When times are good, the error often made by business leaders, is to be complacent and their businesses will be affected by not achieving many of the opportunities that should occur for them.
When times are bad, the error often made by business leaders, is to only have the thought that everything is inevitable and that their businesses cannot achieve any better.
Either situation, good or bad, complacency or inevitability, the reason is the same, as a business leader, you have taken your eye off the ball and allowed your concentration to wander.
What you should be doing, is to make every action count, in all of your business activities. To look at each and every one of them and to think about what it is that you are trying to achieve.
To focus your attention and concentrate on what really matters in your business and what will, in reality, make the difference to your business fortunes.
At times like the ones we are going through at the moment, it is a test of your character and resilience, as a business leader to be able to define the actions that are necessary to bring your business success.
It is no good just saying, well I have tried everything that I can, because you know that is not true. What you need is some quality thinking time away from your business for a short while and for you to work out what is really needed for your business to progress.
You have to deal with today’s reality and face up to the challenges that must be overcome, so that your business can return to being a healthy and prosperous concern, just like it used to be.
You have faced tough challenges in the past and succeeded in your endeavours, because you told yourself that failure was not an option and because you got back to business basics to find the solutions to your business problems.
Well, you can do it again, you just need to have confidence in yourself and confidence in the people around you and you will make it happen.
It is not all doom and gloom, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, how long that tunnel will be depends on the actions that you take within your business.
So, make every action count towards changing your business fortunes and bringing success to your business again. Then you can make sure that, as a business leader, you never take your eye off the ball again.
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Friday, February 27, 2009
Make Every Action Count
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Consider These Business Questions
Business leaders are well known for saying that they have a complete belief in themselves and their abilities, they also say that they can face almost any situation in their business with confidence. But is that really true?
Consider these business questions and then decide if you can make such bold statements about yourself as a business leader. Each set of questions come under a specific leadership quality heading.
These are the leadership quality headings:
• Leaders Who Look Ahead
• Leaders Who Know Their Business
• Leaders Who Understand People
• Leaders Who Use Their Brains
• Leaders Who Don’t Hesitate
Leaders Who Look Ahead
Business leaders who believe that they are good at looking ahead in their business should consider these questions.
Do you feel as if you were born to be a leader?
Have you made a new business plan and will you follow it?
Do you think that you will realize your business dream?
Do you always look at the big picture?
Leaders Who Know Their Business
Business leaders who believe that they know their business should consider these questions.
Do you know what the purpose of your business really is?
Do you concentrate on what matters most in your business?
Are you really making a difference with what you are doing?
Leaders Who Understand People
Business Leaders who believe that they understand people in their business activities should consider these questions.
Do you get personally involved or are you a managerial facilitator?
Do you have confidence in the team behind you?
Do you listen to the customer’s point of view?
Do you know how to handle tough challenges?
Leaders Who Use Their Brains
Business leaders who believe that they use their brains in their business should consider these questions.
Are you getting enough quality thinking time?
Do you have the right attitude for business?
Can you think outside of the box?
Leaders Who Don’t Hesitate
Business leaders who believe that they don’t hesitate in their business should consider these questions.
Do you make decisions quickly and then take immediate action?
Do you listen to your head or your heart, when you decide?
Do you have sleepless nights over your business decisions?
Do you prioritize the problems and solve them quickly?
If you only mentally answered, yes, to each of the questions, then you are not taking the role of a business leader seriously enough.
Business is a serious matter and if you truly want to be successful, take a few moments of time, to review these questions properly, because it can and will make a huge difference to your business and to your own future success, as a business leader.
Well, now do you think that you have all the leadership qualities that are necessary in this modern business world and can you really make those bold statements about yourself as a business leader?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Step 17 - Purpose
This is Step 17 out of the 20 Steps of How To Make Business A Success.
All businesses need a business leader that is dedicated and thought provoking who will set the vision for future business.
With that vision they will need the determination and commitment to make the business succeed.
But there are many other aspects of your business that will have a paramount affect in defining the success of your business.
Your business will have advertising and marketing messages that are used to create your company’s image.
Your business will have innovation, which drives sustainability and profitability.
Your business will have talented people and their ability to succeed will determine the ability of your business to be successful.
And your business will have customers who will make the difference between success and failure for any business.
But the most important aspect of your business is your purpose as a business leader.
