Bouncing Back
August 31, 2010
By Cat Matson, Alito
I asked a group of managers today how they would describe ‘resilience’. Their respose was ‘how you bounce back’. We then proceeded to have a conversation about maintaining one’s resilience in times of change and stress.
I know from my own experiences of the last few years, resilience can be a resource that slowly wears down. I don’t ‘bounce-back’ as easily as I did 5 years ago, and the conversation got me wondering about we, as Business Leaders and busy women increase our bounce-back-ability.
Rest
For me, a key part of my diminishing ‘elasticity’ is in large part attributed to my new parenting role. My eldest turned five last month, my second and youngest is two and a half. There is rarely a night where I’m not interrupted at least once by at least one of them. The interruptions are short and easily dealt with now, but long gone are the days of a solid eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
I’m also guilty of working late into the evening, largely because I want to and I find that I’m quite productive when I do. However this has a knock-on effect in terms of sleep. Late to bed, interrupted and still early-up to meet the day’s commitments. There’s no doubt more sleep would make the world of difference.
In addition to the sleep is of course just ‘down-time’. I know I’m not alone that as working parents (this is no longer a women-only issue) we are always ‘on’ and there is little opportunity for our own rest and rejuvenation. That of course impacts our resilience resources.
Network
Another contributor to our resilience I think is our ability to bounce ideas and share a common reality. Being a business owner can be lonely at times and there are often few people we can ‘unload’ to. This means thoughts, emotions and frustrations are often bottled up or, if you’re like me, continue in a monotous loop of random internal dialogue. If you’re going through a challenging time, this internal dialogue can have a very slow yet profound impact on your state of mind and therefore your resilience. I noticed in the group I was working with today, the very fact they came from the same organisation and had together experienced rapid change at least normalised their feelings, they were all a bit ‘battered and bruised’ but their resilience was as affected as people who go through such experiences on their own.
Physicality
We know the importance of diet, exercise and personal health and well-being. Nothing more needs to be said. Except that it is important for reasons other than our physical health. Our mental health is dramatically affected too. I know my resilience drops when my exercise drops so finding any time for exercise is important.
They’re my random ramblings about improving my own resilience, my mental notes-to-self about improving my ability to bounce-back. I’m therefore curious and keen to share – what do you do? What works for you?
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY CAT MATSON
- Asking the *Right* Questions to Get the *Right* Answers
- What Every Business Plan Should Have (But Most are Missing)
- Half-Time Address
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Cat Matson - Alito
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| Phone: | 07 3289 7055 |
| Email: | cat@alito.com.au |
| Website: | www.alito.com.au |
| Twitter: | www.twitter.com/catmatson |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/AlitoFusion |
| LinkedIn: | www.linkedin.com/in/CatMatson |
| Blog: | www.alito.com.au/blog |
| Member Profile: | See Cat’s Member Profile |
How to Win Business Awards
August 27, 2010
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
“And the winner is….”
These four words make me giddy, and not just from nerves or anticipation. Having won a few prestigious awards, I know just how powerfully they speak for your business. Whether from industry, government or peers, this kind of recognition boosts your credibility, corporate image and morale, not to mention provides free publicity and opens new doors.
Here are my tips for winning and capitalising on awards….
Be In It to Win It
Is there an enchanted awards fairy who waves her magic wand over deserving businesses? Fortunately, there is not. Any business can nominate for awards — all it takes is the motivation to address sometimes hefty written selection criteria.
Get yourself in the loop the find awards. Sign up for newsletters and regularly check the following resources:
- Federal, state and local government business portals and advisory services
- Peak bodies and industry associations
- Small business media, including trade magazines, websites and blogs
- Google search “industry awards” and the name of your industry.
Stick to the Rules
Judges are at the top of their fields — they’re busy, in demand and stuck reading a mountain of applications, with a cup of coffee as their only companion. What’s more, their time is donated, so make yourself easy to like:
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Only apply for awards that fit with your business and where you are in the business cycle.
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Answer the questions … don’t ramble or stray off topic. If you don’t know what a question really means, call the award host for help.
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Keep your answers clear and simple … give as much information as you can in as few words as possible, and always choose small words over big, bureaucratic ones.
