by Russell Cummings | Apr 30, 2015 | Business Tips
How does one steer a person to their potential and then guide them to see a problem as an opportunity?
It could be said that personal optimism and pessimism are the defining difference, or maybe it’s a result of employment versus ownership role, or maybe it’s the winning mindset or its absence which is crucial. Undoubtedly, each of these will play a part but most likely though it is leadership that is missing. Not leadership as in the “steering the firm in the right direction” leadership, but leadership as in steering the person to their potential.
The book, The Diamond Cutter by Roach and McNally, provides guidance on how to build oneself into a truly authentic leader – one who will seek to manage himself so that those around him feel his constancy, generosity and personal interest and so they grow to trust him and through his skills transfer will enable him to trust them.
One of the key tactics in the book is to figuratively take on another person’s persona and attempt to see every activity through their eyes and emotions.
Taking on the eyes, ears, goals, family commitments, interests, needs and so on of another takes effort but when this effort is made with intention and ongoing commitment then the relationship between the individuals changes. There is a reduction in space between each other and it becomes almost impossible to act in any way other than to encourage the individual to greater potential.
Achieving potential requires development of resilience which is the ability to bounce back from problems. Thus, problems are integral to personal success and the way the problems are handled influences the individuals approach for the future – the mind becomes open when it is directed to learn from a problem or seek a solution from a mistake, and the effect is not only higher productivity but also a more creative and energising experience for all involved.
When seeking solutions becomes the norm, finding opportunities in the wilderness is no longer difficult.
How does this help a firm to find opportunities where no opportunities exist? Well, it shows that there is never a situation when there is only a problem or an opportunity. There is always both – it just depends on which side you look. Granted the opportunities may be outside the resources of the individual or firm, but even here an opportunity arises.
For example, a small business in Perth had a rate of workers’ compensation insurance which was higher than acceptable to the CEO – it was 8% of total wages and so was a drain on cashflow and profits and not adding value to the client.
The opportunity here was to reduce the cost by increasing safety procedures and controls. The result was a reduction in expenditure to 2% of wages but the gain was not limited to direct cost reduction. The better safety resulted in lower lost time, improved staff morale and a better client experience – all of which had a positive impact on profits so the gain was considerably more than the reduction in the cost.
So if you want to develop a firm which can find opportunities where others find none, start by instilling a culture of trust and openness in your firm and then challenge each individual to view all things from the other side. You’ll be surprised what may result.
by Russell Cummings | Feb 26, 2015 | Business Tips, Technology
I am always keen to discover new ways that technology can help improve my time management and productivity as these are critical to my business success.
As we are all aware, mobility has changed our everyday lives and we are “permanently on”. Smartphones and other mobile devices have taken over and ultimately altered the way we communicate – personal and business-wise – making it essential to look to apps that achieve increased productivity and better time management.
And as I am an avid user of my iPhone and Pad for work, I can attest that apps can make a big difference. And through the years of using a variety of apps, there are things I look for in a powerful app:
• Versatility – being available on all my devices, especially mobile e.g. Evernote, Skype, Podcasts, mSecure
• Integration – apps that work with other apps e.g. I am using Trello, Evernote and Dropbox as my primary data storage and task management apps. I am looking for other apps that will work with them e.g. Penultimate, CloudMagic, Keynote, etc.
• Service – apps that provide a real service by accumulating and/or customisinginformation – TripIt, Oz Weather, mSecure
• Portability – apps that allow me to carry and wide range of resources with me in a convenient format reducing clutter and volume e.g. Kindle, Podcasts, Audible, Evernote, Newstand
Based on this criteria, my top productivity apps are:
• Evernote – most amazing tool for storing and organising all your information no matter what format you need – Office, PDF, audio, video, webpages, text, voice, etc.
I use it to store everything except my main Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for which I still use conventional file storage mechanisms. All my resource materials and information is stored in Evernote. The best thing is that it is available on all my devices: desktop, iPad, iPhone and web – seriously good. I have the premium business version as it facilitates better communication with my Team.
• Trello – Provides Visual Task Management and Collaboration for me and the Team, a great tool that I use to manage all my tasks. Free for the basic version.
• CloudMagic – An email app for use on my iOS devices. A simple logic and flow, and it integrates seamlessly with Evernote and Trello. Free as well!
• Docs 2 Go & DropBox – apps for mobile data storage and file access. They enable me to easily transfer files between my desktop and my iPad. Invaluable.
