• Working on the important things in your life
• Cost Cutting or Adding Value
• SCQuARE - innovative Business Thinking
• How to manage change in your business!
• Building a truly great business
• Introducing changedrivers

Working on the important things in your life!
The terrifying events of September 11, 2001 have given many people, myself included, good cause to reflect on the things that are truly important in our lives. Strangely, business doesn't rank that highly on my list! The big ticket items were my wife, children, family & friends.

All too often we get caught up in the activities that seem to occupy most of our time and forget about these important elements. By simply giving them higher priorities and ensuring that we take the time "to stop and smell the roses", it is amazing just how much you can readjust the balance in our lives, but it requires a conscious effort.

Life Balance is too often talked about as a time based allocation of your priorities. Many people have used the various tools for looking at Life Balance (graphs, wheels, etc) and have thought more about the quantity not the quality of the time.

For example: you may decide to spend more time with your spouse (partner, significant other, etc, etc) but in reality all you end up doing is sitting side by side on the couch watching inane sitcoms and reality shows! Is this what you really meant to achieve?

Our recommendation is that you closely at your life and the balance between important elements. Use the tools and processes outlined in our article on Life Balance but focus on ensuring that you get the outcome you want rather than just a reallocation of your time.

To understand where you really want to be in your life and hence what your priorities should be, we suggest that complete our 20 Year Life Plan.

Click here for more information on Life Balance

Click here for more information on how to develop a 20 Year Life Plan.

Cutting Costs or Increasing Value?
The standard approach to improving profits in most businesses is to cut costs. This usually means reducing "headcount" and is often combined with out-sourcing initiatives.

The key problem with this strategy is that most businesses are running fairly lean with little excess fat so reducing headcount often means that the remaining employees just have to work harder to achieve better results.

As has been shown a Federal Government level, often the out-sourcing agreement fails to cover the full range of services provided by the previous employees and costs are not saved in the long run.

In essence, the standard cost cutting models are about "doing the same with less!". Our approach is to think of an alternative approach that says "How can we do more with the same costs?" - this is about adding value.

Our experience is that very few businesses actually have a systematic approach for improving efficiencies and that application of some simple techniques can really improve profits.

Click here for more information on Adding Value in your business

SCQuARE® - Innovative Business Thinking
Of particular interest is the news that changedrivers and RM International will be introducing the highly acclaimed SCQuARE® planning and problem solving process to Australia. This is an innovative planning process that combines penetrating analysis with a structured thinking and evaluation methodology and a persuasive presentation formula.

SCQuARE® has become the planning tool for many UK and European firms including: Saatchi & Saatchi, Deutsche Bank, Lloyds Register of Shipping, Motorola, Oracle, Dunlop Slazenger, BBC Worldwide, Colgate Palmolive, Guiness UDV, Nestle, PepsiCo, Gucci, Avis Europe and New Zealand Milk. An impressive pedigree!

An Australian first !
The first Australian SCQuARE® training program was be held in Canberra on 25 and 26 October, 2001. Our next Canberra based course will be on 22 to 24 July 2002. Click here for our 2002 course schedule.

These 2 day programs are designed to give individuals a skill for life. Each participant will have a process for solving problems and developing bullet proof plans and propositions that can be immediately applied in their work and personal lives.

For more information goto www.scquare.com 

 

Managing change in your business
Understanding how to drive and sustain change in our businesses is a key element of growth and moving ahead. Change is a "wild and interesting creature" but it can be domesticated.

One of the critical elements for initiating change is getting ownership of the process by your team. Click here for more information on Managing Change & People.

Building a truly great business!
In this editions book review, we have summarised the great management book "Built to Last" by Collins & Porras. In this book they have reviewed the stellar performers in the business world and have ascertained many of the characteristics that have made these Companies great.

Collins and Porras have reviewed great Companies such as: Proctor & Gamble, Sony, Walmart, Boeing, IBM, Motorola & Hewlett Packard. They have identified and de-mystified a dozen common business myths. It is a great book and well worth the time to read for all business owners and managers.
 

changedrivers Canberra is open for business!!
Sydney based change management specialists, changedrivers, have recently appointed Russell Cummings as their Canberra based Director.

They will be looking to expand on changedrivers already substantial business in the ACT region and combine this with Russell's existing consulting business - Strategic Business Development Pty Ltd..

Who are changedrivers?
changedrivers was established in 1996 by Alan Ward and Mal Anderson and currently has 4 partners and a "virtual team" of over 100 Associates with up to 20 of these skilled professionals in the field at any one time. We have offices at Crows Nest in Sydney and Red Hill in Canberra.

changedrivers are "change implementation specialists" who assist their clients to implement and sustain the changes necessary to make their organisations effective, resource efficient and competitive. Our large team of experienced Associates ensures that we have access to a broad range of specialist expertise to meet the specific needs of each client and their issues.

Our combined client list covers a wide range of Public and Private sector organisations including: Department of Defence - RAAF, Navy & Army, NSW Treasury, NSW Police, State Rail, various City Councils, Brambles Cleanaway, Westpac, CSL, Caltex, Vodafone, George Weston Foods and Dairy Farmers.

For more information on changedrivers, please visit the website: www.changedrivers.com.au