Creating What MattersSustainable Business

Staying Relevant

Bridget Marsh — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:16:04 +0000

Stay relevant.

What does this mean for a business owner? And how can you do it?

The dictionary definition of relevant is “bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent: a relevant remark.” It’s all about what people need NOW in an ever changing world of tactics, strategies, and solutions.

The good news is, you don’t have to go into fear mode to address staying relevant. It’s an ongoing job of seeing where you are, where your prospects are, what the winds of change are blowing your way, and of course where your passion is directing you.

In business terms, you can break it down in a few ways.

1. OFFERS: Is what you’re offering solving an immediate and pressing problem your client faces? Are your offers matching their needs TODAY?

2. MARKETING: Are you awake and taking note of the trends? Are you using the best tools to reach your ideal clients?

3. MESSAGE: Are you wording things in such a way that prospective clients stop, look, and swear you’re talking DIRECTLY to them?

4. NETWORK: Are you hanging with a relevant network? Are your connections connected to the right opportunities for you?

5. PERSPECTIVE: How are you keeping a perspective on all the changes swirling about? This might mean having a mentor in your life to help you see what you can’t see, following people who are on the cutting edge, or somehow being tuned into what’s shifting around you.

Important This isn’t about jumping on the latest fad or changing yourself in a way that doesn’t suit you. Relevance and Flightiness are not interchangeable! More often than not, it’s a simple tweak to one or more of the areas outlined above that can save your business and keep you on the map.

So where do you go from here?

This is what I do:

I stay awake. Awake to what’s happening around me, awake to the bigger picture, always checking what I hear against a wider world view, awake to what’s bugging me in marketing, awake to what’s overused and overhyped. To me, that spells “go the opposite way” and I high tail it out of any party that’s feeling clone-ish.
I never walk alone. Maybe you can operate in a vacuum, but not me. I need other professionals working at a high level to serve as sounding boards, trouble-shooters, idea machines. That’s why I mentor others, that’s why others mentor me. Sometimes that means I put out messages that challenge the norm.
I take risks. Entrepreneurs love taking risks and trying new things. Sometimes they pay off, sometimes they don’t. But business – and life – are a game. we choose which rules we play by.
I keep it fun. If it’s not fun, I won’t do it. I believe work should be fun, rewarding and fulfilling for everyone in the team not just me. Maybe that means I throw out a shocking title every now and then, maybe it means I drop something I’m known for (bye bye social media consulting!) Find what makes it fun for you.

Eco friendly and profitable

Bridget Marsh — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:35:30 +0000

Eco-friendly and Profitable

This month I’ve looked at an inspiring local business developed over 14 years that is profitable, employs a number of local people – and operates on eco friendly principles. Jill Main New Zealand designs and makes beautiful quality products for our homes and ourbodies. I wanted to discover how being an eco-friendly producer affected her business so I asked Jill ….

B. You are proud to be an eco friendly producer. Can you tell me what you mean by that?

Jill. We’re proud to produce product that creates a sense of wealth/value for the end receiver. It’s likely to be used until it’s totally thread bare (I’ve often seen our bags in this state still being used by their loving owners!) or passed to a loved one before at worse it ends on Trademe! I’m particularly
aware and sickened by the general publics lack of value of “things” these days with the advent of cheap imports and ever lowering standards of
quality creating a disposable mentality.

. Value = quality at Jill Main.

B. What do you do on a practical level that supports this your personal and business commitment to an ecofriendly footprint?

Jill Practically, we buy as many raw
materials as possible from local suppliers (this isn’t easy as more and
more manufacturers are going offshore). We rarely if ever discard any raw
materials or seconds etc. There is always some use found. Even our
smallest fabric swatches are donated to schools.
Every bit of paper is recycled within the business – using both
sides of paper where printing is needed. Between a staff of seven we’re
lucky to put out ½ to 1 rubbish sack per week and less than 1 blue bin of
recyclables every 2 weeks. We’re very aware of our power useage and if
offices aren’t in use, doors are closed to retain heat in smaller areas
and lights are turned off in those spaces.
We use recycled boxes for our dispatch of product – for many years
I used to scoot around filling my car from the bins behind the 4 Square,
chemists and when the shops were putting out their old boxes – I haven’t
done that for a while but now remembering that I’m thinking perhaps I
should do it again – nothing like finding a good solid clean box for
free!!!
For a number of years now we have reduced the packaging of our
products and when we have used packaging it’s been either from recycled
card/paper or we have made the packaging (never from plastic!) desirable
enough and useable enough for the customer to hopefully hang on to and
continue using –
I personally have a huge passion for plants and trees and plant as
many of these as I can afford to do (most of Jill Main NZ profits goes
into this!!!)

B. What do you want your customers to understand by eco-friendly?

Jill I want our customers to understand that we do care and consider our
methods and means of production. That we’re not producing for the sake of
just making money. That we are considerate of our environment, our
environmental practices and the future of this planet.

B. Why is being an eco producer important? And why is caring for our planet important?

Jill It’s important to me to know that
I’m doing my bit within my personal and business life to reduce the impact
on our planet. I see cleared land with erosion where there was once native
forest and this depresses me, that people continue to leave these areas
with no regard for what that is doing to our environment, money being at
the forefront of their mind. If I can someway do my bit to compensate for
this kind of thing, I will. Our planet is a beautiful place and there are
so many species that have already been made extinct or are on the danger
of extinction lists and these seem to keep growing. Of course the ultimate
is that like the Easter Islanders – Man could be the next threatened
species!

B. How has it helped your business?

Jill An example for this is that particular customers are equally if not more aware and educated on
sustainability and are not interested in product that doesn’t meet certain
criteria for them eg what materials are used in the product, where it is
sourced from, reduced packaging or what packaging materials are used.

B. What about marketing messages?

Jill A great “feel good” factor about our product and our customers sense of having chosen a

product from a caring company.

B. Which costs have you been able to reduce?

Jill Without a doubt. Our brand image is of a professional slick business – but we have a “make do” mentality with all our furnishings being bought second hand through auction houses years ago. And my personal philosophy’s have definitely rubbed off on the staff and they are very aware of wasteage, power useage etc It’s also made us inventive, creating product from “ends of lines” materials usually generating greater profits than if we were to buy new materials outright.

B. Are there any downsides to this business philosophy?

Jill When I am faced with a choice of a material that doesn’t meet desired sustainability practices
but I love it just the same and can see potential sales from it – this creates a lot of procrastination!!! Otherwise I can do nothing but say
it’s a “win, win” – good for the business profile – good for the soul.

B. What other benefits do you notice?

Jill We definitely have stores that do not buy product that has excessive packaging and question the source and composition of materials
before they buy from us.

Every business can profit from taking a look at their
operations and working out how they can be more resilient and profitable and good for the planet at the same time.

If you’d like to work out what would be the most beneficial place to start from your profit perspective and your customer’s perspective give me a call 09 4129485

or email bridget@creatingwhatmatters.co.nz

To listen to an audio explaining the benefits of opting for a sustainable business strategy click here http://www.profitableteams.com/about-profitable-teams/bridget-marsh/

Profit through Sustainability

Bridget Marsh — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:07:07 +0000

10 Ways to Quickly and Easily Profit from Becoming a Sustainable Business

Becoming a sustainable business is a strategic decision…. When you choose to turn a blind eye to the benefits of becoming more sustainable you are putting your business at an immediate competitive disadvantage, and quite possibly setting yourself up as a target for regulation in the longer term. That’s because the larger players in the market are being required to take on some sustainability initiatives. This is happening through either NZ or overseas government regulation (e.g. Fonterra has been forced to look at sustainability because in Europe the food miles issue meant their products were questioned by consumers and the big supermarket chains) or consumer demand.

So what is a sustainable business? That’s the question that came up very often at the Sustainable City Showcase in November. There are a lot of definitions, some that focus on the environmental impact of a business or its ecological footprint. But I prefer to think of it very broadly.

A Sustainable Business is a business that:

• makes every decision as if it is going to be around for hundreds of years
• considers the impact of every decision on all parts of the system in which it operates which means it considers the impact on the health and well being of its owners, staff, its customers, and their children and children’s children. It considers where it will source its materials and whether that is a sustainable source. What the impact of taking those materials from there is – whether it is a local supplier or a village in the pacific.

• uses materials that are reusable and recyclable so no waste goes to landfill

• creates quality products and services so that the need to use resources making new products is limited

• creates real value for its owners, workers and communities

• recognises itself as part of the ecological system

You’re probably thinking this is sounding very lofty and high handed – you’re right!! But if I don’t think like this I’m continuing to add to the problems we currently face. And its far more fun to be working towards something exciting like an environmentally sustainable, socially just and spiritually fulfilling world in which everyone can enjoy health, and well being.
And its about taking a step. So here’s 10 ideas you can consider.
1. It’s just good business sense
Consider sustainability not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes good business sense. Consider each initiative and look at it from a strategic, financial, operational, marketing, or employee recruitment/retention perspective, and work out the benefits, if there aren’t any don’t do it. I guarantee that in almost every corner of a business there is a fundamental business reason for being more sustainable i.e. looking for how things can be done more efficiently and effectively with less resources. Energy savings alone can cover any of the costs involved in becoming more sustainable. Green focussed products also enhance the brand image, improving sales in other areas. If you’d like some help to work out these benefits there are people who can help you, specialists in each area. Your business will look much healthier financially as well as in other ways when you are courageous enough to take steps towards sustainability.
2. People want to work for a business that is interested in more than bottom line and profits for the boss.
The latest Colmar Brunton research conducted this year 2011 shows that an increasing number of New Zealanders want to work in a business that’s socially and environmentally sustainable. Put this initiative in place and your staff will work harder, give more of themselves and stay longer.

3. There’s money to be made from reselling used products and materials
You might find you can resell used products and materials that were formerly considered waste. When Paraoa Bakehouse focused on creating more sustainable operations, they reduced their weekly waste to less than a netball (less than 1 kg) saving thousands in waste removal costs.
4. It’s for big small and large companies
Sustainability means being lean (reducing wastage everywhere in the business including staff time ) resourceful (ensuring the whole team is contributing in significant ways also ensures that work is more fulfilling for everyone) and nimble – seeing opportunities as they arise and making the most of them.
Bigger companies do have an advantage when it comes to influencing their supply chain to be sustainable (Marks and Spencers and Tesco are prime examples in the UK that are affecting NZ exporters), and in influencing policy at the government level, but smaller companies can be just as effective, if not more so, at almost everything else.

5. People are asking for it
Who makes purchase decisions at companies? No points for the right answer. We are hearing from an increasing number of large B2B companies that their customers and prospects are asking about their sustainability efforts. You will find it put explicitly in purchase criteria of an increasing number of companies and organisations e.g. RWC official suppliers that preference will be given to sustainable organizations, and Councils.
Your customers care who they buy from, whether they are consumers or million-dollar companies. 78% of NZ’ers have some level of commitment to a sustainable lifestyle and it is not limited by age, socio economic status, or gender. But 72% when asked to name a sustainable business couldn’t do so. This simply means if you can show how you are becoming more sustainable and helping them do likewise you can increase your share of the market simply by doing that.
6. Become more transparent about what you do with your waste, how you are affecting your environment, what your policies are with regard to working conditions. This increases the level of trust – and is the biggest and easiest marketing opportunity around today.
As I just said in point 5, 72% of people can’t name a sustainable business but want to live more sustainably. Tell your customers and prospects about what you are doing. Need some help?