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Stick to word limits. If none are given, keep to a page per question or, again, call that host.
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Be professional — keep formatting basic and consistent, and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Show You’re the Best
The essence of an award application is to demonstrate why you should win. Let me scribble the phrase “demonstrate why” so big that you can see it from space!
You need to show the judges that you’re the best by providing specific examples, case studies and statistics. For instance, “Independent tests show our product is three times safer than competing products”, “Here’s how our partnership with XYZ charity shows our commitment to the community”.
Bang the Gong
Tell the whole world when you win! Undertake a publicity campaign, even if the award organisers also do one:
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Send a media release
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Add the award to your email signature and use the phrase “award-winning” in all future marketing materials
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Make announcements on your website, newsletter, Facebook and Twitter
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Celebrate with a sale, or a party for close friends, associates and VIP customers
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Frame or display your award in your premises.
Want evidence that even the smallest snippet of publicity works? Here’s an excerpt from my Facebook page after my friend Claire recently won an award:
Me: Congratulations Claire Connelly!
Friend 1: Why?
Me: Claire from Papercut was crowned Highly Commended
Business Woman of the Year by the ACT Chamber of
Women in Business.
Friend 2: I’m curious – what is Papercut? What an awesome name for
a business. Am Googling now.
You Don’t Have to Win to Grin
So you didn’t win … perhaps you weren’t even short-listed. There are still ways to make that application work to your advantage:
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Attend any associated award social events. Pack your handbag with business cards and schmooze at presentation ceremonies, cocktail parties and sit-down dinners.
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Send hand-written “thank-you” and “congratulations” cards to the organisers and winners … you never know what relationships might develop.
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Learn from the winner and other finalists. Chat in person or look at their marketing materials and website to see what they do that you don’t.
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Awards selection criteria usually relate to core business, so revisit your business plan and fill any gaps.
Nerida Gill from Admin Bandit and Diane Thornton from Canberra Preschool Society partnered to win a Prime Minister’s Award in 2006 and 2007
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- Get Positive: 5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Thinking
- Feed Your Business: 4 Delicious Lessons from Tuscan Food
- Work Smarter, Not Harder: How to Achieve Balance
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Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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Asking the *Right* Questions to Get the *Right* Answers
August 16, 2010
By Cat Matson, Alito
We ask and answer questions all day, every day. “How are you?” “How was your weekend?” “How’s business going?”
Most of these questions call for superficial, polite answers – “Well thanks”; “Great, how was yours?” and my favourite “Really busy”. 
Different types of questions, of course, need to be asked if we’re going to get meaningful answers. Women have long learned NOT to ask ‘What are you thinking?’ of their men if they want an insight into their mind … but have we learned to ask the ‘right’ questions of ourselves when it comes to our business?
Performance questions are essential to ask on a regular basis:
- What was our revenue this period?
- What was our profit?
- What was our return on time, effort and financial investments?
- What are the trends?
And then to maximise the power of those questions, you need to ask:
- Is that good enough?
- If yes, how do we maintain or improve that performance?
- If not, what needs to happen differently?
- How do we do it differently?
It’s also useful to ask personal effectiveness questions:
- What will I do more of?
- What will I do less of?
- What will I stop doing?
It’s also important to have the right questions asked of you by other people. One of the most valuable aspects of working with a thoughtful business advisor, mentor or colleague is the insights gained from answering the ‘right’ questions. These are the questions that go beyond the transactional ‘what, where and when’ but push through questions of ‘why, how and what if?’
I’m curious … what is the best business question you’ve ever answered? What insights did you gain, and why was it such a potent question?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY CAT MATSON
- What Every Business Plan Should Have (But Most are Missing)
- Half-Time Address
- Can a Mumpreneur Really Crush It? 5 Tips to Myself.
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Cat Matson - Alito
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| Phone: | 07 3289 7055 |
| Email: | cat@alito.com.au |
| Website: | www.alito.com.au |
| Twitter: | www.twitter.com/catmatson |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/AlitoFusion |
| LinkedIn: | www.linkedin.com/in/CatMatson |
| Blog: | www.alito.com.au/blog |
| Member Profile: | See Cat’s Member Profile |
The Business of Busyness
August 13, 2010
By Alycia Edgar, Coastal Accounting Services
How do you keep track of your projects and tasks? How do you get to the end of your day and make sure that you have accomplished your goals for the day? How do you make sure you haven’t been fluffing around being busy but not accomplishing anything? It’s so easy to get stuck in the business of busyness, doing those tasks that are ultimately not important.
Brian Tracey introduced us to the urgent vs important matrix.
From this matrix, you can see that our number 1 priorities should be urgent and important tasks. These are tasks that can have serious consequences if not completed.
Interruptions, emails and the like that appear to be pressing, although urgent, are not that important in driving your business forward as shown in Sector III in the matrix. This is the big busyness sector, when you can appear to be super busy but not really accomplish much. You know this sector, you’ve been there before. I know I have. How do we stop? Delegate.
Sector IV in the matrix relates to all those tasks that are neither urgent nor important, so you shouldn’t be doing them. Get rid of them all together. They are not helping you focus on your goals.
Sector II is not urgent but important. This is the area where business growth occurs and you make time to work on your business. This is where you can truly start to leverage your efforts. Time spent here has a tremendous impact on your business in the long term.
So what should be your focus? Definitely the urgent and important tasks as they have serious consequences attached if not completed. Then, you need to make sure you schedule time to work on the important but not urgent tasks. They drive the business forward and assist you in achieving your goals.
Anything that doesn’t fall into the above two areas should be deferred, delegated or dumped entirely. Rid yourself of the unnecessary tasks that do nothing to fulfill you or your business.
How can you do this? Brian Tracy suggests asking these questions regularly:
- What are my highest value activities? What are the things that contribute the greatest value to my work?
- What is the most valuable use of my time right now?
As a business owner who is constantly fighting the “busyness” disease, I have found the questions above and the matrix very useful in keeping me real and on track. I am fine-tuning my delegation skills, eliminating that unimportant stuff and focusing on the growth aspects of my business. Am I seeing the rewards from this focus? Absolutely!
So tell me what are you doing to keep focused on the important aspects of your business. Have you used any of the tools above? Or do you have other tools you have used to maintain that laser focus?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY ALYCIA EDGAR
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Alycia Edgar - Coastal Accounting Services
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| Phone: | 0403 983 529 |
| Email: | alycia@coastalaccounting.com.au |
| Twitter: | www.twitter.com/alyciaedgar |
| Blog: | www.numbersarelife.com |
| Member Profile: | See Alycia’s Member Profile |
My Favourite Brand
August 9, 2010
By Cheryl Hayman, Hayman Strategy
After many days of thinking; chewing it over; working it out with my hubby and kids; analysing the family’s favourites and their suggestions and views; reviewing my shelves (being a bit food-centric I determined to get past a few “famous” but obvious food brands); then sifting this way and that; I have finally decided that my favourite brand is Lexus.
Being a true marketer at heart and a great early adopter of new brands, products and packaging formats, I wanted to find that ‘certain brand’ that I’d loved for some time.
In the end, I realised that I had been weighing up a number of brand criteria in order to make my final judgment.
My brand had to deliver against the following:
1. A clear differentiated positioning
2. Truly lives up to its positioning in every way
3. Its positioning remains a competitive edge
4. The product delivers 100%
5. Every brand execution- either real or communicated – is flawlessly executed
6. The brand’s personality delivers something special and compelling to me
7. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought
So, Toyota’s Lexus brand won the day for me. My five-year relationship with Lexus has never been anything but loving.
And why? Well, there has never been any question that the customer is the centre of the Lexus brand’s world. Every aspect of the brand – product, service, communication – stays true to a positioning that delivers an unsurpassed standard of ‘indulgent care’ to me.
No other luxury car brand provides the level of service or the quality of included features and standards, in my eyes, to its customers. Lexus doesn’t stop with the big things, but makes the little things count. Whether it’s the Lexus Encore programme and its associated partnerships, or the lady who answers the phone when you book your service, every single interaction with the Lexus brand engages and refreshingly delivers against the brand proposition.
So in the end, maybe it is that it always delivers. In all ways, that sets it apart. Maybe it’s a highly charged emotional attachment on my part, or maybe (happily) it’s both. Many brands in many categories could certainly learn some lessons from the simplicity of Lexus’ clear positioning and make a concerted effort to deliver more than 100% at every chance in the way that this brand has always done for me.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY CHERYL HAYMAN
- Tips for Marketing to Small Business Owners
- Romancing the Services Industry – can you relate?
- The Power of Segmentation – have you considered it lately?
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Cheryl Hayman - Hayman Strategy
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| Phone: | 0408 200 545 or 02 9555 5776 |
| Website: | www.haymanstrategy.com |
| Email: | cheryl@haymanstrategy.com |
| Twitter: | www.twitter.com/cherylhayman |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/cheryl.hayman |
| LinkedIn: | |
| Member Profile: | See Cheryl’s Member Profile |
Preparing For the “Real World” of Working
August 6, 2010
By Laura Thomas, Intern at Australian Businesswomen’s Network
If you would have asked me a year ago where I would be during my summer break 2010 (Northern Hemisphere summer is June – September), there’s absolutely no way I would have answered ‘Australia’. I have been fortunate enough to participate in a ten-week international internship since June with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network.
I always knew I wanted to travel abroad in college, so I figured, ‘What better time than now?’ I am a senior business management/financial management major from the United States, and I will be graduating in December. Basically, it was now or never!
I have already reaped so many of the rewards from participating in an international internship (and I still have two weeks with the company). For starters, I am working at a smaller organization. As opposed to working at a larger corporation, the ABN gives me meaningful work that directly affects the company.
A few of the tasks I’ve participated in include:
- Proofreading and editing blog posts, eNewsletters and email announcements before they are sent to the ABN community.
- Learning and using the program Hootsuite, a website that manages social media. Through this website, I send ‘tweets’ to the ABN Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.
- Leading the Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame update project. I researched contact details for the past 150 inductees, contacted those I could find and organised the information as they responded. This project gave me a chance to work with the other interns in a team setting.
The opportunity to strengthen my transitional skills is another huge advantage I’ve acquired from working at the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. In the not-so-far-away future, I will be out in the ‘real world’ looking for a job. The skills I’ve accommodated from this internship will be evident when glancing at my resume, especially if I get an interview!
Skills I have strengthened through the ABN include:
- Communication – written, verbal and nonverbal
- Leadership
- Office
- Planning/Time Management
- Technological/Social Networking
Every year, the ABN takes in international interns from the United States and Hong Kong. Li Lilly Kar Wan (Lilly) was one of five interns at the ABN during summer break 2010. Lilly is a recently graduated marketing major from Hong Kong, who decided to conduct an internship in Australia before starting a graduate program in the UK.
When I asked Lilly if she has been enjoying her internship at the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, she replied:
“Spending my two months this year being an intern at the ABN is absolutely one of the most memorable moments in my life. The internship has always been rewarding and fruitful, as it has enriched my mind and broadened my horizons. Above all, I get to experience a very different working culture as I am from Hong Kong.
My job tasks in the ABN are diverse and varied. From every single one of them, I can immerse myself into different roles, while learning different skills and techniques to help build my future career path. I treasure these learning opportunities a lot, and hopefully they will be the bridge that transforms me from a student to a professional.
People at the ABN are truly nice and helpful. The atmosphere is always relaxing and enjoyable. This adds up to make the whole internship more joyous and memorable for me. All in all, I really love this country, this company and everybody I have met during this trip!”
I fully agree with Lilly, so a big THANK YOU goes out to the Australian Businesswomen’s Network for taking me in and helping me grow.
Get Positive: 5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Thinking
July 26, 2010
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
It’s a new financial year. The first buds of spring are with us, so I’m ready to wake from winter’s coma and leap into the warm, new season. And what better way to start than to re-evaluate my thinking, to sweep away the cobwebs of old habits and embrace a more positive outlook.
Not that I want to see the world through unrealistic rose-coloured glasses, it’s just that I know positive people are healthier, more confident, live longer and get more done.
So here’s my five-step plan to boost the ole’ attitude….