The purpose of your business, the core reason why you are in business and the spirit of business that motivates you to continue to do what you do everyday with your business endeavours.
A business leader without a purpose will find it increasingly difficult to meet the frequent business challenges which are a constant part of their vibrant business lives.
If you don’t know why you are in business, if you are just going through each day with no real purpose, then how can you expect to make your business successful?
Every business leader should have a purpose, it is your core, it is your motivating force and what drives you ever upwards to greater business leader achievements and ultimate business success.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Communicate With Your Customers
The current business environment, because of the credit crisis and the economic recession is difficult and many businesses are not finding it very easy to find new customers.
But, what the majority of businesses should be focusing on, right now, is retaining their existing customers. Their loyalty is not guaranteed.
A successful business can be best measured by the number of really loyal customers that they have managed to retain.
So, communicate with your customers, let them know that you have a business that is built on stability, show your customers ways that you can add value to their lives.
As a business, reach out and try and help people, wherever you can in your local community, your customers will then remember that, when times got hard, it was your business that reached out and helped.
The art of communication is always both ways, so as well as talking to your customers; make sure that you are carefully listening to them.
Hear what their concerns are, not just their needs. Listen to everything that they have to say, before you decide how to respond. Give all of your customers a chance to express themselves.
If you know when it is any of your customers birthdays, or wedding anniversaries, make sure that you remember to give them good wishes and a small gift if it is appropriate.
If you do all of this, then your customers will not only stay loyal, they will respect you more as a business in the future and will recommend you to their friends.
Just remember that your customers are the ones who, can and in this tough economic environment, will make a difference between success and failure for your business.
It is your customers that determine your overall business profitability and the reputation of your company. Their loyalty to your business and the recommendations that they will make, may well decide any future success of your business.
Communicating with your customers, even in good times is important in building the solid customer relationships that are necessary for ongoing business.
Therefore, it is paramount to communicate with your customers when the business environment is as uncertain as it is now.
Monday, February 23, 2009
All According To Plan
In the first week of this year we started to have our ideas about what we would do to enhance our business performance and to prepare the way for when the economic recovery will come.
We produced detailed project plans of our investment ideas and made careful consideration for all eventualities, by building in contingency plans if the need arose.
The first phase of our project planning was an investment in the total refurbishment of our offices, this would involve the removal of all our documentation and furniture into temporary accommodation until the work was finalised.
And the transfer of our telephone lines, so that we could keep continuity of communication with our customers.
We can report that the first phase was completed, all according to plan.
The next phase of our project planning was an investment in changing out our existing computer systems and upgrading them to the latest level of technology.
The technicians did a wonderful job of de-installing our old systems and the installation of our new systems, including the transfer of all of our data files and the final testing of the system functionality.
So, we can report that the second phase of our project planning also went all according to plan and in doing so finalised the work that we originally planned for and invested in.
Now that we have moved back, it really feels great to be in, what now seems like new offices and to have computer systems that are the latest, state of the art technology.
During the overall process, we made sure that all of our customers and subscribers were fully aware of the activities that were taking place in our business and the feedback from them was marvellous.
It would appear that apart from the need to stop publication of our blog posts, whilst the computer systems were changed over, there was no apparent difference from the excellent service that we normally provide.
We are now committed to enhancing that service to our loyal, as well as, new customers that look to BLSA for their business requirements.
For our dedicated blog followers this post is the return to normal blog post publishing, we thank you for being patient and understanding.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Making A Smooth Changeover
Two weeks ago, in the post, Taking A Fresh Approach, we said that we would be making a few changes that will put us, as a business, in an excellent position and allow us to be ready for the economic recovery.
Like many businesses we had thought about what to do during this period of time when there will be less business activity and again like many businesses, we had wanted to make the wise investments that will ensure our success in the future, after the recession.
The first phase of our investment was the total refurbishment of our own offices and that first phase is nearing completion. The next phase of our investment was the changing out of our existing computer systems and upgrading them to the latest level of technology.
That second phase is just about to commence and from Sunday evening we will begin making a smooth changeover of our systems.
The technicians have told us that the de-install of our existing systems, the installation of our new systems, the transfer of all of our data files and the final testing of the system functionality will take approximately one week.
During the period of the changeover of systems, our website, blog and email will be functioning as normal, as they are all hosted on off-site servers. And our telephone number is the same as always.
