The humble entrepreneur

/in , , , , /by

Business consultancy

Being wrong can feel exactly the same as being right, because even in error, the blind assumption of righteousness underlies the assertion.  However, that feeling can change dramatically at the moment the error is realised.   Embarrassment, humiliation, shame are just some of the words to describe what follows that well known sinking feeling.  But it needn’t be that way because ‘error’ is one half of the age-old problem solving tool called ‘trial and error’.  Without recognition of error there are no further trials and no therefore no progression to a solution.  So this is the time where we should differentiate belief in the self from blind righteous belief.  A little humility and Ego detachment go a long way when it comes to assertions of right and wrong.   For the entrepreneur, nothing gets done without self belief, but blind righteous belief in an erroneous assertion could lead to a very costly business failure indeed.

The times they are a’changin’

/in , , , , /by

Business Planning

If it’s not online or doesn’t have a significant online presence, you best re-think your business model.  Everything can be bought online and customer service and security is constantly improving.   Online marketing and product / service technology is improving and escalating exponentially.   So just imagine what it will be like in another 5 years … 10 years.   The threats to bricks and mortar businesses loom larger every day, particularly those with substantial investment in real estate.   Just as the advent of the supermarket killed off the corner grocery store, so will the internet decimate department stores, electrical stores and other retail giants.   

Like lemmings to the edge of the cliff, the march to oblivion has now been accelerated by the GFC.   Although there are many assertions bandied around about unlevel playing fields, the real reason is resistance to change and ill-preparedness.  It’s been too good for too long.  A lot of this chatter and lobbying is merely a ruse to buy time so that outdated business models can be revised.

Is your business bigger than you?

/in , , , , /by

Are you business building or are you simply self-employed?  Is your business bigger than you, or are you the sum total of your business?  It is a critical question and I ask it because it matters a lot if your health, for whatever reason, fails you.  Heath events happen to the best of us and the ability of your business to survive your ill-health depends on the quality of the enterprise that has been built or bought. 

The engine of your business is you.  The smaller the business, the more vital is the engine.  A bigger business with staff has some chance of generating some back-up propulsion.  So the critical question for you is whether your business vehicle can still travel without its main engine – you!

This bullying story is hard to top

/in , , , , /by

Gary Weigh & Associates – business coaching Brisbane

Gary Weigh

When I first read bullying story, I was gobsmacked.   This is hard to top!

“This is about a sociopathic office bully called Colin.   Affectionately known as ‘Col’ by his legion of enemies, Colin was a senior manager in a prominent service company who could be best described as a boorish and obnoxious pig.   When introduced to a new employee, he would simply look up from his desk and tell the new incumbent to “get f***ked”.  Nothing more!  Colin thought accessing private information and calling an employee’s home phone at 2.30am to ask the whereabouts of a file was hilariously funny.   He would then proceed to harass and bully the sleepless employee next day. 

Fat and balding, and obviously with a house full of concave mirrors, Colin also fancied himself as a lady’s man.  To make him look tougher and more rugged, he rode a Harley Davidson bike.   To complete the delusional self image, he strongly hinted at being a Vietnam veteran even though he is too young by a decade. But undeterred, he would phone a male employee’s home at what he thought was bedtime for the express purpose of chatting socially with the employee’s wife.  Does he remind you of the loser would-be spy from the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie ‘True Lies’?”

Keep sending them in!

Practicing the art of business

/in , , , , /by

Business building

In the Japanese art of Aikido it is subtlety, timing, practiced positioning and advanced state of mind that make the art work.  We follow this philosophy when approaching the challenges of business building.  Even in the art of business, practice doesn’t make perfect.  Perfect practice does.  At first the  student merely learns the outer forms of techniques.  I say ‘outer forms’ because it is all about first principles and gross movements; about where to put hands and feet.   Over time, the inner forms begin to emerge even though plenty of mistakes are made.   The mind and body finally get it together and begin to act as one.  What used to be the outer forms now become instinctive blueprints. 

Smaller and more subtle movement begins to emerge, taking the place of bigger movements to achieve the same, if not better, result.  Principles of leading, blending, centeredness and control, all driven by strong positive Ki extension finally begin to make sense.  Individual techniques give way to a calm, relaxed and well practiced way of doing things.  Aikido is a great metaphor for practicing business.

The art of peace is a metaphor for business

/in , , , , /by

Business coach Brisbane

A calm business mind for me comes from aikido, a subtle Japanese martial art known worldwide as the Art of Peace.  Whilst dojo training is never a life or death situation, it does teach a very useful self protection skill that I can use effectively in 95% of life’s unpleasant situations.   I am not talking about the battle field or the city streets at night.  I am talking about difficult interactions at home, at the office, on the road, at the shops or in the car park. 

Aikido also serves to take me out of my comfort zone regularly and gets me making decisions without thinking whilst under movement.  Remaining calm and relaxed under pressure and under movement is difficult and takes practice.   The good news is that all personal skills are transferrable.  So I simply transfer this state of being to the rest of my life, including my business life.   So even if you don’t have a lot of business skills, staying calm in a crisis and asking for help is your next best option.

A calm mind wins the day

/in , , , , /by

Business Management Tips

The hallmark of the elite is complete calmness under extreme pressure.  When bullets are flying around their head, or a 20 foot putt stand between them and the green jacket of golf, a calm mind, iron-clad concentration and years of training is what they rely on.   Developing that elusive calm mind is a skill in itself, and also takes considerable practice.   It doesn’t happen naturally when humans are under extreme stress.  The usual adrenalin induced instincts are either ‘fight’ or ‘flight’.   Either can get you wiped out or have your income severely maimed if you don’t know what you are doing.  So either you get yourself some quality training from a quality instructor or you buy yourself some brown corduroy pants!

Gary 0408 756 531

gary@garyweigh.com

Business building Australia – mental toughness

/in , , , , /by

Business building Australia

As MMA champion, Ice Man Chuck Liddell said, “Mental toughness is no part time thing.”   Mental toughness does not mean swaggering around looking for fights.  It means practiced resistance to breaking down or giving in under pressure.   Note the emphasis on ‘practiced’ resistance.  Like all skill development, mental toughness requires a good coach and relentless practice.  It is also not exclusive to the octagon.  It has application to every facet of life, and is a powerful advantage in business, particularly when combined with calmness and relaxation.

Another workplace bully story

/in , , , , /by

Business coaching Brisbane

Talk about closing the door on a bully boss.  After putting up with her boss’s harassment and manipulation for too long, a fed up worker evened up the score card.  The bully boss had swung his body around the corner from her office into the doorway of the office next door.   Unfortunately, he was still gripping the door jamb of the office he had just exited.  It was never established whether Ms. Fedup saw the bully boss’s fingers in the door jamb or not, but she simply walked over and closed her office door – hard.  Oh my … what a terrible accident!  He couldn’t flip the left hand bird for quite a while.

The value of training

/in , , , , /by

Business consultancy Australia

You have probably heard of the SAS motto “Train hard, fight easy”.   It works for the military elite and it also works to produce elite business operators.  Does simply pulling on the uniform and picking up a rifle make you a soldier?  Absolutely not!  No more so than having a good idea and registering a business name making you a business operator.

In both cases, when the odds are against you and things look gloomy, your training and experience is all you have to rely on.   The difference between the elite and you is training – knowledge, skill, and experience.  My advice is “don’t leave home or start a business without it!”