Articles

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 25 October 2017.  See www.theinformer.co.nz Employing staff can be daunting.  Will they do a good job?  Will your customers and employees like them?  What are the legal requirements?  The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and the Inland Revenue Department have free information toRead more

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 30 August 2017.  See www.theinformer.co.nz Have you ever been asked to sponsor an event, community organisation, or prize?  If you’re in business, chances are you have.  While generosity is generally good for your brand, does your sponsorship spend really work for you? A sponsorshipRead more

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 27 September 2017.  See www.theinformer.co.nz Heraclitus famously said ‘the only thing that is constant is change’.  This is certainly true in the business environment.   While we are improving our organisations, for example by changing our marketing material or introducing innovation in the supply chain,Read more

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 26 July 2017. See www.theinformer.co.nz. Organisations increase the likelihood of being successful when everyone in them is pulling in the same direction. Unfortunately it is not easy to get everyone working towards the same goals all of the time as there are a number ofRead more

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 5 July 2017. See www.theinformer.co.nz. Many of us rely on the work of others to help us achieve our goals, but are we leaders? Simon Sinek says that “leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly, a way ofRead more

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 26 April 2017.  See www.theinformer.co.nz Many profitable business ideas fail because there is insufficient cash to pay the bills when they fall due.  The risk of being unable to meet financial obligations exists in every business, but it is especially high for businesses withRead more

This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer of 29 March 2017.  See www.theinformer.co.nz. Many business owners scramble from one task to another but never reach their goals.  If this sounds like you then here are three tips that will help bring purpose to your busyness: Clarify your business’ mission in a coupleRead more

  Did you know that being generous is good for your brand? Many businesses have discovered that genuine generosity can result in increased respect in the marketplace, improved well-being in the community, and enhanced opportunities to make connections.  These factors will, in turn, result in your business being front of mind when people are readyRead more

There is an old adage: ‘what gets measured gets done’. Businesses who consistently reach their goals typically focus a lot of attention on getting a handful of key activities right.  These activities are called ‘critical success factors’.  For a tradesperson one critical success factor could be maximising chargeable hours, for a fast food outlet itRead more

One of the well-known ingredients for organisational success is the ability to excel at meeting customers’ needs.  Yet all too often organisations’ attempts at customer service leave their customers dissatisfied.   Why is this? My reflections on the poor service that I have noticed in recent times has led me to believe that one of theRead more