you to take full advantage of. Most small business owners have to look to personal resources and loans to finance their small business. You may have looked into bank loans, asked friends and family for a loan or looked into getting a few credit cards to pay for you to set your business up.

Grants for Women

Women have the largest opportunity of any group to benefit from the generosity of the Government Grant Programs. Women are taking more initiative to work for themselves. Womens small business grants are available in many forms. Women continue to account for the majority of stay at home parents. Women interested in accessing small business grants to start or expand their own businesses should understand certain limitations inherent in small business grant funding. Women have a 75% greater chance of success in business ownership.

Grants for Education

Education is a priority for any government, and for this reason the government. Education grants are available from various sources and are generally funded by the government, although many are established and sponsored by private institutions. They can vary in the amount of the grant as well as the period the grant is made available to the student. Women are also much easier to qualify for and get than education grants. Scholarships are also available for a myriad of situations.

A Little Info about the SBA

SBA does not provide lower interest rates for small businesses. SBA is not related to granting any free government grants, but instead it provides counseling, technical trainings and assistance in areas which are required to run a small business management using its resourceful SBDC or Small Business Development Center at absolutely NO extra Cost to you, its totally FREE. SBA has offices in every state and worked with various non-profit, lending and educational and training organizations nationwide. SBA also runs programs that are intended to help women with training and technical assistance, access to credit and capital, government contracts and such. As far as individuals are concerned, SBA does not offer business grants to any entrepreneur but it does help the minority groups, the women entrepreneurs, economic development of underdeveloped regions, and numerous such activities.

Author: J Pickett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Credit card currency-exchange fees

Robert Burns stated it well in “To a Mouse” when he made this statement, “The best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry.” No matter how carefully you plan a project, something still may go wrong.

How do I determine what plans are going to most effectively carry out the objectives and strategies of our overall business plan?

Which elements will make my plan successful?

How will I get beyond the obstacles along the way?

Meeting Objectives

In order for the objectives you have determined in your business plan to be carried out, you must come up with the specific plans to accomplish those objectives. Each of those objectives stemmed from a strategy. The objectives broke down the strategy into smaller and more specific parts. The plans go another step into clarifying how and by when the objectives will be met. Your plan is really a project made up of many action steps.

Prioritizing Plans

How do you decide which plan deserves top priority? It is important to consider which plan is going to contribute the most to the growth of your business.

Where would the effort show the most results? Are you considering what is most important to your business, not just on what seems to be most urgent? Steven Covey in First Things First writes about the trap of looking at just the short-term needs and never getting to the more important steps that will truly grow your business.

Keep the previous parts of your business plan in mind. It is important to integrate the plans with the objectives and strategies. Keep focused and avoid getting off the trail if you want to get to the other side of the forest!

Selecting a Plan

In looking at a plan, consider the financial obligations that are involved. Is there adequate financial support available to take the plan to completion? Also to consider is determining the plan with the highest return on your investment of time and money. Part of the consideration for the cost of implementing a plan is how long it will take to complete. You’ll need to estimate the time required as well as the cost of the project.

Determining Planning Steps

Once you have decided on a clear plan for your efforts, it is time to determine what is the very first step. Even the very first step must be broken down into increments. List these small increments so that you are very clear what the project will entail.

Sometimes it is helpful to try a different approach for planning other than just listing items on a word document or piece of paper. Using a large piece of paper, you can start writing down all the items that must be considered. These can be scattered over the paper with lines connecting those items that are relevant and in certain categories.

Color-coding the various categories can make your direction more obvious. This is called mind mapping and can be a way to access all parts of the brain and let you be more creative with your planning.

I used this method in planning this article. I had categories of: Determining the Plan, Actions To Take, Obstacles, Delegation, and Measurement. Going out from these were the various segments of those categories. I found that my thoughts flowed more easily than if I were making an outline. That can get pretty boring and keep you stuck in a box with your thinking.

Obstacles To Success

Over promising was the first obstacle that came to mind for me. I hear this often from clients. In an effort to show our enthusiasm, we can be a bit too enthusiastic about our concept of time and money. It’s critical to think rationally for the long haul of a project, not just in terms of how the initial sprint will go.

Another obstacle may be our reaction when we feel we have used “poor judgment” or “made a mistake” along the way on a project. This can be a real energy sapper.

As Richard Carlson shared in his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff About Money, it’s important to laugh at your mistakes. When you focus on the mistake and make a really big deal of it, you are much more likely to repeat the mistake. Our mental energy is a powerful tool for our success or failure. If our energy is abundant, we are more creative and will see more solutions and opportunities. We actually build on our strengths.

Other obstacles can be family concerns, physical tiredness, and health challenges. Be aware of these and do what you can to resolve them so that you will not be distracted from the completion of your plans.