We expect a smooth changeover of our computer systems, but during this changeover period we will not be publishing any new posts on our blog. We feel sure that our subscribers will be understanding and will eagerly await the resumption of the blog post publishing.
Publishing of posts on the BLSA blog will return on, 23 February 2009.
During the period of office refurbishment we moved into temporary accommodation, but we will be returning to our own offices once the changeover of computer systems is completed.
After the changeover is complete we will be able to make sure that, as a business, we will be able to offer a better platform in the future for the delivery of our services.
Business Leader Success Advice, would like to say, thank you, to its many customers and subscribers, who have wished us well, during this period of refurbishment and computer systems changeover.
We are privileged to have these customer relationships and the attention from the many readers of our blog posts and we are looking forward to continuing to provide our services to you all in the future.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Looking Back On The Years
At the age of seventy you are sitting in a rocking chair on the veranda of your home looking back on the years that you spent in business.
What is it that you see over all those years while you were dedicated to your business activities? What did you manage to achieve in all that time?
Don’t just wait until you get to that age and you are really sitting on your veranda in your rocking chair having those thoughts. Have all of those thoughts now, what do you want to see happen in your business life and what do you want to be able to achieve?
It is no good waiting until you are rocking in the chair to be having those ambitions, because by then it will be too late. You need to make all your plans and set all your goals now, while you still can have an effect on their outcome.
Without setting any firm plans and goals for your future business life, you will inevitably finish up thinking what might have been.
Then, there will be no point in reflecting on your past and wondering what might have been, you should have been focusing, before that, on your future and thinking about the things that could be done to improve your position as a business leader.
Any successful business leader will tell you it is all about identifying opportunities, facing up to challenges and taking the chances that are presented to you.
So, have you identified the opportunities that are available to you? Are you continually facing up to the many business challenges that occur? And do you take a risk and explore all the chances that are presented to you?
By using the process of the rocking chair scenario, you will focus your mind on what you really want to achieve in your business life.
So, instead of wondering about what might have been you will be able to raise your game, welcome those challenges, take the chances and really progress upwards in your business, being much more successful.
Then when you really are retired from business, enjoying your life in that slowly moving rocking chair, what wonderful memories you will have of how much you were able to achieve in your business life.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Step 16 - Self Awareness
This is Step 16 out of the 20 Steps of How To Make Business A Success.
Self awareness is the explicit understanding that you exist, as an individual, separate from other people, with private thoughts, with the understanding that other people are also similarly self aware.
Self awareness is a personal understanding of the very core of your own identity. It is during periods of self awareness that people get the closest to knowing themselves objectively.
Self awareness plays a large role in behavior, as it is common to act differently when people are in a crowd. It is the basis for human traits, such as accountability and conscientiousness.
Self awareness is the recognition of your personality, your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes. Developing self awareness can help you to recognise when you are stressed or under pressure. It is also often a prerequisite for effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing empathy for others.
Self awareness requires honesty and courage, to get in touch with what you are thinking and feeling and to face the truth about yourself. The better you understand yourself, the better you are able to accept or change who you are.
The starting point should be the knowledge of yourself as a unique individual and how you relate to this world. The clarity with which you can answer the questions: Who am I? Where have I been? Where am I going? , will determine your capability to chart your own destiny and to realise your potential.
In your quest to know yourself, do not think of yourself more highly than you are, rather have a realistic view of your strengths. On the other hand, do not exaggerate your weaknesses and look down on yourself.
Also, do not excuse or rationalise your weaknesses. You need a realistic view of both your strengths and weaknesses if you are to know your true self.
How you see yourself may be clouded by the feedback messages you receive about yourself from others. But how could anyone know more about you than you? They do not feel your emotions or think your thoughts; they do not face the issues that you wrestled with. No one could know you better than you. Therefore, do not let others look down on you.
Start to make actions for your future business life, now that you know yourself, everything is possible, use your imagination, enjoy yourself, life is good.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Business Is My Life
When I wake in the morning my head is full of business thoughts, while I am having a shower, my thoughts continue to be only about the coming business day and when I am eating my breakfast, I start to formulate my business plan of action for the day.
I eat, sleep and breathe business; there is nothing else that I allow to get in the way of my business activities. It is the number one priority for me.
Does that sound like anyone you know? Maybe it even strikes a bell of accord with your own thoughts and actions when it comes to business.
Many business leaders seem to think, that all they have to do is be busy all the time in their business activities and then they will eventually just make a success of their business.