"I Want Love" by Pakorn Rattanasuteeranon
Say “No” to Bad News
I feel duped. Somewhere along the line, someone decided knowing about all the crime, death and disaster in the world makes us “well-informed”. Well, I’ve got news for you — the media feeds us gruesome stories because they sell. That’s right, news is a business. Gore is strangely tantalising, and the more we tune in, the more money the media can charge advertisers. So tune out; say “no” to bad news and fill your mind with uplifting stuff instead.
Get It In Perspective
It’s easy to dwell on worries and mistakes, so much so that we blow them out of proportion. Get things in perspective by asking yourself a series of questions:
- Will it matter next week?
- Will it matter next year?
- Will it matter in 20 years?
- Will it matter at the end of my life?
Your answers will help you see the problem as it really is and deal with it effectively.
Superwoman is a Fictional Character
She’s has 2.1 children, yet, looks hot in a bikini. Her career has shattered the glass ceiling, and the house is spotless. She can wear white (even when the kids are teething) and she’s eating spaghetti.
Meet superwoman. Don’t you want to be like her? Don’t you secretly hate her?
Thank goodness she only exists in comics strips, movies and advertisements. That’s right, she’s a fictional character!
So stop putting pressure on yourself, and tell that critical inner voice to shut-up. Remember that you have value … simply because you exist. And nothing you can do or say can change the truth that you are special.
Yes, people are imperfect and make mistakes. But it’s through these things that we grow and experience fully what it means to be human.
Perk Yourself Up
Is life getting you down? Here are a few practical ideas to cheer you up:
- Write a list of everything you love, from the way the dog waggles its tail when you walk through the door to how beach sands feels under your feet.
- Hang out with positive people — it’s contagious.
- Question your thinking. What are the alternatives to the way you’re seeing or responding to an issue?
- Smile at or compliment people as much as possible today. The joy of giving will surprise you.
- Talk to a counsellor if past experiences are troubling you. Sometimes, the act of telling your life story out loud is enough for healing.
Down is Not a Dirty Word
Finally, it’s okay to feel down sometimes. As King Solomon said (and The Byrds paraphrased), “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven”. The fact is that you simply would not be a flesh-and-blood person if you didn’t experience the full gamut of human emotions.
The point is not what you feel, but how you deal with it. Remember that you have a choice. If the so-called “negative” emotions are lingering far too long, develop a plan, talk to someone you trust or see a doctor.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- Feed Your Business: 4 Delicious Lessons from Tuscan Food
- Work Smarter, Not Harder: How to Achieve Balance
- 4 Tips for Better Email
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Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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Keep the Passion And Stay Strong On Price: Reflections from NSBS 2010
July 21, 2010
By Anne Sorensen, Marketing Is Us
Small business owners tend to be passionate. With our businesses forming such a significant part of our lives, it wasn’t surprising that passion was a recurring theme at July’s National Small Business Summit held in Brisbane.
Opened by the passionate Minister of Small Business, The Hon Dr. Craig Emerson, MP, the Summit was a jammed packed day and evening of learning, inspiration and networking.
In addition to the pollies (the Hon Leader of the Opposition presented an energetic address which aimed to be ‘non political, non partisan!’), the morning commenced with a conversation with Australia’s top public servants about the regulations that affect small business. Included on the panel was ASIC Chairman, Tony D’Aloisio and the Australian Tax Commissioner, Michael D’Ascenzo. This was the second time I’d heard Michael speak, and he continues to strike me as a very marketing oriented Commissioner with his focus upon putting the “taxpayers and the community at the heart of the ATO’s thinking. “
Ben White, Director of Optus Strategy and Corporate Development, highlighted the real value of the national broadband network. However, for me the morning’s highlight was the Kochie’s Business Builders’ (KBB) Panel Session ‘Red Hot Sales, Marketing and Social Media Strategies‘. Passion abounded.
Some of the great insights from the panelists included those from Dell’s US social media executive, Richard Binhammer, who said, “Share the passion for your business and connect. The reddest, hottest thing about social media is that in fact it allows you to connect more strongly, in a real way.”
Richard encouraged businesses to share the good news stories.