Delegation

A huge obstacle to completion of goals is trying to do it all yourself! We can get so possessive of a project that we feel that we want to be in control of every aspect to make sure it is completed well. Most of the time, if you can complete a goal all by yourself, it is probably not a big enough goal. Being open to seeing how others can support you is a huge piece of the success for so many people in our world who are making a difference.

Measurement

How do we measure our success?

Have we completed the project that supported our strategy and objectives?

Were our estimates of time and money accurate?

If the answer to either of these questions is negative, it’s time to evaluate what could be done differently the next time. Looking clearly at the statistics makes this process so much simpler.

Acknowledgment

What most of us forget to do is to acknowledge WHAT WENT WELL!

We can focus so much on everything that needs improvement, that we forget to look at what was very successful. By this focus, we can also learn what we want to continue doing in future projects. And what, specifically, caused the success?

Really look over the notes and achievements and discuss these with everyone involved in the project.

With this knowledge in mind of what to keep and what to change, you’ll be ready to take on your next plan to get even closer to the business success you deserve!

Author: Suzanne Holman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News

Small business grants are closer than you think. They can also be the ideal way to fulfill your dreams of becoming a business owner. It is often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. They are given to those people who want to start their own small business as a means of supporting themselves while at the same time contributing to the US economy. Business grants are also provided by the US government. Remember, Small Business Grants are not loans and that’s why many people refer to them as Free Grant Money!

Business Grant or Business Loan…?

Grant programs don’t require credit checks, collateral, security deposits or co-signers. In some cases recipients are required to submit periodic progress reports to demonstrate that the grant funds are being utilized properly and goals are being achieved as projected in the application. Grants differ from loans in that they are not repayable. We all know what it takes to get a common loan…like auto loans, home loans, cash loans, etc. Why not try a free grant program that writes the grant for you and also addresses every issue you’ll need to cover before submitting it to the proper agency.

Business Grants Do What?

Business grants are one way that women can run successful businesses whether they have a home-based business or a business outside of the home. They are available to start a new or expand an existing business, equipment financing, acquisition of a new or existing business, rent, salaries, office expenses and overhead. Given to women who are small business owners to encourage and promote economic growth as well. Grants are available to anyone over 18 years of age. In fact, the small business grant you need to start or expand your business may be available right in your own home state.

The Purpose of Grants

A grant supports the business idea and turns the dreams of an entrepreneur in to reality. There are many types of grants offered by the government that include individual grants for personal necessities, business grants for starting new business, housing grants, ,education grants for funding education and many more.

Business Grants & Women

Grants are also available for women who want to buy an existing business. They are also available for women who want to attend business school so that they gain the knowledge they need to start their own business. They are also awarded to women who excel in their respective fields. The best part about business grants is that they are free in the sense that you do not have to pay back the money to the funding agency or the government. Women can also get money to encourage advanced online education have a distinct advantage over any business that leaves advanced learning to chance. Businesses that fall into this arena often find they are eligible for small business grants.

There are Other Options…

Also remember that the federal government, through the SBA, does offer a fine array of very attractive loans to start or expand a small business. There are also low interest and no Interest Government loans available for you to take full advantage of. Most small business owners have to look to personal resources and loans to finance their small business. You may have looked into bank loans, asked friends and family for a loan or looked into getting a few credit cards to pay for you to set your business up.

Grants for Women

Women have the largest opportunity of any group to benefit from the generosity of the Government Grant Programs. Women are taking more initiative to work for themselves. Womens small business grants are available in many forms. Women continue to account for the majority of stay at home parents. Women interested in accessing small business grants to start or expand their own businesses should understand certain limitations inherent in small business grant funding. Women have a 75% greater chance of success in business ownership.

Grants for Education

Education is a priority for any government, and for this reason the government. Education grants are available from various sources and are generally funded by the government, although many are established and sponsored by private institutions. They can vary in the amount of the grant as well as the period the grant is made available to the student. Women are also much easier to qualify for and get than education grants. Scholarships are also available for a myriad of situations.

A Little Info about the SBA

SBA does not provide lower interest rates for small businesses. SBA is not related to granting any free government grants, but instead it provides counseling, technical trainings and assistance in areas which are required to run a small business management using its resourceful SBDC or Small Business Development Center at absolutely NO extra Cost to you, its totally FREE. SBA has offices in every state and worked with various non-profit, lending and educational and training organizations nationwide. SBA also runs programs that are intended to help women with training and technical assistance, access to credit and capital, government contracts and such. As far as individuals are concerned, SBA does not offer business grants to any entrepreneur but it does help the minority groups, the women entrepreneurs, economic development of underdeveloped regions, and numerous such activities.

Author: J Pickett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace