A modern business can be submerged in numbers. As collecting data becomes easier and more widespread, with the introduction of new software, it can be understandably difficult to keep on top of. Many business leaders will rely on their financial department, or resident maths boffins, to make sense of these details and feedback the relevant information. However…

Going into a supermarket hungry can be a big mistake; being surrounded by shelves of tempting treats can frequently lead to unnecessary purchases. The chocolate bar you pick up just before the checkout may seem like a good idea at the time, but in truth you never intended to buy it, it’s not nutritious and it’s not filling. Having a clear idea of what you want and sticking to it should be the strategy, but succumbing to short-term desires can often be the outcome…

Take a look at your company. What would you identify as your areas of particular strength? This could be a product, a service, or your communication with customers. As it stands, these company competencies are the reason people do business with you. Therefore, you should look to build your organisation around them for the best chance of success…

If we personally suffer from short sightedness (myopia) there are a few well proven options, glasses, contact lenses, etc., to correct this condition. Unfortunately, when organisations suffer from a similar condition, in terms of anticipating the future, the solutions can be more difficult to implement. Sometimes a degree of denial can be in place, which can make admitting this condition more complex. For humans, myopia is not terminal but inconvenient; for companies it can be far more serious…

As an effective leader, visualising the future has no value if you cannot communicate it.

Storytelling has been a valued art since the beginning of human civilisation. Those who could most effectively communicate gained authority and prestige. The fact that Homer’s Odyssey is still studied on syllabuses today is testament to the value our society puts in telling a good tale. Beyond fiction however, creating an engaging narrative is also a vital tool in inspiring others and recruiting them to your cause…

Marie Kondo is an organising consultant whose methodical approach to decluttering has grown a worldwide following over the past few years. Her practices are built around a simple, five-step process:

1. Discarding by category comes first.

2. Break a category into subcategories as necessary.

3. Keep only those things that spark joy.

4. After you’ve finished discarding, organise your space thoroughly and completely.

5. Do it all in one go.

There is an amount of detail behind each step, but the basic principle is to keep things that serve or bring you joy. Simple but liberating when applied…

• Is the gap between the business you want to create and reality growing?

• Do you wish to develop you company but are unsure either of what improvements to make or how to implement them?

• Are you frustrated because your efforts and outcomes seem imbalanced?

If any of these concerns apply, you may be caught in the success trap…

Stickiness refers to the commitment a person has to an organisation, cause, or belief. Having a high degree of stickiness will not only result in greater stakeholder retention, but also stakeholder engagement. Customers will spend more, employees will be more productive, and suppliers will be more collaborative. This is an effective attribute because finding new stakeholders is a greater drain on resources; this will also provide a more certain financial base to develop from…

Satisfied clients/customers might continue their relationship with your company, but there is always the possibility that they may choose one of your competitors with a more favourable offering. Therefore, the best way to retain their business is to delight them, going beyond what they would expect…

True reciprocal relationships are the most productive as loyalty and engagement are cultivated. Therefore, demonstrating your appreciation for your stakeholder will make these relationships longer lasting. If your clients, employees, or suppliers feel unrecognised or under-valued they will begin to consider your competitors…

During my work as a coach, one of the situations I come across most frequently is business owners and leaders that are operating profitable, growing companies but do not feel successful. There is a misalignment between what the numbers are saying and how things are really progressing both for them and their team. They fit the analogy of the swan well, where things seem serene above the water, but this is at odds with the stress and strains below which are maintaining momentum. I call this condition the success trap…

During the pandemic, most business have had to adapt their processes and offerings. This is particularly true for the health and fitness sector whose communal gyms and active spaces have been closed. Consequently, developing a service that could function without physical interaction became essential if great losses were to be avoided…

Strategy can be related to the longer-term mission and vision you want your company to achieve. Tactics are shorter-term actions that keep you aligned with whatever the current trends may be or the immediate challenges and opportunities you might have. Pricing, positioning, and proposition can be tactically adjusted to make sure the overall strategy is running effectively…

Black & Decker are a company who realised that by empowering their employees they could improve their current processes. Stocking a multitude of different products, Black & Decker’s sales staff must have a wide knowledge that covers their offerings. A two-week training period could get them to a reasonable standard where they had a basic knowledge…

If a business wants to achieve sustained growth and improvement, responsibility must be shared effectively across it. Over reliance or one or a few leaders will result in a workload imbalance which will affect efficiency and productivity. Therefore, empowering different members of staff to hone and expand their skillsets is a good way to attain this…

In all markets, evolving to match developing trends in necessary, but this is particularly relevant in the energy sector. OVO Energy are a good example of this, who have designed their long-term strategy in alignment with a programme of continuing revision…

An established structure and strategy are important when running an organisation but developing new ideas should also be a focus. Becoming too comfortable, or reliant on the information and processes you already have can make your company sluggish in its reaction to changing circumstances, or emerging trends. This lack of agility can lead to stagnation, and beyond this decline. The most successful businesses challenge their current operations and invest in fresh initiatives to maintain or improve their performance…

Ben & Jerry’s are a company who recognise the importance of involving customers in their brand. They created the ‘Do the World a Flavor’ campaign that allowed members of the public to design their own ice cream, for the chance to see them sold on the high street.

In a specifically developed piece of software customers could choose the base flavour, chunks, swirls, and name of their unique creation. The recipes that were chosen would be released at Ben & Jerry’s outlets for a year, and standout successes such as ‘Cherry Garcia’ would continue to be produced…

To create engaged stakeholders you have to make them part of your brand story, so they feel aligned and involved with your mission. Cultivating these valuable relationships is important not just because retention will result in higher profits, but because of the high-quality marketing resource they represent…

The petrochemical company Shell recognise the importance of balancing their various stakeholder relationships. As environmental awareness rises, Shell must ensure they are satisfying a multitude of demands that not only keep their business running profitably, but also attend to evolving attitudes on natural resources…