7. Don’t be afraid of Greenwash.
When you set meaningful goals, and achieve them, you have every right to tout your successes and the media takes note increasing profile and exposure – for all the right reasons.
Transparency becomes an important element in this process not just for achievements, but also for failures. There is nothing better for building the credibility of your success like admitting to your failures; and how you are rectifying them. And as the next item illustrates, partnering with NGOs can help build credibility about some of your claims.
8. Partnering with Non profits and NGO’s adds to opportunity
If you think of NGOs as adversaries, and are quite content if you are not approached by them I believe this is a missed opportunity. The opportunity is to benefit from their expertise in material sourcing, water treatment and a host of other issues. Organizations like Forest and Bird serve as partners to advance many leading companies’ sustainability efforts.
Bonnie Nixon said that HP realized many years ago that an adversarial relationship was counterproductive and now partners with several NGOs.
9. Even if you don’t make things – it makes good sense
Some companies we have worked with claim that because they don’t make things, they don’t buy much, and hence don’t have much of a carbon footprint. Or that their products don’t consume much energy, so their environmental impacts are minimal.
Westpac bank is a prime example of a company that doesn’t make things, yet has been named NZI Sustainable Business of the Year 2011 in this year’s Sustainable Business Network Awards.
You will find that businesses that don’t make products spend millions of dollars on its suppliers, on everything from computers to office supplies to utilities. When large companies aspire to be a leaders in sustainability, they have a tremendous opportunity to influence the supply chain and reduce their (indirect) environmental impact. This is where the opportunity is for suppliers.
10. If you don’t do it now it’s likely that regulation will force you to do it and regulation is always more costly.
If you’re ready to look at some of the financial benefits your business can achieve by taking steps towards more sustainability and would like to talk about what that might look like, give me a call. I’m passionate about finding ways to support business in this initiative, because it makes the world a better, happier and more fulfilling place for everyone.
phone me 64 9 412 9485
email bridget@creatingwhatmatters.co.nz

Sustainability – 10 good business sense reasons to do it

Bridget Marsh — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:43:06 +0000

It’s time to stop thinking about sustainability as a green option. Sustainability is a core strategic competence for business in 2010 for businesses that want to be around for the long term.

Here’s 10 ways becoming sustainable will improve your bottom line.
1. It makes good business sense to find ways to use less resources and do things more efficiently.

Sustainability should be considered not just because it is the right thing to do, but also because it makes business sense. If an initiative cannot be justified from a strategic, financial, operational, marketing, or employee recruitment/retention perspective, don’t do it.
In almost every corner of a business there is a fundamental business reason for being more sustainable i.e. looking for how things can be done more efficiently and effectively with less resources, less impact. Energy savings alone can cover any of the costs involved in becoming more sustainable.
2. The Y generation want to work for a business that is interested in more than bottom line and profits for the boss.

It’s now proven that in a business with the feel good factor of a sustainablility initiative staff will work harder, give more of themselves and stay longer. The highly educated, mobile and tech-savvy age group that falls within the demographic band known as Generation Y wants a workplace that’s like them: urban, flexible, collaborative, environmentally sensitive and unconventional.
For them, work isn’t just a place they go to from 9 to 5, then go home. They want an office and a work culture that’s an extension of themselves and their home life — a place that supports what they value — and it better be green, according to a new study by Johnson Controls Inc. that has implications for employers, facility managers, human resources departments and building and office space designers.

3. There’s money to be made from reselling used products and materials.

Many companies have found they can resell used products and materials that were formerly considered waste. When Verizon focused on creating more sustainable operations, the company generated $27 million by sorting out and selling recyclable materials from its waste stream, while also saving over a million dollars in waste removal costs.

4. It’s for big small and large companies

Smaller companies have an advantage because their competitiveness often depends on being lean, resourceful, and nimble, which sustainability enables.

Bigger companies do have an advantage when it comes to influencing their supply chain to be sustainable and in influencing policy at the government level, but smaller companies can be just as effective, if not more so, at almost everything else.