Telstra Business Award winning entrepreneur Valerie Khoo, founder of the Sydney Writers’ Centre, is passionate about leveraging technology to build business. She urged businesses to collect contact information via their websites, then communicate with customers in the way promised. Valerie also encouraged businesses to consider social media (particularly blogs and Facebook) to engage with customers. She advised businesses to not be deterred by the time required for this medium. “You’re in total control of how much time you spend,” Valerie lectured.
The afternoon featured some streamed workshops.
In the ‘Small is Beautiful‘ session, Robert Gerrish, founder of Flying Solo – Australia’s micro business community with more than 25,000 members, discussed the findings of ‘Understanding Micro Business’, a comprehensive survey of over 1,300 business owners and stated, “The more we work the happier we are.”
In the same session, small business consultant and KBB marketing guru, Linda Hailey reminded, “Passion is what makes you beautiful.”
The ‘Truly Tech Savvy’ was one of the most popular sessions, highlighting the increased consciousness amongst business owners of the opportunities created by technology.
The workshop ‘Cash is Still King’ explored cash flow management techniques small businesses can use to drive revenue and improve debtor management. Angela McDonald, Director of Optimum Recoveries, spoke about the value of obtaining credit checks for clients and your own business, whilst Chartered Accountant, Susan Milicevic of Aspire Consulting, emphasized the importance of having a cash flow plan.
The program’s other significant recurring theme was price.
Julia Bickerstaff, Owner of The Business Bakery and a KBB finance expert, urged businesses to price strongly and confidently. “You can’t win by being cheap,” she said. “Talk price early, and talk price often. Position away from price; be different, special, unique. Make yourself different.”
Linda Hailey agreed, “Think positive. Don’t chase the volume, chase the value. Don’t discount – value add.”
Michael Derin, Managing Director of Azure Group, summed up, “Small business is about the customer. Surround yourself with clients who appreciate and will pay you for what you do. Value yourself as a small business owner.”
According to Mike O’Hagen, Founder and Owner of Mini Movers – a company with more than 500 employees and $30 million annual turnover, the outlook for small business looks good. “In 30 years of business, there have never been so many opportunities,” commented Mike.
The Summit concluded with a dinner that featured several inspirational small business success stories. My favourites included Leanne Faulkner, Founder of Billie Goat Soap – a business that after only running five years has been named as Supplier of the Year to Myer. A beautifully produced and packaged product – you can feel the passion in its making.
Also inspiring was John Sharpe, Managing Director of Riverlife – an innovative company based in Brisbane, who was dedicated to providing “dynamic, fun and heart pumping adventure experiences” that embrace Brisbane’s culture and history.
Roseanne Anderson, Founder of success story Cyber Hair, reiterated the now familiar theme, “My business is my passion.”
We departed with new contacts, knowledge, inspiration and renewed passion (matched only perhaps by David Koch’s amazing energy still evident at 11pm after his 3 am start!).
Thanks COSBOA, PinStripe Media and all sponsors and supporters for a great event.
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Anne Sorensen - Marketing Is Us
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| Email: | anne@marketingisus.com.au |
| Website: | www.marketingisus.com.au |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/MarketingIsUsFans |
| Twitter: | www.twitter.com/marketingisus |
| Blog: | www.marketingisus.com.au/blog |
| LinkedIn: | www.linkedin.com/in/annesorensen |
| Member Profile: | See Anne’s Member Profile |
Feed Your Business: 4 Delicious Lessons from Tuscan Food
July 13, 2010
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
Where do you go for holidays when you already live in one of the world’s most divine locations?
Recently in Tuscany on the first leg of a dreamy overseas trip, I couldn’t help but ask this question.
How could I not?
This tiny region in central Italy is less than a third of Tasmania’s size, yet overflows with medieval villages, olive groves and vineyards. What’s more, it’s the birthplace to a stack of those names everyone knows — Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Dante, Botticelli … need I go on?
