Does Santa Really Know if you’re Good or Bad?
December 7, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
We all indulge during the festive season, but the need to stay Safe and Sound is also important.
Did you know that:
- Australians’ weekly average alcohol intake triples during the festive season
- One third of Australians consume more than 10 standard drinks a week during the festive season
- Nearly one half of Australians aged 20 to 29 admitted to binge drinking during the festive season
Being aware that your brand is impacted by behaviour at social functions just allows us to take simple precautions.
Here’s a selection of the advice issued by corporates to their employees. I think much of it makes sense, even for a small business owner to adopt.
Advice for Sensible Drinking over Christmas and New Year:
- Drink slowly. Make sure you’re chatting more than you’re drinking
- Drink non-alcoholic spacers between alcoholic drinks, such as water, juice or soft drinks
- Choose low-alcohol varieties, such as low or mid-strength beer
- Be aware of the size of each drink – your glass of wine may actually contain two standard drinks
- EAT! High protein foods (such as nuts) eaten before and during alcohol consumption can help slow the release of alcohol
- Avoid shouts or rounds that encourage drinking quickly and in large volumes
- Finish your drink before letting someone top it up – this way you can keep track of what you’re drinking
End of Year Client Functions:
- These are still work events and the same policies and expectations apply – just like any other work meeting
- What you might think is a harmless joke, comment or gesture could be harassment if it offends someone else
- Plan ahead when celebrating. Don’t drink and drive. Leave your car at home and plan to use public transport
- Keep in mind that people have different cultural and religious beliefs around this time of year
- Look out for one another. If you see someone in a dangerous situation – be it personal safety or reputational, speak up and do what you can to get them into a safer situation. This includes leaving the function with them and ensuring they get home.
- If you are a team or business leader, you have a responsibility to ensure that your team get home safely
Social Media:
- Without written permission of your host or your company, you should not post details (including photos) of, during or after the function. Use of brands/names are subject to copyright laws.
- Even with the permission of the companies involved – it is considered common courtesy to ask your companions their permission before you publish their names or tag them in photos
- You may consider changing personal settings on social media, so that you can check who’s writing about you or publishing a photo of you. Perhaps even upgrade your privacy settings so that you authorise anything that includes you prior publishing.
- Do not publish anything that involves people who were not part of your immediate party, circle or are total strangers to you irrespective of the situation in question. Remember to treat (or tweet) others as you’d expect to be treated (or tweeted).
So now more than ever, Santa really will know if you’ve been good or bad!
Note: Statistics were sourced from a survey conducted by Febfast in 2009. 1066 Australians from all states were surveyed. www.febfast.com.au
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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What If?
October 27, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
If you ever ask my team when they run for cover, they would immediately say when she starts a sentence with, ‘What if’.
I have to admit, I use this phrase fairly often when I sense there’s more we can be doing or when I really want to challenge the way a business is doing something.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, we come up with so many ideas…
When we do ask that question – What If:
- I stopped producing that report – would anyone notice?
- We opened only 4 days a week?
- I dropped my website?
- We didn’t have an office – could my staff do their jobs?
- We only used Facebook – no email, no paper, or intranet?
- We had a best ‘what-ifs’ of the year competition running?
The trouble isn’t really generating the possibilities. You will end up with a list of ideas, some more plausible than others, because that’s just how it works. The problem will be being paralysed or overwhelmed by the list.
I invented a simple ranking system to help put some order on the list.
The ranking system looks like this…
| Points | Description | Follow Up |
| 10 | Of course it’ll work | Why are you even bothering to think out – Just Do It |
| 7 | I reckon it’ll work | Might need to cite some examples or some numbers from the finance beanies |
| 5 | Like Government | Approximately fifty-fifty chance of delivering result. |
| 2 | If I cross my fingers and squeeze my eyes really tight… | Put it on the desperate list! |
| 0 | NO | Bin It |
It’s a good idea to rank the ideas quickly without too much thought by using your first instinctive reaction to the suggestion - you understand your business better than anyone else, so TRUST yourself!
Now start working on the ideas ranked 7 or higher to look at what or where they improve your business and start making the changes.