5. Consumers and customers are asking for it

Sustainability is not just about environmental issues. Its about how you treat your staff, your customers, the livelihoods of the people where your supplies come from, its about more for all and less for none.

Who makes purchase decisions at companies? No points for the right answer. We are hearing from an increasing number of large B2B companies that their customers and prospects are asking about their sustainability efforts. You will find it put explicitly in purchase criteria of an increasing number of companies e.g. RWC official suppliers that preference will be given to sustainable organizations.

An increasing number of customers care whom they buy from, whether they are consumers or million-dollar companies.

6. Becoming more transparent about what you do with your waste, how you are affecting your environment, what you policies are with regard to working conditions increases the level of trust

7. Companies that set meaningful goals, and achieve them, have every right to tout their successes and the media takes note increasing profile and exposure – for all the right reasons.

But transparency becomes an important element in this process not just for achievements, but also for failures. There is nothing better for building the credibility of your success like admitting to your failures. And as the next item illustrates, partnering with NGOs can help build credibility about some of the claims.

8. Partnering with NGO’s adds to opportunity

Many companies think of NGOs as adversaries, and are quite content if they are not approached by them. We believe this is a missed opportunity to benefit from their expertise in material sourcing, water treatment and a host of other issues. Organizations like Forest and Bird serve as partners to advance many leading companies’ sustainability efforts.

Bonnie Nixon said that HP realized many years ago that an adversarial relationship was counterproductive and now partners with several NGOs.

9. Even if you don’t make things – it makes good sense

Some companies claim that because they don’t make things, they don’t buy much, and hence don’t have much of a carbon footprint. Or that their products don’t consume much energy, so their environmental impacts are minimal.

Walmart is a prime example of a company that doesn’t make things, yet is developing a supplier index for its tens of thousands of suppliers to measure the carbon impact from the things they sell to the company.

According to Matt Kistler, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Walmart, 88 percent of the company’s environmental footprint is in its supply chain, and only 12 percent is under its direct control. So if the company is going to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality, it is going to need to address most of its reductions in its supply chain. With their purchasing power, they have a tremendous opportunity to influence the supply chain and reduce their (indirect) environmental impact.

10. If you don’t do it now it’s likely that regulation will force you to do it and regulation is always more costly.

Becoming a sustainable business is a strategic decision…. Companies that choose to turn a blind eye to the benefits from becoming more sustainable are putting themselves at an immediate competitive disadvantage, and quite possibly set themselves up as targets for regulation in the long run. ** ** **
Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/23/8-myths-about-sustainability-business?page=full#ixzz0oGlCKn5S

