Friday, May 26, 2006

 

Why read this blog?

This blog is devoted to sharing ideas about how you can Prioritize, Organize and Simplify™ your professional and personal life.

This blog is based on ideas written in the book titled The Seven Minute Difference: Small Steps to Big Changes written by Allyson Lewis (May 2006). Allyson Lewis has been my friend since 1993 and we have joined efforts to bring this message to the world.

This blog will include lots of ideas on how you can Prioritize, Organize and Simplify™ your life. I hope you enjoy and learn something. Feel free to share you ideas and tips at this blog.

Monday, May 15, 2006

 

Prioritize, Organize, Simplify -- at work


Prioritize, Organize, Simplify

These are the three sweetest words when it comes to how quality companies can shave costs and improve profitability.

Prioritize - "Change happens in an instant. It happens the moment you decide to change." Create a list of specific goals, put them in writing and then ask everyone from your Senior Level Management to your entry level employees to give you their specific suggestions for cutting costs and improving profitability. You will be amazed at how many immediate
and productive suggestions you will receive when you give your own employees the freedom to be a part of the solution.

Organize - Take the steps to build the foundation of a strong enterprise.
1. While the senior management team may create a corporate strategy, you can only make it a powerful tool when each and every employee is willing to buy into the same corporate strategy. If your
corporate vision is well aligned with the values and core beliefs of
your employees, you have an unstoppable combination of a great strategy,
backed by loyal employees.

2. Create a story. While corporate strategies look good on
spreadsheets, they are rarely the sizzle that can create a loyal
customer base. Spend time wrapping your corporate strategy inside a
story that your customers can understand. Once you have your customers
talking about your story, your profitability can skyrocket.

3. Create written systems and processes for everyday tasks. A
lot of money is wasted by having different team members recreate
repeatable solutions.

4. Invest in training. Knowledge is power. Encourage and reward
your employees for being the most highly skilled in their areas of
expertise.

5. Stop the cycle of - "That's the way we have always done it."
There are often new and better ways to solve old problems. Especially
be sure to include your newest employees in these discussions.

6. Fully use the technology you already have. Many corporations
invest huge percentages of their money into hardware and software. Make
sure you make the same commitment to teaching each employee how to fully
implement these new technologies to improve their productivity.

7. Remember it is always the small things that matter. Most
corporations are equally able to get the big things right. It is the
small things that will consistently set you apart from your competition.


Simplify - Cutting costs and improving profitability may require that you
constantly focus on asking the same three questions every day.
Where are we today?
Where do we want to be in the future?
How can we take our company to that next level?
Simplify the process and act on the good suggestions.

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