They tell everybody that they are working long hard hours and that one day all of their endeavour will pay off.
But being effective in business is not about getting totally immersed in your business and shutting everything else out. It is more about being able to create a balance between business and the rest of your life.
Successful business leaders have dedicated their time to making their businesses what they are, very successful, but at the same time they keep a careful balance between business activities and their families.
They create the time to see their children grow up, they socialise with all their friends and they spend many hours completely switched off from business, without a single business thought going through their heads.
Those business leaders are successful because of this approach; it gives them a chance to unwind from business and to recharge their batteries and then be fresh to have new business ideas.
You can continue on in the same way and wrap business around you with no thought of anything else, or you could follow the example of other successful business leaders and make your business a success.
I know which one I would do, because I have seen many, many business leaders who have found themselves caught in this trap. They had been spending a sad existence inside a business bubble that would not burst.
Cocooned inside their comfort zone of business thoughts and actions, they were just travelling through life without any purpose or success, until the day that a well targeted business coaching session burst that bubble.
Then they opened their eyes to the real way to perform their role as a leader in business, revitalized and full of the energy, with enthusiasm and motivation, they became successful and discovered the joys of life outside of business.
Monday, February 9, 2009
You Can Double Your Business
Whatever amount of business you are doing at the moment it is not enough, right?
As the leader of your business would you like to double your business?
I know, you are saying to yourself that it is not possible, which means that you are willing to give up before you have found that it is possible.
Just listen up for a moment and you will then better understand how it is, not only possible, but totally realistic in terms of being achieved.
That is what I did for the international organization that I was working for before I started my own business.
I doubled their business, not just for one year, but for seven years in a row.
So, how did I do it, you are asking yourselves, well I am just about to tell you exactly that right now.
You have to set a target, a goal that is totally audacious and then stay with it, no matter what obstacles are put in your way.
Make the bold statement, in front of your business owner and their full management team that you are going to double their business.
If anybody in your organization says that you must be crazy, just ask them if they are going to help you to achieve it, or are they going to try to stop you achieving it.
The ones that are most vocal are the ones that will do everything that they can to put obstacles in your way, avoid them and their obstacles by not getting involved with them.
The ones that listen to what you have to say are going to do everything that they can to help you and to promote your ideas, get really involved with these people because they are your path to success in achieving the doubling of your business.
Start asking people within your business to double the business they are doing within their respective areas of responsibility and if they say that they can’t, ask them why not?
They will either give you a list of reasons why it is not possible, or they will just say it can’t be done, in the first case take the list of reasons to the people who listened to you in your organization, they will help you to clear the obstacles that are stopping the doubling of business.
In the second case, I think you already know what to do with someone who just says it can’t be done.
Keep on doing this and you will see that over the coming months your business is starting to noticeably increase and as the momentum takes hold and more and more people start to notice the effect that you are having on the business, the more enthusiastically they will want to help you to achieve your target.
By the end of the year you will find that you have doubled your business and then you just continue the same process year after year, because you now have a band of loyal followers in your business that totally believe that you can double your business.
Summary of Actions
• Set a target, a goal that is totally audacious
• Make the bold statement, in front of your business owner and their full management team
• Ask them if they are going to help you to achieve it
• Ignore the people who want to put up obstacles to stop you
• Start asking people within your business to double the business they are doing within their respective areas of responsibility
• Take the list of reasons that are stopping them to the people who listened to you in your organization
• The ones that listen to what you have to say, get really involved with these people because they are your path to success
• Thank the band of loyal followers in your business
Friday, February 6, 2009
Take A Look At The Full Picture
Over the last eighteen months, BLSA has produced and published many hundreds of informative posts that have provided guidance and a sense of direction to the business leader community.
The subjects covered are business leadership, marketing, customer service, sales, customer relationships and customer service. With the categories including such topics as judgement, experience, innovation, business ideas, decision making, positive thinking, productivity, politics profitability, competitive edge, partnership and sales professionals.
To enable you to take a look at the full picture, we have provided you with a comprehensive list of all the posts that we have published and for you to be able to go to each of the titles that you are interested in, all you have to do is cut and paste the title into the search bar on the BLSA site. You will then be taken direct to that specific post.
No Drama Obama
Creating Partnerships for a Competitive Edge
Effective Training Brings Successful Sales
Top Management Leadership Is Essential
Providing a Great Customer Experience
Are You A Future Business Leader?