The fastest way to grow your business: 7 low or not cost steps to take

Bridget Marsh — Tue, 11 May 2010 23:38:23 +0000
Some ideas on the Best Way to Grow Your Business 7 low or not cost steps to grow your business fast Did you know that the most effective way of growing your business is NOT to put all your effort into looking for new customers and to NOT try to increase your customer base all the time!! Sounds a bit strange coming from a business strategist doesn’t it? But it is true. Social media and a networked world mean we need to change the way we market our businesses. Evidence shows that we believe and trust each other to refer products and services rather than marketing and advertising. The best way to grow a business is not to concentrate all your effort on looking for new customers but to look after your existing customers and retaining them as customers. You should concentrate on turning these people into loyal customers who enjoy your services so much that they buy more from you and more often. In fact the best way to grow your business is not to just have satisfied customers but to have “RAVING FANS!” These are people who tell all and sundry just how wonderful your service is and say things like” If you need x service then you must see my friend Joe. He is the best provider around!” So how do you turn your existing customers into loyal raving fans? Here are 7 low or not cost steps that will help you: 1. Always underpromise and over deliver. Never commit to something that you know you can’t do. Always make promises that you KNOW you can keep and then KEEP them. 2. Always keep your customers informed on a. the progress of their job (if you provide a service that they need to wait for, or a product needs to be ordered) b. all the benefits of your product or service including the benefits to the environment, employees, growers etc all the way up the value chain 3. Always manage your customer expectations. This means tell them what they can expect. If you do not specific promises about what they can expect then they will feel justified in expecting anything and as you won’t know what it is they expect you will have very little chance to meeting those expectations! 4. When you have to tell your customers bad news tell them as soon as you can. Apologise up front and then explain to them what it means and what you are doing about it! Use words such as” I need to let you know that….I am sorry about this….. I understand that this is not quite what you wanted or expected. What I can do for you though is…..” and offer something that minimises the impact on the customer and shows that you understand the inconvenience you have caused and you are doing you best to help. 5. Always thank your customers sincerely for their business. Let them know you appreciate their business. You can do this in a variety of ways. This may include a simple thank you card, a phone call and letter, or even a gift. 6. Work out the 5 most critical moments of truth in your business when it either lives or dies in the minds of your customers and what you must do in those moments. 7. Try to find one or two things that you can do over and above your normal service and beyond your customers’ expectations. This will be a nice surprise for them and it gives them something to tell their friends when they are raving about you! Build these 7 steps into your daily operations and do them as a matter of course. In a year from now you will be delighted that you did. Over time they will deliver you customers who are only too pleased to spend their money with you and tell their friends and family about the wonderful service or product you provide. If you’d like to talk about how to build an outstanding customer service system in your business to grow it fast give me a call or email me.

The tide is turning – silly to ignore it says Business Council head

Bridget Marsh — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:31:47 +0000

Customers are asking for it, suppliers are demanding it, bottom lines are proving its financial benefits.

Becoming more sustainable is taking hold as a key strategic initiative. The New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development research indicates that around 35% of businesses changed suppliers because they did not meet or were not interested in meeting their environmental or ethical standards.

Below is the article published in the New Zealand Herald on February 18th which makes very interesting reading. Is your company ready to answer the question what are your social, environmental or ethical standards when it is put to you?

Here is the article – if you’ve been thinking about this question, read on.

From NZ Herald February 18 2010-03-11
Almost a third of businesses have sacked a supplier in the past year because they did not meet their environmental or ethical standards, research suggests.
A survey to be released tomorrow by the Business Council for Sustainable Development has found more than 27 per cent of business owners, managers and self-employed people had ditched a supplier for social, ethical or environmental reasons. For business owners the figure was higher at 35 per cent.
The national poll sought the views of 1955 business owners, managers and self-employed people, 336 of them business owners.
Business council head Peter Neilson said the results showed companies would be “silly” to ignore the wishes of nearly a third of the market, who wanted suppliers to help meet their customers’ “deeply held” concerns.
He said sustainable buying policies were starting to drive more of the $25 billion the Government spent each year buying goods and services – and interest in sustainability had risen, not fallen, with the recession.
Two managers of companies with sustainable buying policies – Robb Donze, the New Zealand managing director for carpet company Interface, and Malcolm Rands of green cleaning product company Eco-store – said it was getting easier to find sustainable suppliers as more companies adopted green policies.

Mr Donze said Interface changed its freight company – a major decision for the carpet distributor – in favour of Mainfreight-owned Owens Transport “mainly because they were willing to talk to us about keeping track of our carbon footprint and nobody else was, so we dropped our other supplier”.
The company’s seven cars are Toyota Prius hybrids and Mr Donze said it also did the “easy stuff” such as buying recycled paper and using mainly natural light in its offices.
He said suppliers were asked three main questions: what goes into a product, how long does it last and what do you do with it when you have finished?
“You start asking … ‘are you going to take it back [when I've finished with it]?’ If they don’t have an answer we will probably look at buying it from somebody who will have an answer, because we are being asked the same thing by our customers.”