So if you’re ever wondering how to get some ideas, or looking to resolve a problem, ask yourself: ‘what if’.
What if I called this brainstorming?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Networking – Beyond the Business Card Shuffle!
- Build your Business: Steve Jobs Style
- Mobile Devices : Is your slip still showing?
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Networking – Beyond the Business Card Shuffle!
September 14, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
Networking is a concept most people don’t give serious thought to — but in today’s economic climate, it can and should be an important part of your business plan.
When we think about networking, the tendency is to think about it in the realm of forging relationships in order to promote new positions for ourselves or new business for our company. There is nothing wrong with that outlook, but it just has to be said… there is plenty wrong with the way many business women think of and conduct their networking. (Business card anyone?)
You may recall, my New Year resolution was to improve the ROI on my networking, here is how my understanding of networking has evolved so far:
There’s our operational network
These are the people and groups that help you do your day-to-day work. This group is not necessary in order to do your work, but it is important to work together with this group. In my business, I consider those in my operational network as “collaborators” in the best sense. For example, I recently brought in a graphic designer as the client required a brand new logo and colour scheme for their business and by doing this, I could offer a fully integrated service.
In other words, we work together for the overall success of the client’s objectives, which in turn promotes our individual success.
There’s a developmental network
Those in your developmental network are your trusted advisors, mentors, friends and those you go to for advice and use as a professional sounding board. We become members of associations to gain access to educational resources.
I know that in my world, those in my developmental network have definitely helped me grow as a manager and leader.
And, finally our strategic network
While the first two networks aren’t necessary to growing your success, people we place into our strategic network definitely are.
The strategic network involves those you gather around you as you develop your future business objectives. These are the forward-thinkers who will assist you as you tackle new frontiers. These are the people who will challenge you, but they will also back you and ensure that you step confidently. These are the ones who will say why not try…
Understanding these three parts of networking means I now organise my development and strategic networks primarily through web, podcasts, iTunes, skype, email and voice calls with my mentors. And of course, the coffee catch-up. I don’t need live events for these networks. Have a good look at the quality of information available through many business associations in their online resources. Yes, often you need to become a member, but many are under $500pa (these costs generally are a valid tax deduction).
As for live events, I have even reduced my time there too! Yes – its not a typo, I have reduced the live events I attend for business and at the same time have grown my business. How?
Being selective about the functions to attend. I really look at the timing of the event, the agenda and sounding out the event through my network. When I do attend, I have far more focus on the connections I want to make, what it is that we have in common and what to discuss with them. The four areas I now focus on in an event are:
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Quality over quantity
Taking the time to get to know the person sitting across from me. I have found that the other person will learn a lot more about me too, and will now know what will be a good relationship or partner for my business.
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A Giving Attitude
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Attending events with the intention of offering whatever help I can
This has led to more than one venture. Also, the recipocal is that I must be prepared to share what help it is that I’m looking for in life and/or business.
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Everyone has a business card — highly successful business people have two!
You can’t attend an event these days without doing the business card shuffle. But, I found that spending the time sincerely talking to people I now receive the ‘other’ card – the one that has their direct contact details.
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Networking reinforces your personal brand
You undoubtedly recognise that a big part of your job is to be an ambassador for your company and your personal brand — both inside and outside the office. A savvy entrepreneur gets clear on the reputation and values she wants to cultivate and then works hard to demonstrate them every day.
I know that as a woman business leader and entrepreneur, I must network… if you are committed to being successful, then understanding networking and doing it well is essential.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Build your Business: Steve Jobs Style
- Mobile Devices : Is your slip still showing?
- Carbon Pricing – Australia’s Future. The impact on you and your business.
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Build your Business: Steve Jobs Style
August 17, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
Steve Jobs is surely one of the world’s most respected business leaders. He has built an iconic brand in an industry most of us affectionately call ‘geeky’ gathering millions of loyal ‘paying’ customers in the process.
While Steve himself is elusive and rarely gives interviews, there is a lot written about his leadership style, his business acumen and key points of difference.
So what are the key differences in Steve Jobs’ story that a small business owner can learn from and adopt into their business?
Change your marketplace!