As for culinary delights, I had the idea for an article that linked Tuscan staples to small business while eating lunch on the terrace of a rustic country villa. Sigh … for you, dear reader, I over-indulged in each of the following four:
Pecorino Toscano
Tuscans are proud of this sheep’s milk cheese, which is eaten at any of three stages — fresh, medium-aged or mature. From soft and delicate to firm and sharp, the cheese changes with time, but no stage is considered superior. Each one is simply different.
The same goes for your business. Nothing in our world is static, so understand that the flavour and character of what you do will also change. It’s not better or worse. The point is to accept change, and use it to grow and refine your business.
Olive Oil
Known as “liquid gold”, Tuscan olive oil is said to be the best, and considering every single olive is picked by hand, that’s no mean feat (especially when you realise it takes about 1,250 olives to make a litre!).
In our mechanised world, people long for the personal touch, so let your humanity show. It takes time to hand-write “thank you” notes, have a meeting over coffee, or engage in real conversations with your customers, but the reward is a better quality product or service and a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
Chianti
One of the best known Italian wines, chianti is a lush, fruity red produced only in Tuscany. Its high acid content makes it an incredibly flexible drop that can be paired with many foods.
The obvious business parallel is to be flexible, because you never know what challenges, changes and chances lie ahead.
Acid, however, has strange properties. The same thing that ensures flexibility also purifies and preserves. Think of a rusted metal garden bench, for example, acid removes the rust and, thus, restores beauty and usefulness.
Does anything in your business need refurbishing?
Wild Boar
Wild boar, or cinghiale, takes me straight back to childhood (I immediately picture Asterix and Obelix biffing Roman legionaries and then feasting on whole, spit-roasted pigs)!
Unfortunately, cooking wild boar isn’t that easy in real life, at least in Tuscany (from where many of those above-mentioned victims probably hailed).
Wild boar may be delicious, but it requires complicated preparation, a long list of ingredients and slow cooking to get the most tender results.
The same could be said of starting a business. Like wild boars, the forest is full of raw ideas, but it takes planning and patience to realise their full potential.
Think of something you can do to add more flavour to your business; revisit your business plan, enroll in a short course or access the federal government’s business portal.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
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Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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Are you working to your strengths? Are you living your best life?
June 18, 2010
I’ve got some bad news…
Studies in over 35 developed countries have shown that women have become more stressed and less happy despite securing greater opportunity, greater achievement, greater influence, more free time and more money over the past four decades.
The same research has revealed men, by contrast, get happier as they age.
Apparently we also focus on our weaknesses (and trying to fix them) rather than working to our strengths.
What a drag!
But here’s the good news..
- But here’s the good news..
Next week, strengths and leadership expert, and author of Find Your Strongest Life – What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently, Marcus Buckingham will be in Sydney to present a morning workshop to help women discover our strengths and the roles that will make us most happy.
Quote "ABN" to save $50
Quote "ABN" to save $50
SPECIAL ABN DISCOUNT OFFER
We’re proud to support this event, presented by Business Connect. And, we’ve arranged a $50 discount for ABN clients. Register for the seminar, being held in Sydney on 23 June 2010, at www.businessconnect.com.au or call 1300 721 778.
QUOTE ABN to save $50 off the full price of the program.
Are you working to your strengths? Take the Test.
Take the Find Your Strongest Life test here… just for fun, and perhaps some illumination.
To complete Buckingham’s Strong Life Test, visit http://www.stronglifetest.com
About his message, Buckingham says:
“When we look at what makes people engaged and fulfilled with their lives, everyone from economists to psychologists seems to agree that the feeling of self-efficacy, feeling valued and effective and in your ’strength zone’ is critical—that the happiest, most successful people are those who have figured out ways to play to the best of themselves in each part of their lives.”
Watch this video from US Fox Business TV for an insight into the core message.
A couple of tips from the video:
- Stop focusing on your flaws and failures
- Allow people to start thinking about the strengths you bring
- How to make the most contribution from your strengths
Sounds good to me.
About Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham has dedicated his career to helping individuals discover and capitalise on their personal strengths. Hailed as a visionary by corporations such as Toyota, Coca-Cola, Master Foods, Microsoft and Disney, he has helped to usher in the “strengths revolution”, persuasively arguing that people are dramatically more effective, fulfilled and successful when they are able to focus on the best of themselves.