Mr Rands said insisting on sustainable supplies was an area of life where ordinary people had true power.
But he warned it was important to do your research. “If you don’t know what you’re looking for it is quite easy for people to bullshit you.”
For example, he said: “Nuclear waste is actually ‘biodegradable’ if you can wait half a million years.
“You have to say how long does it take to biodegrade and what sea animals does it kill on the way?”
Mr Rands said when he started his company 17 years ago he was the only one asking for items such as recycled paper and plant-based inks.
It was a lot easier now because more companies were seeing sustainability as a competitive advantage, he said.
A positive spin-off was growing demand from companies for his cleaning products, he said.

Mr Donze agreed sourcing was getting easier. “For the first 10 years I would even have staff members coming up to me and saying, ‘Why are we doing this? Nobody cares.’
“But in the last five years it has changed quite a bit.
“I think it is because there are companies who are doing it and showing they have grown in spite of [sustainable buying].”
He said choosing sustainable options had financially worked out extremely well for the company.

EYE ON STANDARDS
Has the organisation you work for or with ditched suppliers in the past year because of their social, environmental or ethical behaviour?
BUSINESS DECISION-MAKERS
Yes 27 per cent
No 38 per cent
Don’t know 34 per cent
BUSINESS OWNERS
Yes 35 per cent
No 55 per cent

Don’t know 10 per cent
Source: ShapeNZ survey of 1955 business decision makers
To receive your 10 step starting out guide to gaining a competitive advantage whilst improving your bottom line email bridget@creatingwhatmatters.co.nz

Seeing the Opportunities

Bridget Marsh — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:33:44 +0000

We are living in extraordinary times; there has never been a time when so much was possible as now. Scientists and philosophers are saying the same thing – we do create our world. I heard the current situation described as a tsunami and suddenly had the image of a business surfing on top of the largest wave with the team cheering and laughing.

As I’m meeting with people this month I’m noticing that some are grasping the opportunities presented by the sea change that is all around us and asking what does this change mean for my business? These are the people who see change as an opportunity –the bigger the shift the bigger the opportunity. These are people who ask not what the world can do for them, but what they can do for the world. I notice that they think differently to other people.

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
– Shakespeare

Which one of these responses best fits you?

Hunkering down and hoping to live on reserves and ‘weather the storm’, - you will look like you are in motion but will not be doing enough to maintain velocity;

continuing the same activities and assumptions as before – you will be left way behind;

keeping on top of the forces and forging the new directions resulting in significant gains and competitive advantage?

Here are 4 questions you may find it useful to consider.

How can you keep track of consumer trends and needs to see the opportunities?

Where are the opportunities in your industry?

What do you believe that is no longer applicable, no longer relevant or the truth?

Who can help me uncover the beliefs that are holding me back?

Small business has an in-built advantage. It can change and adapt fast – you can change and adapt. What are you doing about this today?

“You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.”
– Harriet Martineau

Sustainable development

Bridget Marsh — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:22:27 +0000

Having some tools and processes to spot trends external to your business is important but it is also critical to understand how your team members and you will be reacting to increased stresses – whether you are surfing or sinking there will be increased pressure in the current business environment.

These are not ‘normal times’ and normal responses are not likely to enable your business to prosper.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. ..those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” Charles Darwin.

The first step towards change is awareness.

What can assist in building awareness of patterns in our thinking and responding?

An extended DISC Behavioural profile accurately indicates what the natural tendency of a person will be in response to stress, pressure and change. Knowing your own and your staff profiles enables you to look out for these behaviours and their impact on thinking and natural reactions.

This is particularly important for you as the leader. In a planning session last week and I saw the influence of strong ‘S’ and ‘C’ profiles on the decisions which were being made by a team. The trait in people with these profiles when they are under pressure is to act more slowly to avoid uncertainty and insecurity. Recognising this as a natural tendency that maybe is not helpful right now, enabled the owner to make a conscious decision to be more pro-active in looking for new opportunities. He saw how that could be less uncertain than his natural behaviour to react more slowly.