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How do you show up for work?

How do you show up for work? No this is not about your fashion or dress sense, but more about the emotional engagement you have when you walk in the door at work.

 

Workplace

The Gallup surveys tell us that the majority of the work force in USA is not engaged in their day to day activities at work. More to this is that a vast amount of available time and energy goes towards covering their backs and hiding their mistakes from colleagues and superiors. All this reduces the input and impact on the businesses output. How sad it must be to not want to go to your place of work where you spend up to 40% of your time.

Running a small business requires the same if not more energy to keep afloat. There is a constant battle to keep the ship upright and headed in the right direction. There is no time to be disengaged of distracted from the task at hand. A business owner and their staff need to be focused on the vision, lead by the mission and guided by the values and keep the eyes on the prize at all times.

But this is not always possible; things do go wrong. People have off days, get sick and have personal issues with each other. During these times the balls get dropped and issues fall through the cracks. It is a business that has well defined business procedures and processes that will thrive even in bad times. Simple well rehearsed drills, similar to a good sports team, will keep the ship on course.

As a manager, take time to flow chart the processes within your department and reduce, where required to paper using lists, flow charts and forms. Introduce these to the staff through training sessions and then encourage and enforce their use until they become automatic and part of the everyday life in the office.

Then sit back and manage by exception rather than fighting fires. This just makes your life a little easier and allows your staff to be more engaged with the purpose of the business not their personal agendas.

By |2016-11-01T10:20:20+02:00October 14th, 2015|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Are you afraid of failure? Well, you are not alone.

Most of us have exactly what it takes to start a business, achieve our goals or embark on any important journey in our lives, yet we find it difficult to take the first step simply because of one thing – fear of failure.

We are all afraid of failure, but does it mean we have to stop trying?

Taking action can be the most difficult step and can appear to be paralysing from time to time, but remember there is no success without failure. Everyone who is successful will tell you about the many hurdles they had to jump for them to get to where they are.

Success in life or business doesn’t happen until you take that very first step towards reaching your goal. As Don Shula once stated, “the start is what stops most people”. Well, fear of failure at the starting point contributes largely towards many people not taking off at all when they have the potential to reach for the stars.

Remember that everything you want is on the other side of failure.

It may seem like failure tends to be more public than success, hence we try to avoid it and question ourselves every time we have new ideas. But the simple truth is – no great success was ever achieved without failure.

Instead of seeing failure as a measure of your capability, rather see it as a learning curve. The renowned Mike Lipkin once unpacked the acronym FAIL as standing for ‘First Action In Learning’. So pick up your lesson and have the second attempt in being better equipped.

Go out there and use that knowledge that you have inside of you. That small business idea you have, act on it.  Most of us have exactly what we need to get to our goals, but we make excuses not to even get started.

Living a successful life is all about experimenting and trying new things. The more things you try, the closer you will get to true success.

Just to borrow from Robert F. Kennedy, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

the bridge

 

 

 

 

By |2016-11-01T10:20:20+02:00October 12th, 2015|General|0 Comments

Bruce on Business – The power of assumption

If there’s s anything that we learned from the host team England over the weekend , it’s that you have to be careful about assuming that others see the world the way you do. It’s very easy for any organization, a team or a company to get caught up in its own echo chamber of like-minded believers, forgetting that there need to check and make sure that the vision and the goal  matches the external reality, or you could be enthusiastically charging towards a similar shock as the England rugby team that has fallen by the way side.

In business, most companies are the centers of their own universes. It’s a natural enough impression; after all, the products and services they offer are on their minds 24/7. The trap is in those companies deluding themselves into thinking that they are as important to their customers as they are to themselves.

But how do we fix that?

Make sure you are continuously seeking a more thorough and objective understanding of your customers, harness the fresh perspectives of new employees, and have the humility to recognize that your customers may have needs and lives beyond your company. Admit where you maybe wrong.

Don’t wait for a catastrophe to show you when you’ve become too caught up in your own hype.

By |2016-11-01T10:20:20+02:00October 5th, 2015|Bruce on Business|0 Comments

How to live your dream as an entrepreneur and see it pay off

Do you have the energy, passion and attitude to start a business?