Building Profitable Customer Relationships
Thoughts on Business Success
Are You An Owner Or Facilitator?
Business Success with Trusted Partners
The Most Important Business Asset
Profit Patterns for Business Success
Motivation and Leadership
A Marketing Strategy for Business Success
Positive Relationships Are Key To Success
Leadership Skills for Business Success
Create Your Vision of Success
The Lifeblood of Business Success
Business Challenges You Must Overcome
Business Leader Soft Skills
When Is It All Going To End?
Step 3 - Vision
Failure Is Not An Option
Focus Away From Business And Profits
The Skill That Is Needed Most
Stop Talking, Start Listening
Step 5 – Patience
Whatever You Do, Don’t Do This
Providing Excellent Customer Service
Not A Clever Thing To Do
What Is Business Coaching?
Traits for Business Success
Through The Eyes of Your Customers
Successful Sales Professionals
Sales Channel Strategy for Business Success
The Best Ways to Delight Customers
Never Been Done Before
Effective Business Leadership
Step 6 – Positive Thinking
Business Leader Qualities
Customer Loyalty Brings Business Success
Leadership And Teamwork
Coffee Cup Solutions
A Defining Moment In History
Stress And Your Business Life
Show Your Customers The Door
Leaders, Not Followers
Why Make It Difficult, When It Can Be Easy
The Lonely Life of a Business Leader
I Don’t Know What To Do
Overcome Challenges And Succeed
Do You Have Sleepless Nights?
Take A Closer Look
Attitude Can Make A Big Difference
Is Your Business Obama Or McCain?
A List of 25 Practical Business Ideas
Running A Quality Call Centre
Don’t Be Just Talking Heads
What Is An Entrepreneur?
When The Going Gets Tough
What Is Business Success?
What is a Motivational Speaker?
What Is A Business Plan?
What Might Have Been
What Is A Marketing Strategy?
Why Are You In Business?
How To Make Business A Success
How To Identify A Leader
30 Minutes Of Reflection
Keep Costs To A Minimum
A Victory For Positive Change
What If The Worst Possible Thing Happened
Zero Point Zero Zero
All Customers Are Equal
Company Resources And Future Opportunities
What Makes A Business Leader Successful?
Judge A Book By Its Cover?
Short Term Has No Future
Frequent Business Traveller
What Is Sales Forecasting?
Job Creation Is Your Responsibility
Step 2 – Belief
Business Leadership Is Fun
Time Is On Your Side
Born To Be A Leader
A Recipe For Disaster
Step 4 – Tenacity
The Business Makes You Dance
Treat Your Customers As Friends
Increase Sales And Market Share
Stop, Think And Evaluate
The Basics of Business Success
The Customer’s Point Of View
Something I Don’t Know
What Is A Target Market?
Actions That Will Bring Success
At Such Times Of Adversity
Every Business Should Have A Soul
The Feel Good Factor
Departments of Dead Wood
Being A Good Leader
The Paralysis Of Analysis
The 15 Most Common Business Lies
Does More Money Mean Success?
The Benefits Of Networking
The Art Of Business Survival
Nothing But The Best
Business In The Fast Lane
Step 1 – Identity
Five Qualities Needed For Business Success
An Interesting Conversation
Business Leaders Wisdom
Business In A Changing World
How Many Pessimists Have Been Successful
You Can Buy Success Here
Creating Success For All
Making A Drama Out Of A Crisis
Dare To Experiment
Business With Added Interest
The Most Frequently Asked Question
Boost Profits In Four Simple Steps
Are You Chasing An Elusive Dream?
How To Have Profitable Relationships
Leaders Are Born Positive
Step 10 - Innovation
The Best Of The Rest
A World Full Of Numbers
Up Close And Personal
It Was The Night Before Christmas
So, Where Are We So Far?
Just What My Business Needs
Dealing With Today’s Reality
Step 7 – Integrity
Christmas Is For Children
Presents For A Business Leader
It Is A Time For Giving
17 Very Important Answers
Defend Your Business Rights
Its Not All Doom And Gloom
Christmas Has Not Been Cancelled
Keep The Home Fires Burning
Dealing With Financial Hardship
Don’t Be A Passenger
Step 8 - Motivation
Are You Getting Enough?
Concentrate On What Matters Most
What Am I Trying To Achieve?