© All About Steve Jobs.com
Instead of trying to keep up with the Jones’, Steve has used a very deliberate strategy to make market leading products – before the market knew they needed them.
All IT companies produce products that do technology well – some will argue better than Apple does. However, Apple deliberately disrupts the market by making product design the main focus and their point of difference in a crowded marketplace.
This obsession, many authors note, of doing ‘what everyone else is doing’ is how businesses begin to lose whatever creative edge we might have had when our business plan was fresh and new.
Lesson then is to (re)imagine what the possibilities could be in whatever industry we are. OR are there things that could be removed. A great question that I always ask (mainly because I have no creative skills)…” What’s happens if we stop doing this?” You’ll be surprised at where this can lead.
BE DARING!
Don’t do what everyone else does.
Of course, this is the companion to the previous point – not doing what everyone else is doing! Steve Jobs keeps his focus intact by not being where everyone else is.
For example, Apple never attends the Consumer Electronics Show preferring to host their own (virtually overshadowing the CES). This maintains an allure of mystery and curiosity about Apple. It also reduces their costs by not attending flashy trade shows – not a bad all round outcome is it?
While we may not be able to garner as much attention hosting our own shows, we can still ask ourselves if there are there conventions and trade shows we attend that aren’t really rewarding? Are there ones where there are synergies with your business – even a thin thread of synergy – that your competitors don’t go to?
Core competency.
This is where Steve really separates himself from the rest of the pack. He focuses on only the core products his company deems worthy of producing.
Companies add product after product to their shelf. Businesses often believe that because they have one great product, any product they release after that is destined to have just as much success. Sadly, more often, the reality is that these extra products only steal focus from their core competency.
Are there products or services in your business that really aren’t your core competency? What would happen if you dropped them out of your catalogue?
Simplicity KISS – Keep it simple, silly!
How many times do we buy the top line model because, well because…? Yet, the features we use on an everyday basis are the ones that are basic and easy to operate. Steve Jobs’ philosophy has always been “…Something even a child can operate…”
This simple strategy works perfectly for Apple. Look at Apple’s current keyboard. It is simple, functional, has fewer features than other keyboards and with less, less can go wrong with it. At a premium price with reduced repairs, it is saving the company a lot of money. Genius!
Have you added unnecessary bells and whistles to your products or services? Can you streamline your products features? Can you change the way you retail your services to your customers?
While the IT industry has enormous reach and there are factors that are unique to that industry, we can learn from Steve Jobs’ story. The unwavering conviction in his business plan. This in turn allows Steve to be much more informed about the calculated risks he needs to take… and haven’t the outcomes rewarded this self-belief in stunning fashion!
A true life…build it and they’ll will come anyway!
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Mobile Devices : Is your slip still showing?
- Carbon Pricing – Australia’s Future. The impact on you and your business.
- Build your Business: Oprah Winfrey Style
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Mobile Devices: Is your slip still showing?
July 20, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
Last year I wrote on ways to protect your mobile devices - Is your slip showing? In this article, I listed some of the things you can do to protect your devices, the data on them and your business.
Recently, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) had a weekend break-in that resulted in the theft of a laptop -yes that’s right just 1 laptop. Unfortunately, this device had details – including name, address & date of birth – for 66,000 members. The report on how it all happened, the manner in which the AICD handled it (or didn’t) and the dramatic outcomes for this iconic association will make an interesting reading.
In the meantime, I’ve reviewed what I wrote last year and have tried to bring it up to date for you.
#1: The Basics
These won’t make you secure, but without them you have no chance.
- Strong Passwords:
If you have sensitive data on your mobile devices, they need to be password protected.
The password should be as strong as practical. Not a 40 digit series of random numbers but something that balances your ability to remember it (and enter it n times per day) against the ability to hack it. You want to wipe the device after 10 password failures or so.
- Auto-lock:
Along with the password, you should set an idle timeout after a period of inactivity. Finding the right setting is about your threshold for inconvenience and entering the password. 5 minutes is more than long enough.
- Keep all system/application patches up to date, including Mobile OS and installed applications.
Unless you are checking constantly that the mobile device remains with your configuration policies, you can be fooled. Just because you set up a device correctly doesn’t mean it stays that way – downloading a application patch can reset your configuration to factory defaults.