• Pages, Keynote and Numbers – Apple’s in-house apps for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations on your iOS device. Makes it easier to access documents and presentations with you wherever you go.
• Penultimate – It allows me to write on my iPad with a stylus. Integrates with Evernote.
• TripIt – If you travel you must use this! TripIt automatically creates and coordinates all my travel details into online itineraries and then monitors then for changes! It links to Calendar apps seamlessly loading my travel plans into my calendar.
• Oz Weather – A great weather app. Very handy.
• Kindle (and IBook) – Apps for business books on the run.
• Podcasts – I use it to download great topics for learning on the go. I listen to them in the car. I have also just started using Audible for listening to books (jury is still out on this!).
• Newstand – I read “the Australian” newspaper and subscribe to my favourite magazines (like Top Gear) and can view them on my iPad. Very handy when I travel.
• Skype and VSee – For communication – free mobile video conference calls. App versions are great.
• mSecure – Password storage – a must have – a great app that is available and syncs across all your devices storing my Usernames and passwords.
• LinkedIn – Probably the only social media app that I like. I prefer the iPad version to the desktop version.
• Hootsuite – Social media posts made easy. iOS version is full-featured and easy to use.
• Calendar and CRM apps – Make sure your calendar and/or CRM have great app versions that enable you to seamlessly operate on a mobile business. I use the Apple Calendar app and Zoho.
There are a range of other quality apps that I use that are specific to my industry, occupation and interests. You should know the apps that are relevant to you and your business. And there are many versions of the apps above with similar functionality (or better) – what are your top productivity apps? Why?
Russell
by Russell Cummings | Sep 5, 2014 | Business Tips, Technology
Numerous sleep experts highlight the benefits of improved alertness and concentration following a 20-30 minute power nap. My challenge has always been that I seem to wake up after the nap – drowsy and anything but alert. Apparently, this is because I drop off into “deep sleep” rather than staying in a “light sleep” phase. This causes me to wake with Sleep Inertia.
I’ve found a great app to help with my naps – not surprisingly it’s called Sleep Cycle Power Nap and costs $2.49.
This smart app uses the accelerometer in your smart phone to monitor your sleep pattern and wakes you while you’re still in the light sleep mode – stopping you from dropping into deep sleep. You simply put your phone in your pocket (or I place it on the chair, bed, lounge, etc in contact with my body). I’ve found that it really works and use it regularly.
It has 3 modes:
• Power Nap – this will let you sleep for a max of 20 minutes and will wake you if you start to drop into deep sleep. Perfect for re-charging the battery.
• Recovery Nap – this mode lets you sleep for up to 45 mins but won’t let you drop into deep sleep. Great to boost energy levels.
• Full Sleep Cycle – this enables you to sleep for a full REM-Deep Sleep cycle (usually around 90 minutes). The alarm will gently wake you after a full cycle or within 2 hours, when you’re returned to light sleep. This means that you will wake refreshed.
If you want to maintain your performance, then power napping can be one of the tools in your repertoire and this app is a great tool to help optimise the outcomes.
You can get the Sleep Cycle Power Nap app on the iStore at https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/sleep-cycle-power-nap/id813493308?mt=8 or it’s Android version at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northcube.sleepcycle.
P.S. – I also use the other Sleep Cycle app as an alarm clock. It gently wakes you when you’re in light sleep. More info at https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/sleep-cycle-alarm-clock/id320606217?mt=8.
by Russell Cummings | Apr 30, 2014 | Business Tips
Creating a simple cost-effective website is relatively easy. If you need a special design with custom features, etc then this method is not for you, but if you need a simple website (even one with a shopping cart, etc) then this can work for you.
However, if you are unsure of what you want and don’t want to do some of the elements yourself (lack of confidence and/or skill), then I would engage a professional design firm to work with you on creating a look and feel that works for you and your business. The extra investment may be well worth the reduction in stress.
For those of you who are keen to create your own website or who have a very limited budget, then I have outlined a simple process that you can use. It is the exact process that we have used to create our own website http://www.sbdbusiness.com.au and some simple client site – www.horticulture-nextgeneration.com.au.
The core strategy is to use a template site and contractors to create your website. I recommend utilising WordPress as your key component as this will allow you to easily, modify and add content and there are a myriad of “plugins” designed to work seamlessly with WordPress. Plugins provide you with custom features e.g. mail program integration, shopping carts, member sites, blog feeds, etc. and are usually “plug and play” with many free or low cost.