Listen To Your Heart
Step 9 – Inspiration
Superior Marketing Mixes
Have Confidence In Your Team
Like Passing Ships In The Night
One Step Back, Two Steps Forward
The Words Of A Business Leader
Sow The Seeds Of Success
Talk To A Business Counsellor
A New Year Resolution
Let’s Start The Week Right
That’s The Walk Of Life
Doing Business Somewhere Different
Do It Now, Don’t Wait
Prioritize The Problems
Business Leaders And The Economy
Take Full Advantage Of New Sales
Now Hope Can Breathe
Get Back To Business Basics
Very Important People
Rainy Days Are Here Again
Knowledge Without Understanding
Times They Are A Changing
Light At End Of Tunnel
Step 12 - Tolerance
The Pride Of America
Increase Your Business Profits
Just Another Business Day
They Are Selling Like Hot Cakes
Are You Really MAD?
HTMBAS The Continuation
Everlasting Razor Blades
Real World Business
You Mean, Its Friday Already!
Only As Good As The Last Success
Yes Is The Answer
Become A Business Champion
UFO’s Are All Around Us
Step 11 – Decision Making
Realize Your Business Dream
Three Rules for Business Success
Facing Tough Challenges
When The World Swings My Way
Make Your Selections Carefully
It Takes Two To Tango
Businesses Making Bold Headlines
Secrets of Successful Businesses
Attributes of Business Success
Step 13 – Trust
Quality Is Not A Talking Point
Secrets of Leadership Success
Good Decision Making
Business Results - Critical Success Factors
Quotations That Motivate You
Sales Motivation and the Role of Leadership
Judgement Day For Business Leaders
Kick Start Your Business
Taking A Fresh Approach
Many Hands Make Light Work
Step 14 – Commitment
A Test Of Character
Business Processes and the Leadership Decisions
Customer Relationships and the Importance of Trust
Success and the Subtle Something
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Where Has All The Money Gone?
We find ourselves in a world where we are being told that a financial crisis has caused a loss in confidence, which has moved the whole world into a recession.
It is a really bad deep recession, where businesses are going bust and hundreds of thousands of people are losing both their homes and their jobs.
All the businesses have no money because the banks are not lending them anything; in fact the banks are not lending money to anybody.
The banks went to the governments and asked them to give them lots of money, a bailout, so that they can survive. Then lots of other corporate organizations decided to ask for their bailout packages as well.
But where has all the money gone? I don’t just mean the bailout money; I mean all the money that seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the world.
Did a black hole just open up in space and suck all the money into it?
Did aliens land on our planet one night when we were not looking and take all our money to their planet?
No, the answer is much closer to home than that, it would appear that all of the money disappeared into the pockets of all of the corrupt, deceitful leaders of most of the banks, corporate companies and many financial institutions in our world.
These CEO’s and their executive teams lined their pockets with all of our money every year by paying themselves ridiculously high salaries and even higher annual bonuses.
And now that the governments are giving them more money, in the form of these billions of dollars bailout packages are they passing the money on to the businesses and the people in general in low interest loans?
No, of course they are not, they are carefully planning their next level of corruption and deceit. Those leaders and executives that are currently leaving their high positions in the banks and corporate organizations are making arrangements for themselves to be paid huge payments.
And the leaders and executives that have not yet been found out and asked to leave are going to be paid their usual very enormous annual bonuses.
Exactly which world are they living in; it obviously is not the same one as the rest of us. In a situation where everybody is struggling to survive in their businesses, their jobs and somehow keep their homes, they still have the audacity to continue their corrupt ways.
We can solve this world recession in a very simple way, now that we know exactly who these corrupt, deceitful people are; we just make them give all the money back.
We will demand that they dig deep into their pockets, their tax-free bank accounts, their investments and if necessary to sell their big mansions, all their many luxury cars and private jets.
We will give them the choice of either giving back all the money or going to jail for life.
That is the only way that we will really ever get back any confidence into the economy. Our trust and respect for these officials in high places has been badly damaged, if not completely lost.
The world did have money flowing around it for all of us, but just a few corrupt individuals decided that they would deceive us all by keeping and using the money for themselves.
Well they cannot deceive us anymore; we now know exactly where all of the money has gone from our world.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Step 15 – Determination
This is Step 15 out of the 20 Steps of How To Make Business A Success.
We all have determination; at least we like to think that we do.