- Data Encryption
For devices (including phones) that support encrypted communication (SSL, https, VPN, etc), always configure defaults to use encryption.
#2: Remote Wipe
Despite your best efforts, some of us will lose our devices. Or our kids will drop them. Or they’ll break and be sent in for service. What happens isn’t important just understand that you won’t always be in control of your device and that introduces risk for you.
You need the ability to eliminate the data on the device remotely. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Authenticate properly and nuke it from the galaxy. Hopefully you backed up your device.
Ultimately if there is sensitive data on the mobile device, you need to be able to wipe it from anywhere in the world. Having an auto-wipe policy in case of 10 password failures is critical. At some point, someone will try to get into your device and that’s when you want to be able to get rid of the data. (One caveat: in order to wipe the device you must be able to connect to it – so flight mode won’t work in this case)
#3: Lock down Network Access
Lets be honest, most public wireless networks are the equivalent of a seedy back alley. Get a little selective about what networks you connect to.
The AICD story highlights that it’s not a matter of if, but when. And when it happens, you’ll need to know that the critical information on your mobile devices is protected and you have a plan to support these devices. That means you need to keep apprised of the current attacks being used against mobile devices, and also that you need to pay attention to both the process and the technologies used to protect them. (Along with all the other stuff on your plate every day.)
PS! If you have staff – what’s on their mobile devices that belongs to your company?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Carbon Pricing – Australia’s Future. The impact on you and your business.
- Build your Business: Oprah Winfrey Style
- Things I’ve learnt About Business!
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Carbon Pricing – Australia’s Future. The impact on you and your business.
July 13, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
On Sunday, the Australian Government announced the details of its ‘Clean Energy Future’ package.
Suzi Dafnis and I, along with all the ABN’s resources are working hard to bring out the details on how this change will impact the small business owner. This is a complex and fundamental change to our economy and the devil is in the details, that we’re only just going down into.
However, let’s start our journey by first going through the package’s design, the context and the timeline. This special edition post will attempt to look at it in parts, 1) FAQs; 2) what has been announced; 3) economic analysis from our leading analysts and 4) where to now.
Is Australia going in alone on carbon pricing?
No. Carbon pricing schemes have already been introduced into many countries who adopted the Kyoto Protocol earlier than Australia. Carbon pricing has been active in New Zealand (2008) and throughout the European Community since 2005.
It’s a fact that Australia’s institutions and institutional investors – including some superannuation schemes - already trade in carbon credits in these overseas markets just like any other share market.
Is it a price or is it a tax?
Economics define a price as something that is paid ‘once’ for the purchase of a good/commodity/service. While, the definition of a tax is a fee payable on income on a recurring basis. World-wide carbon trading schemes are seen as a price, as users or producers only pay once for each tonne of carbon emissions.
Like other countries, Australia relies on its taxation system to deliver a government’s economic plan. So this is why everyone plays the language – price vs tax - to suit their occasion or opportunity.
What’s the package?
The elements have been widely published (probably to death). Let me do it one more time at a high level so that we’ re on the same page.
The Carbon Pricing Mechanism:
| Fixed price | A start price of $23 from July 1, 2012, rising to $24.15 in 2013 and $25.40 in 2014. |
| Then ETS | On July 1, 2015, carbon price will transition to a fully flexible price under an emissions trading scheme. For the first 3 years, there’ll be a fixed bottom price of $15 and a fixed top price of $20 above expected international price. (there is allowance for inflation) Think of a share market: Companies will have carbon credits for sale & others will need to buy these credits |
| Gases covered | Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and perfluorocarbons from aluminium smelting. |
| Scheme coverage | Will encompass stationary energy, transport, industrial processes, non-legacy waste and fugitive emissions. 500 companies will be required to comply to the leglisation. These companies are responsible for around 60% of the nation’s emissions. |
| Fuel & Transport | Transport fuels will be excluded. However, the carbon price will be applied through changes in fuel tax excise for domestic aviation, domestic shipping, rail transport and non-transport fuel use. Heavy on-road will be covered from 1 July 2014. |
| International linkage | From the start of the ETS’s flexible price period companies can use approved international credits for up to 50% of their obligations. |
| Carbon Farming Initiative linkage | From the start of the ETS, credits under the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) can be used for compliance subject to a 5% limit. After the start of the floating price, these credits can be used for 100% of your liability. |
| Financial impact on the Aussie Budget | Revenue from sale of permits will raise $7.74bn in the first year with $4.2bn being distributed for the household assistance measures (ie the changes to the tax scales) and $3.0bn for the “support for jobs” program (assistance for people employed in affected industries). |
What are the economic impacts?