When developing a dream as an entrepreneur, having a proper structure and procedure is where to start. Do a thorough research about the business you want to venture into, ask questions from every different angle. Think of the various ways of doing things differently from your competitors – a lot of creativity and innovation might come pouring out of that. Have a long term plan. Just like a house needs a good foundation, starting a business does too – otherwise your business is bound to fall by the wayside and therefore fail to fulfil its mission.

But to know how not to fail in business, it is essential to know what makes start-up businesses to fail.

Some of the things that can make a business to fail are poor planning, lack of financial resources and lack of knowledge.

Every year thousands of people start businesses, but how many of those keep their businesses operational throughout the year? If you cannot endure the stress of running or starting a business then you will surely need to rethink your idea of starting one.  All businesses, no matter the size, need hard work, energy and passion.

Just to borrow from Dr William Arthur Ward: “The gates of opportunity and advancement swing on these four hinges: initiative, industry, insight and integrity.” So, go out there and grab every opportunity that will steer your passion towards fulfilling your dream in business.

By |2015-09-28T13:16:41+02:00September 28th, 2015|General|0 Comments

The Strategy of a Coach

This week we have seen the beginning of the Rugby World Cup, and for all South Africans, it has been a bit of a disastrous start for the Springboks.

But let’s look at the SA – Japan game through a different lens: One team walked onto the field with enough experience and confidence to beat any team in the world, but the coach was ill-prepared, had not done their homework and did not have a good strategy.

The other team walked onto the field with the worst World Cup record, but the Coach who sat in the management box, had not only experience but a plan of action, execution and the confidence what he had mapped out would work.

And it did. The Japanese team took the Springboks to task. They out played, out tackled and out ran us. The Coaches plan was revealed in their clever plays and counter strategy for everything that the springboks had planned.

Even at half time, a time where a good coach has a chance to re-strategize based on the first half, the Springboks returned to the field with the same losing game plan and predictable moves.

The same applies to businesses. Each business, no matter how confident or experienced, needs a good solid, updated strategy. This strategy needs to be created together with an experienced coach or mentor. This coach needs to have the education, experience and ideas to counter the ever evolving markets and business conditions.

Just trying to do the same old, over and over in business, does not, and never will get different results. We are called to drive forward, counter any opposition and implement our creative strategies each and every day.

If you find yourself like a losing team, maybe it is time to find a better coach.

By |2016-11-01T10:20:20+02:00September 25th, 2015|General|0 Comments

EI introduces BoB (Bruce on Business)

BoB is the new YouTube series that EI has given birth to. This series is aimed at empowering both you and your business. On this series we are gonna have a number of interviews, a couple of interesting topics that will be of great help in growing your business and entrepreneurial  tips. We will also have a look at what’s in the business library – where Bruce will share a little bit of what he is currently reading.

This series is gonna be in an interactive set up where we will talk to and with you. It’d  really be great to hear from you after every topic. Your comments and views are very important. Please subscribe here and watch the series where we help you grow your business.

 

 

By |2016-11-01T10:20:21+02:00September 18th, 2015|General|0 Comments

What does the shape of your logo say about your brand?

We all know that a logo is the trademark that represents and identifies your brand.  It is probably the first thing your customers think of when it comes to identifying your brand. Logo design is a true art – from the colour to shape. A good logo should stir up some emotions in a client. It should infer particular qualities about your brand. Shapes

Now let’s look at the shape of your logo, what does it say about your brand? Straight lines, circles, curves, triangles, squares, all imply different meanings.

Circles, rings & ovals – circles have an implication of community, unity, friendship, relationship, a sense of belonging. Rings give an implication of marriage and partnership.

Triangles & squares – mean stability and can also be used to imply balance.

Lines – Vertical lines are associated with masculinity and strength. While horizontal lines suggest community, tranquillity and calm.

Rounded letters, jagged and angular typefaces – give a dynamic, soft and youthful appeal.

By |2016-11-01T10:20:21+02:00September 17th, 2015|General|0 Comments

Habits that successful people follow 

To achieve high levels of success, you must start developing the habits of the highly successful.Habits

No matter where you are in life, there is always more to reach for.  When you constantly strive to become a better person and invest in your future daily, you grow as an individual. When you grow, your value increases. The more your value increases, the more successful you will become – and it all starts with your habits.