Determination is when you say that you are going to do something and nothing is going to stop you doing it.
Like the athlete that is determined to get to the end of the marathon, no matter what, or the mountaineer that is determined to get to the top of the peak, even if it kills him.
Determination is not about being stubborn and not moving from your stated position.
Determination is all about putting in the effort and getting the results.
And by being determined, a business leader will reap the benefits for the effort and the results that mean success for their business.
Being determined is a state of mind, you fix the thought in your mind and then keep on returning to that thought until you finally succeed.
A successful business leader is determined to do well, determined to delight their customers, determined to reward their employees for their hard work and determined to make their business a success.
Sometimes in business, even though you may work hard the results don’t seem to be happening quickly enough. Well in business things don’t always happen immediately and that is when you need more determination.
Effort without determination is just a lot of hard work; effort with the determination will get you the results you deserve in the end.
So, now is the time for you to start creating the right mindset for action.
Are you determined to be a successful business leader?
Are you really determined to do well in your business?
Are you willing to put in the effort to succeed, no matter what may stand in your way?
Fix that thought in your mind and keep on coming back to it, again and again, until you finally get the results that you are seeking for your business.
Be determined – and you will climb the ladder of success.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A Little Bit About Me
Hi, this is your coach James Chapman and I thought I would take a few moments to tell you a little bit about me.
I live in the Algarve, Portugal with my lovely wife and son.
I am working all over the world, with many companies, in my capacity as a business coach and motivational speaker.
I like travelling and reading, as well as walking and keeping fit, writing, listening to good music, sharing good times with friends and enjoying all that life gives me.
And I am the founder and executive leader of BLSA and the main author of the many posts and articles on this blog.
This business blog is a window to the overall business activities and services that I can provide and the articles and posts that I publish are providing the credibility that people need to know that they are dealing with a business expert who has years of practical business experience.
My passion is to help others to overcome challenges and succeed in business and in their lives.
I have an immense amount of knowledge accumulated over my business life and it would be wrong not to pass it on to others who could use it for achieving their goals and finding success.
The informative articles that I write are full of practical techniques that you can put to work right away. They are providing insight and positive thinking to inspire and motivate you in your business life.
But that is not the only writing that I do, I also write many non-business articles about a variety of subjects, if you wish to look at them click Here
I love writing, I find it very relaxing and it helps me to unwind after my very busy business day has finished.
Because of writing I have met some great people both in my imagination when I am writing and with the many people that review and make their comments on my work when it is completed.
When I write I put my heart into the subject and try to educate, motivate and provoke discussion and dialogue.
Many people have expressed that I have quite a unique way of writing, but for me it is just my natural way of thinking and then writing what I have thought about.
I also have a passion for photography and when I am travelling I try to capture as many unusual pictures that I can, some of which I have used here on this blog and on other websites.
Monday, February 2, 2009
A Test Of Character
With the economic recession upon us and the experience of finding that our customers have even less money, we are all having strong feelings of uncertainty and loss of confidence.
Times are really tough and according to all the financial analysts they are not going to get much better in the near future. It seems that every business owner and business leader is being affected.
But, business leaders have a responsibility in these trying times to show their resilience and to really exhibit their strength of character to be able to find more effective ways to survive and to improve their business.
In our businesses, everyday, we have had to deal with a huge array of challenges, whether we are the business leader or a member of the business team. But none of them seemed as difficult as this one.
So, now is the time for you, as leader of your business to accept this test of character and for you to prove to your people that you have the strength and resilience to overcome this tough set of circumstances.
Stand up for what you believe in and clearly show to the wider business community just what you can do and you will be greatly respected for it.
True business professionals are at their best when everything seems to be against them. It is then that they are given a test of character and it is for them to find ways to overcome all the obstacles.
Have you got that sort of strength of character that is needed? And are you resilient enough as the leader of your business to take the action that is now required.
Be self confident and believe in yourself. Listen to your instincts.
Motivate yourself with the desire to succeed, have faith in your actions and be resilient and tenacious, never think of giving up.
Use your imagination and then be decisive and make things happen with your actions.
Nothing should be allowed to stop you; you will find a way, even if it takes all of your effort and determination as a business leader.
When this economic crisis is all over, you will be able to look back and realize that you were given a test of character and that you were able to pass that test with your strength and resilience as a business leader.
The true character of any leader only manifests itself when they are called upon to face the toughest of problems.