Talking to some of the economists inside Australia’s banks and the RBA, their summaries are:
- The introduction of the plan removes some of the uncertainty that has been dogging the Australia economy.
- The policy is broadly neutral in economic terms.
- The compensation packages are very complicated so it is still not clear if all the policy uncertainty has been resolved in all sectors or all industries.
- Smaller impact than the GST: The direct impact is smaller than the introduction of the GST – i.e., it raises just 1/3 of the income that the GST does so the impact on prices should be the same.
- There should be no implications for monetary policy: As the direct impact on prices should be small and transitional, the RBA should look though the temporary spike in inflation. Thus the carbon price has no direct implication for interest rates or money markets.
- Minimal impact on overall economic growth or jobs: This does not mean there may not be significant adjustments within and/or between industries. For example, the estimated carbon price burden on the coal industry appears to be relatively small ($1.80/t) but some mines may face higher cost structures and/or higher emissions burden than the average. So while the coal industry, on average, can still grow at solid rates, not all mines may be able to grow with the industry.
- Compensation: Lower income households will be over compensated, while higher income households (around 10% of households) will receive no compensation at all. It has been estimate that up to 1/3 of households will be worse off after the introduction of the carbon price (i.e., no or under-compensated).
- The compensation payments will be delivered in the 2nd quarter of 2012 (worth around $1.5bn).
Unfortunately, the mountain of debate has overshadowed the significant taxation reforms involved in the package.
The tax-scale changes contained in the package are those many have been calling for and formalised in the Henry Tax Review. Very important to expanding Australia’s workforce is the raising of the tax free threshold from $6,001 to $18,201. Not only does this help to offset the impact of the package, it removes the point that for some ‘benefits were more economical than earning and paying tax.’ In turn, this should help expand our workforce, especially in the areas of skill shortages. It will be particularly relevant for part-time and casual workers.
What’s Next?
- The carbon price scheme will be legislated in September/October (it does appear that the Government has the numbers to secure safe passage of the package through both the House of Representatives and the Senate).
- Obviously, we will continue to see fierce political debate on this issue.
- Australian business will adapt, innovate, improvise and overcome.
As I mentioned, there are many more details to pour through as this is not simple and the real analysis has only just begun. I will update as I learn more.
One thing you and I DO know! What’s said in opposition stays in opposition. A new government will not roll back a revenue raising scheme. Change it yes, roll it back no! And so, just like when Australia introduced decimal currency, the metric system, floated our dollar, the GST and the online revolution, we adapted, learned and now live with the changes. It will be the same with the carbon price scheme.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Build your Business: Oprah Winfrey Style
- Things I’ve learnt About Business!
- YOU: Your Business’ Most Important Asset
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Build your Business: Oprah Winfrey Style
June 22, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
Oprah Winfrey built a media empire using the same basic principles that has earmarked every successful entrepreneur. You can apply the same ones to drive your own success.
When you look at your role models, have you had what I call a pity-party? It’s where you sit, wondering (with lots of envy), why not me? Those moments where you think, ”I do the same things and, just like cooking, mine looks nothing like the pictures.” I have had some of the best pity-parties the world has seen. I began to study my role models, really study, to work out what the differences are and how I could change me. I would like, over a series of articles, to share with you just how each one of my role models actually does the cooking…
photo from www.oprah.com
Oprah Winfrey is a unique story and there are many factors that contributed to her enormous success, including personal qualities like relentless drive and belief. Like most self-made business people, Oprah Winfrey is smart, talented and persistent.
Following her as a business role model for decades, I already know that Oprah’s business Harpo has – business plans, an operating model, mission statement, strategies, adaptability and core values. I have copies of each of them (its on their website).
