ciChange is a not-for-profit forum for ideas and discussion, about all aspects of Change Management, including people, processes, teams and leadership. It is a place to share and exchange models, papers, ideas and information about change. We welcome participation from a broad audience, including business and change leaders as well as project & change providers.
Sunday 9 October 2011
The power of sharing ideas
If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.
Monday 3 October 2011
Leadership lessons from the Dancing Guy
Leadership lessons from the Dancing Guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPShQ_hVJqY&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLE039B3B562A1A888
No need to say anything, the video says it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPShQ_hVJqY&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLE039B3B562A1A888
No need to say anything, the video says it all.
The role of a Manager
The role of a Manager is to ensure that the following questions are answered positively, and if not, to make the necessary changes.
a)I know what is expected of me at work
b)I have the materials and equipment I need to do my job right
c)I have the opportunity to do what I do best every-day
d)In the last 7 days I have received recognition or praise for doing good work
e)Someone at work encourages my development
f)At work, my opinions count
a)I know what is expected of me at work
b)I have the materials and equipment I need to do my job right
c)I have the opportunity to do what I do best every-day
d)In the last 7 days I have received recognition or praise for doing good work
e)Someone at work encourages my development
f)At work, my opinions count
Saturday 1 October 2011
What should go into a Business Plan?
What should go into a Business Plan?
Having done an MBA I know that the answer is "…it depends.." indeed when you've done an MBA you realise that this is the answer to every possible business question. I loved doing the course, and got a lot from it but having an MBA doesn't make you Alan Sugar or Richard Brandson. Indeed I think I know every possible way a business might fail, but I don't have a recipe for guaranteed success.
The same might be applied to a Business Plan, I know what a bad one is, but its hard to prescribe an ideal one that would suit everyone. The key is to address the external environment (PESTLE) and internal resources (SWOT) and some up with a Strategy (Long Plan) Aims (Medium Plan) and Objectives (Immediate Plan) to use your resources to best advantage delivering a Product or Service to a Customer.
There are lots of lists and models you can use to inform your business planning. My favourite models are EFQM Business Excellence Model and Balanced Scorecard. They can be really helpful to thinking through the issues and picking the elements that are most appropriate to the circumstance.
Key rules
1. The business plan should tell a compelling story about your business, explaining who, what, when, where, how and why.
2. Your plan should be focused and clear. It’s not about the number of pages or style of the cover.
3. The plan should define specific business objectives and goals with general parameters to guide the organization.
4. Writing a business plan should force logic and discipline into a business.
5. A good business plan is a living document. It should be updated regularly.
A simple list of contents might be as follows, but the content will be different of the intended readership is the Bank (for a loan) or the staff (to direct activity)
Executive Summary
Business Description & Vision
Definition of the Market
Description of Products and Services
Organization & Management
Marketing and Sales Strategy.
Financial Management.
Another great resource is bench-marking: Look at the published business plans or strategy announcements of companies you admire or compete against. Look also at the plans or announcements of your customers and check that your strategy fits their needs!
Best books include Exploring Corporate Strategy (Johnson and Scholes) and Operations Strategy (Nigel Slack)
Having done an MBA I know that the answer is "…it depends.." indeed when you've done an MBA you realise that this is the answer to every possible business question. I loved doing the course, and got a lot from it but having an MBA doesn't make you Alan Sugar or Richard Brandson. Indeed I think I know every possible way a business might fail, but I don't have a recipe for guaranteed success.
The same might be applied to a Business Plan, I know what a bad one is, but its hard to prescribe an ideal one that would suit everyone. The key is to address the external environment (PESTLE) and internal resources (SWOT) and some up with a Strategy (Long Plan) Aims (Medium Plan) and Objectives (Immediate Plan) to use your resources to best advantage delivering a Product or Service to a Customer.
There are lots of lists and models you can use to inform your business planning. My favourite models are EFQM Business Excellence Model and Balanced Scorecard. They can be really helpful to thinking through the issues and picking the elements that are most appropriate to the circumstance.
Key rules
1. The business plan should tell a compelling story about your business, explaining who, what, when, where, how and why.
2. Your plan should be focused and clear. It’s not about the number of pages or style of the cover.
3. The plan should define specific business objectives and goals with general parameters to guide the organization.
4. Writing a business plan should force logic and discipline into a business.
5. A good business plan is a living document. It should be updated regularly.
A simple list of contents might be as follows, but the content will be different of the intended readership is the Bank (for a loan) or the staff (to direct activity)
Executive Summary
Business Description & Vision
Definition of the Market
Description of Products and Services
Organization & Management
Marketing and Sales Strategy.
Financial Management.
Another great resource is bench-marking: Look at the published business plans or strategy announcements of companies you admire or compete against. Look also at the plans or announcements of your customers and check that your strategy fits their needs!
Best books include Exploring Corporate Strategy (Johnson and Scholes) and Operations Strategy (Nigel Slack)
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