In addition, you must create a “Responsive” site i.e. one that automatically reformats for mobile devices – iPhones, iPads, etc. – as more and more traffic is through mobile devices (most of this blog was written on my iPad). This is simply a matter of selecting a template with the right characteristics.
The Simple Steps:
1. Register and host the domain. I use http://www.bluehost.com for sites that I want a high level of up-time performance and http://www.differencehosting.com.au for all other sites – they are local and the service is excellent. Select the cheapest hosting option as you can always upgrade later – usually less than $100 per annum.
2. You will need a logo. If you don’t have one you get one designed at http://99designs.com.au for about $300 to $400 or you can goto a site like http://www.freelogoservices.com and create a simple logo for about $40. You can also engage a Graphic Designer from www.freelancer.com to create your logo. I have an excellent designer that I use.
3. Goto http://www.templatemonster.com (or similar) and select a website template you like. You must select a website that is “WordPress” and “Responsive”. (Do not worry about HTML 5.0 or Joomla sites, etc – just WordPress and Responsive). Use the filters on Template Monster to select only sites with these characteristics. Select a site that has the right layout and feel. It is better but not essential that the colour scheme matches your logo, etc.Your hosting company will help you with “How to upload your website to your domain” or you can get your contractor to do this (include it in the project brief)
4. Once you have decided on your template (you can see live demos) – take the time to work out what text and images you would like to go where and what pages you will need (you don’t have to use all the pages in the template). Use a Word doc to type out all the text and specify the images that you want.
5. Work out what Images you will need part from the ones that came with your template. There are lots of free images on the internet – Google is your friend. Type in your keyword and then click on the “Images” tab in Google. However, you need to be aware of copyright issues with images. Check that you can legally use the images. If in doubt then I would suggest you goto a Stock Image site and buy the images you want – I use http://www.dreamstime.com – it seems to be one of the cheapest and has good quality stock.
6. Then you can engage a Web Designer to help you modify the template – I would use a site like http://www.freelancer.com – post a project with all the details stating that you need a designer to modify a WordPress template using text and images that you will provide. Take the time to review potential contractors looking at previous activity and feedback. Don’t be swayed by cheap prices. Pay a sum up front (30 to 40% of total price) and 1 or 2 milestone payments but keep at least 20 to 30% for payment on completion.
7. Engage your contractor and manage the project to completion. Change all passwords after final handover.
Rough Costs:
Domain registration – $25 for 2 years
Domain Hosting – $50 to $100 per annum
Logo – Free to $400
Web Template – $60 to $120
Web Designer – $150 to $400 for a simple site
Images – free to $200
TOTAL COST – $240 to $1000
Cost should no longer be a barrier to creating an effective, quality website for your business. Of course, to reduce your costs you will have to do some of the running around and the more you are prepared to do (or the more images, logos, etc that you already have) then the lower the cost. However, cost is not everything and often you are better to spend the cash and get a professional to custom build a website for you. The choice is yours…
by Russell Cummings | Apr 22, 2014 | Business Tips
Skills your Business Leaders must have
In order to achieve organisational goals, effective leadership is essential. But how does one become effective? What are the key skills that we require in our leaders? This article will outline 5 important skills that Business Leaders require.
Key Skills
1. Think and Act Strategically – A leader must be able to place the market, economic, business and operational aspects into context and create a plan for the future. Thinking about and acting upon these things strategically is critical to achieve success.
2. Organised and Productive – It is important to lead by example. Therefore, he/she has to have good personal productivity, organisation and time management.
3. Understand the impact of technology – One must understand the impact of technology on the business and how it can be leveraged for commercial advantage.
4. Set the Performance Standards – This relates to creating the desired culture for the Company, individual, and team.
5. Ability to be a Team Player – Creating a strong leadership team – building relationships within and externally to the business – putting team above self.
In relation to these key skills, it is important to highlight that:
• These skills are in addition to any technical skills that might be required and the list is not exhaustive.
• Take note that good leadership is not about being perfect – it is about balance and “walking the talk.”
• You can use these areas to assess individual performance of yourself and the team.
Today, Business Leaders are constantly juggling a range of issues and challenges. These are the skills that help our leaders be effective in a changing environment.
How do you rate yourself? Score yourself on each skill area (out of 10 – where 1 = poor and 10 = excellent) and determine where you might need to focus your personal development. Assess your key leaders against the same criteria.
Where do you need to improve your skills? Add your feedback below.
Russell
Download Skills Assessment Template here