So What Is the Difference?
A recent article by Jenna Goudreau captures the essence of how the media queen’s strategy for success is based on three branches of leadership: Her team, vision and values.
- Manage relationships: Relationship building is the core of the Winfrey leadership – her TV success hinges on her ability to connect. So how does Winfrey harness that capacity in every business activity? She hires and nurtures top talent, cultivates mentors and powerful allies, and, above all, sustains her relationship with her audience.
- Define and pursue your vision: The ability to dream big isn’t unique; we can all do it. It’s Oprah’s ability to sustain her vision that truly sets her apart. Goudreau notes that Winfrey built her empire step by step – using her television show to found a production company and then diversifying into print, radio and online media businesses and launching a high-profile charitable foundation.
- Focus on core values: Winfrey’s central message is “live your best life,” and it’s a value she applies to everything – whether reinventing herself, exploring self-help techniques with her audience or engaging in philanthropic activities, Winfrey consistently delivers an optimistic message: Positive change is possible.
You can learn from Winfrey’s remarkable example no matter what industry you’re in or what your key strengths as a woman business leader are. Following these three principles, you can build a foundation for success in your enterprise.
Make sure you manage relationships carefully, building and maintaining ties with customers, mentors and allies. Identify and pursue your vision, sustaining it in all aspects of your business and personal life. Lastly, centre all your activies on your core values. You cannot sustain your vision unless you connect all that you do to the whole of what you do.
Read Jeanna Goudreau’s complete Forbest article, How to Lead Like Oprah.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Things I’ve learnt About Business!
- YOU: Your Business’ Most Important Asset
- Networking – Improving my ROI
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Things I’ve learnt About Business!
May 25, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
Recently, I was asked to speak about the things I know now that I wish I knew back when I first started in business. This really got me thinking through everything I have done, what I have seen and the mistakes I’ve made. Here is my list of insights that I wish I had known way back when:
- You can save yourself a lot time, redundant emails (and maybe some hurt feelings) simply by picking up the phone or walking across the room to ask the person that question you’re typing right now.
- Employing people who don’t fit is hard work. Look for people who fit your values. Most other things can be taught, picked up, or beaten into them.
- If you’re lucky, your employees will always be smarter than you. Employ for that.
You’ll learn more from people who think differently than you.- That person who you just ‘back stabbed’ will be your boss tomorrow.
- Get a mentor – or 3. Their role is to ground you, build you and comfort you, but never do for you what you must do for yourself.
- You will become who you align yourself with. Pick your advisors/role models wisely.
- Always take the business card. You never know who that stranger really is. (This is how I met my mentor Richard!)
- No is a totally acceptable answer.
- If it’s not your strong skill, hire an expert. It’s a waste of your time, business and money to do it yourself.
- Always remember why you’re doing this. Know what you’re trying to build and why you’re trying to build it. It will see you out of some difficult times. Make sure your team remembers it too.
- You won’t always know what you’re doing or have all the answers. You just need to know where to go to find them.
- It’s never the product or concept that you like that will be successful. It’s what *they (customer)* likes that will sell. Remember that.
- You’ll get more from promoting others than you will from promoting yourself. You’ll also learn more, be introduced to cooler people and hear about things sooner.
- Think before you execute, but don’t procrastinate. A mediocre idea that’s acted upon will always trump the genius idea still in your head.
- You are going to meet some amazing people as result of all the blood, sweat and tears. You just have to relax enough to enjoy it.
Those are the things I wish someone had sat me down and told me when I started on this path. What are some of yours?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- YOU: Your Business’ Most Important Asset
- Networking – Improving my ROI
- “Think & Grow Rich”: Who’s sitting at your table?
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Julie Wise - The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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YOU: Your Business’ Most Important Asset
March 31, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
When you work from home, it can be easy to get caught up in the ‘liberty’ of it all – setting your own work hours, not having to commute, and working when you want to work. To build a successful and sustainable business that will help you live the lifestyle you want to live, you need to take care of your most important asset – YOU.
