Sound advice on what NOT to do in business — some good New Year resolutions for 2009

I was reading the UK Business Forum ‘Round-up of 2008’ email today (part of the very useful www.businesszone.co.uk), and this article was the one that caught my eye.

Now I love a to-do list as much as the next person (OK so I probably love them more), but I really loved the idea of ‘What to include on your not to do list’. The article was written by Robert Craven, who is MD of The Directors Centre.

Here’s what I nodded my head at…

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What’s the result?

I’m not actually that bothered HOW you do it, I just want to know it works. And I know you know it works, so why are you spending so much telling me about how it works. I’m not actually that interested. I mean I might want to know the details AFTER I’ve decided I want the result. But I’ll buy the result first.

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You decide

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When it comes down to it, there is really only one person who stands between you and your Thing and that’s you.

Of course, you can get help to find your Thing—help to shape it, help to package it, and brand it, and sell it. But only YOU can decide to do it—actually go out there are do the Thing.

It’s about jumping in with both feet to do your Thing and knowing that that’s what you’re here to do. There is no “Ohh, I’ll dip a toe in”—that’s never going to convince anyone… if you’re not 100% certain, then why would anyone buy from you?

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This isn’t it

What your Thing isn’t is as important as what it is. Sometimes it’s expected that when you’re good at something you’re good at ALL of it. Take Marketing (for an example close to my heart!): I LOVE ideas, strategy, plans, visions, creative concepts, copy and the communication side of Marketing. Do I love the stats, […]

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The business of problem-solving

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Every business solves a problem–they solve it with a product or service that does something to fix or improve a situation, a result, an outcome, a feeling, something. This is how value is created–you have a problem that needs resolving, you go and find a product or service that can do this, you’re happy to pay as you can’t do it yourself, or do it as well/quickly/cheaply/cleverly, etc.

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You might be a star but it’s not an act

There are way too many rules and expectations around what you ‘should’ do and what is ‘right’ when, actually, it all comes down to what you want and how you want to do it. It is about you, as you are No.1. If you’re not happy how can you do your Thing to your best effect? It matters.

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