What does the "new normal” look like?
There is no question that COVID-19 will have a deep and lasting effect on the way business is conducted worldwide, but what might be different in this new era and how might we adjust? Right now, there is still a lot of nervousness and uncertainty (especially with the potential prospect of a ‘second wave’), but we can still take action to position our business to make the best of things. Below are some thoughts on what might happen and how to make the transition effectively.

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How many books have read over the past twelve months? Five, ten, twenty? According to a recent survey by Fast Company, the average number of books read by a CEO is 60 books per year (it is well known that Bill Gates reads about 50 a year), yet I know that many of us are lucky to read one a month and if asked why so few, I suspect that most of us would put this down to not having the time. However, there are a wealth of excellent books out there that can literally change the way you think and whilst we may struggle to find the time or money for personal development training, reading is a relatively inexpensive way to improve you knowledge and personal perspective. So with COVID-19 now imposing a lot more free time on all of us, I thought I would list the five books that have had a powerful impact on my professional life and which all contain highly valuable advice and techniques.

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Previously, I discussed why there are reasons to be optimistic about growth once the impact of COVID-19 starts to lessen so now is the time to focus on how we can best utilise the enforced Coronavirus “pause” to take full advantage of this anticipated growth. The items listed below are necessarily important, non-urgent matters as these are typically overlooked when busy.

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There is no doubt that COVID-19 will have a deep and lasting impact on the way we do business going forward and whilst it is undoubtedly tough at the moment, as Benjamin Franklin said: “Out of adversity comes opportunity”. In tackling the problems that COVID-19 has imposed, we will find new ways of working, new ways of doing business and even new products and services not previously considered. But right now there are some serious issues to address immediately and since many businesses simply cannot function as they did previously and/or have clients that will be spending less, the bulk of the problems will be financial, so this is where we should focus first.

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The impact of COVID-19 has been deep and wide and whilst some businesses are benefiting from the current situation, many are not. Recognising this and wanting neither a devastated economy nor a seriously impaired health system, the government has done very well to tread a fine line between the two so far (refer to https://www.orgmentbusinesssolutions.com.au/resources for a list of the government benefit schemes on offer to assist businesses). Granted, we will be paying the price of the coronavirus for many decades to come, but right now our businesses and our doctors and nurses all need our support and I for one believe it is a price worth paying.

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Over the past few months I have attended a number of networking events some of which have been specifically focused on small and micro business owners. What’s great about these is that you just can’t help but be impressed by their passion and enthusiasm for what they are doing and this is typically the reason the business was established in the first place.

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Different businesses will grow in different ways and for different reasons, but if you are planning to grow your business, we recommend an incremental approach that focuses on the following 10 key elements. Each of these are either simple to do and/or should be underpinned by simple systems and procedures that enable progress to be measured, monitored and reported on. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you would like further information.

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Ever noticed how there are some words that seem to become flavor of the month, e.g. disruption, empowerment, mindfulness, wellbeing etc? Not that there is anything innately wrong with these, but the more these get (over)used, the more their real power tends to dilute. Another word that has become widespread in a business context these days is “Authenticity” and whilst it is true that the same comment can be levelled at this word also, its true significance should not be overlooked.

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So how did 2018-2019 pan out for you?  Did you meet your business and personal goals?  Was it an awesome year?  Now is the time for review and to plan your next move forward.

As we approach the end of this financial year, you will probably now have a fair idea of whether you are going to achieve all that you set out to at the start of it or not, so how did you go? Hopefully you will meet or exceed your objectives, but for some it has been a tough year and will fall short of expectations. 

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People start businesses for all sorts of reasons (financial control, autonomy in operation, perceived work/life balance etc), but the fundamental reason is that they are good at whatever it is they do, not that they are necessarily good at business. There is no shortage of self-help books and advice on how to start and run a successful business but whatever the product or service being offered and no matter how customer and staff focused the business leaders are, the business will not succeed unless it makes money.

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Ever had the situation that you were doing pretty much the same (technical) job in one company as you had done in another but your sense of achievement, enjoyment and fulfilment were radically different? Chances are this was due in no small part to the differences in culture between these organisations and it matters. It matters a lot. Similar job, similar remuneration but a very difference sense of satisfaction.

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How many of you reading this have all the time you need to get done everything you want to do? This is a question that I always ask as part of our Time Management training and I have yet to find anyone say that they have enough time. So how do you squeeze the quart into the pint pot and why is it that some people seem able to do so much in the time available?

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