How? Focus on a few simple things:
Value yourself
As a service professional, your business is YOU, so be sure to be aware of how important you are to your business. When you are putting together your marketing materials, do not undervalue yourself or your service offerings. People will work with you because you are the best at what you do. Be sure you believe that too! On the practical side – this should also help you realise what insurance covers you need.
Value your clients
You also need to value your clients (and potential clients), since working with them is what will allow you to live the lifestyle you want. By knowing what they need, and providing that to them in a really solid way, you will be honouring them (and we all know that means referrals to more great clients, which will build your business!). Open and honest communication with your clients is important too. If you don’t tell them what’s going on – they’ll fill in the gaps themselves.
Outsource
This is such an important thing that people often hesitate to do until it’s almost too late. What specific tasks do you do each day? Which of those items generate revenue for you? Unless you are a bookkeeper, have your books done. Instead of doing every bit of your marketing, have someone help you with newsletters or social media. You should only be doing two things in your business – working with clients and strategic marketing like planning and networking.
Set a schedule
Remember that you not only need office hours for your clients, but for yourself. Schedule everything you can (including potential client follow up!) and hold yourself to your schedule. You will be so much more productive if you are well organized, even if you only work part time.
Work with a coach or mentor
By working with someone who has been where you are, and is far ahead of you, you will get to where you want to be much faster. This also goes right back to valuing yourself.
By making these few simple shifts in your mind, you will naturally focus more on what is important, you will be more productive, and you will realise more success. More importantly you’ll not be isolated and you will have built an invisible thread of connections that you will never know about unless the worst happens.
Building a successful business requires great productivity and that starts with nurturing your most important asset – YOU. Focus on the things that are most important and get support where you need it.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Networking – Improving my ROI
- “Think & Grow Rich”: Who’s sitting at your table?
- A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
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Julie Wise - The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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Networking – Improving my ROI
March 2, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
Did you, like me, create a list of New Year’s resolutions that even as you wrote them your devil’s advocate was saying things like ’Oh there’s one from last year’s list!’, ‘You are kidding with that one aren’t you?’.
In a moment of absolute clarity, I threw out my list. I’m as busy as I can possibly be, so a list of extra resolutions just really isn’t sensible (duh!). 2011, I decided, is the year I change tactics!
So using the latest hippy trend of the “one word mission statements”, I looked long and hard at what I’m doing to find the one area I know isn’t working and to look at a few things that I could really focus all my attention on.
As with all business owners, my 2011 schedule is already well planned and, when I count all the charities, theatre, work functions, seminars, sports and NGO work that I’ve already accepted, I attend an extraordinary a number of events – an average of 15 or so a month. These are fabulous and I wouldn’t change them as I meet people from all over and in all sorts of industries and positions, which over the years has given me a list of contacts of amazing professionals and entrepreneurs.
However, rather than a highly active and informed network, I spend a lot of time with a few while the others go into my ’little black book’ and I have to admit that there are an awful lot of names that I have a hard time remembering who / what & why. I want to change that and make my ‘little black book’ a thriving living thing so I realised that I need to work on the one thing that will provide the biggest bang for my time – return on investment
So, my one-word mission statement is FOLLOW UP.
It’s something that every one of us who takes part in business-to-business networking can do better: Researching the reference material around about what are the key ‘to-dos’ here’s a list of the things that I don’t do now and that I will be doing in 2011.
- Sending thank you notes or at least acknowledging people who’ve given me referrals
- Actually making that coffee appointment that we talked about
- Giving a referral as soon as I think of it (so it’s not forgotten) and getting in the habit of looking for ways to refer more
- Putting people’s information into a trusted system that we’ll use (I’ve started using BatchBook.com – though I’m still partial to paper.)
- Learning about and acknowledging the accomplishments of others (I’ve set up Google alerts for names or their company name)
- Setting aside time every week specifically to do follow-up work
- Having a system in place to help get these things done
I’m still working to put these all into practice and make them a habit – acknowledging.
Will better follow-up give you a big return on investment of your time that is spent on business networking?
If follow-up is your area of improvement, I hope the above lists of ideas are helpful in achieving your networking goal. If it’s a strength, have you got some tips on how you make the connections after the event – I’d love to hear them.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
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Julie Wise - The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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