We all know that not every habit is a good one, but one needs to have a desire to develop a good habit in order to succeed.

The first thing to do when working to towards success is changing the habits that do not add any value to your life and learn how to direct your energy towards the most rewarding tasks in your life.

Take a look into your life and check if the things that you are doing have the potential to bring the most reward to you and your business. If not, then it is time to change your habits.

Prioritizing is one habit you need to adopt if you want to succeed in doing business. High achievers never lose sight of what their major goal is. Think of what the most important thing to achieve at the moment is, and work hard to achieve it. Work hard every day and do something that brings you closer to achieving your goal.

To be successful you need to have a positive attitude towards everything. Turn every negative thing into positive. A huge number of successful entrepreneurs have experienced some set back or negativity somewhere in their journeys that could have made them quit. But instead of quitting they had a positive mental attitude about themselves and their abilities, which gave them the power needed to continue along and reach their goals.

 

By |2016-11-01T10:20:21+02:00September 14th, 2015|Business Resources, Entrepreneurship|0 Comments

Reflections – Refugee Crisis

syrian-refugees-infographic-mercy-corpsOne only has to turn on any news channel or read the front page of a newspaper to be reminded of the ever growing refugee crisis in Europe. This is an issue that we have not seen on this scale since the second world war with thousands of people fleeing to what they hope to be a better life.

 What has this to do with Entrepreneurship? As I pause and reflect on the European issues, I must also think about similar ongoing issues in Africa and Asia that too often don’t get the headlines. But the human tragedy remains the same: People pushed outside their current lives, comfort zones and security into a strange place, strange people, no safety, no fall back and no support. Through all this they have to fend for themselves, their families and their futures. Now it sounds like your every day Entrepreneur.

I am not, in no way, making light of the real human tragedy in the world, but too often we as Entrepreneurs are being forced into a similar type of place. Survival and day to day living for a lot of small businesses is a very real process.

What we may need to set up in Africa are Entrepreneur camps, to cater for those who find themselves out in a strange land with no guidance or hope or future and fend for them with care, guidance and education, giving them a new direction for the future, hope for tomorrow and encouragement for today.

These places actually exist, but are too often empty and not used. Places like Entrepreneur Incubator and Academy, Shanduka Black Umbrellas, Business Place and others have proven processes and programmes ready for those entrepreneur refugees, waiting with open doors for those in need of help to come in, seek shelter and gain a new hope for a new future.

No quota system or government allocation is needed here, just a willingness of those wanting help.

By |2016-11-01T10:20:21+02:00September 11th, 2015|Refelctions|0 Comments

How fonts affect your brand.

FontsDid you ever think that choosing a font for your brand could be of such huge importance?

Well, just like colour, the type of font you use on your brand says a lot about it.

Font selection plays an important role in sending the right message in a brand or logo design. It is for this very reason important to invest a lot in selecting an appropriate font when designing a logo.

Your logo, right from the font, the colour and shape, should provide an immediate sense of what your company is all about.

When selecting a font, ensure that all parties working with that brand adhere to predefined standards and styling conventions of your brand. If the logo design has a mismatching font, then it is a disaster.

Different fonts work best for different businesses, because every company is unique. For example, a logo for a legal firm, which should convey honorability, strength and justice, might best be represented in a bold, straightforward font free of flourish, whereas a candy shop might opt for a spontaneous font that communicates youth, sweetness and fun. Similarly, an art store can’t have a quiet and boring font.

Each brand stands for something unique. It has its own personality. A font has the ability to deliver the brand identity beyond the literal sense.

Here is three things to look at when selecting a font:

Legibility – Any text information presented should be easy to read. A font that is too difficult to grasp can make your logo less legible. The right font can deliver the message with clarity.

Originality – Originality in your logo is very important. Choosing an overused font style will make your logo look repetitive and therefore it will lack the uniqueness in it.

Flexibility – Your font should look good on all the channels it is used. It should look good both on paper and a computer screen. It should be recognisable in any type of print medium.

Fonts really do matter; they can influence the persuasion and perception of a customer or client.

By |2016-11-01T10:20:21+02:00September 10th, 2015|General|0 Comments
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