Tuesday, April 30, 2013
BUSINESS TIPS - Setting Goals
BUSINESS TIPS – Setting Goals
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
I am sure that you have all heard the old adage that “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”! Although many business owners faithfully quote this saying almost on a daily basis, the sad reality is that few actually use it themselves.
The sad reality is that few actually set goals for themselves – goals that they can actually leverage off for their own personal successes. Goals that are specific, that can be measured – that have meaning and make perfectly logical sense. Goals that motivate and excite you, that make you jump out of bed in the morning, ready and rearing to face the day.
Many business owners strategize for the business, for the staff, for the clients, for the suppliers . . . but fail to develop strategies for themselves. So the challenge today is for you to develop a strategy for yourself, then work out your plan. It might be something as simple as getting yourself to more ‘self-development’ type workshops or as complicated as working a four day week, and then a three day week and then a two day week and then a four hour week.
Whatever it is, write it down. Set actions with deadlines and then focus on achieving your goal.
You know that it is something that you should do, you know it is something that you want to do and most importantly, you know it is something that you can do!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, April 29, 2013
MOTIVATION - Attaining the Impossible
MOTIVATION – Attaining the Impossible
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
“Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible” says William Arthur Ward.
What a lovely thought! Actually what a lovely several thoughts!
I have always believed that I am a ‘realistic optimist’. I remember sitting in my English Major class in college in the early 70’s and making that statement, in front of the whole class, to the teacher (who I still consider one of my closest friends some almost 45 years down the line), and her looking at me as though I had ‘lost the plot’ when she said “Exactly what does that mean?”
To be completely fair, I have been asked that very same question many times since then and explained as I will here.
Let me put it this way (and I am going to give my beliefs around South Africa here as an example), I have great faith in South Africa. I think that we have huge potential to grow as a nation, to join together in making this country the best that it can be. I believe that if we all work together and all do our bit, that we can eradicate poverty, crime and corruption. That is the optimist in me talking. The reality of course is that we may very well grow but that will be a huge climb because unfortunately the fact of the matter is that not all members of the nation will be ‘pulling’ in the same direction. Not all will be working to eradicate poverty because some will be stealing the food/opportunity/ money for education etc. right out of the hands of those poor people. Not all will be working to eradicate crime and corruption, because many will be actually working very hard in their chosen professions of crime and corruption! That’s the realist in me talking.
So whilst I am very enthusiastic about the potential of the country I am also acutely aware of the challenges that face us all if we are to get it right.
Thing is though, although I am very aware of the challenges, I am also inspired enough to want to do something to make the whole thing work. I am still prepared to ‘do my bit’ to make a difference and to motivate and perhaps even inspire others to also do their bit, no matter how small or how ‘little’ that bit is, because you see – all the ‘little’ bits will at some point join up to become a ‘big’ bit and that ‘big’ bit will make a huge difference and that ‘huge difference’ will ‘enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible’.
As much as the reality is that there will always be those who are pessimistic about the future, the reality is also that the impossible can be obtained, if everyone ‘Chips in’ and does their ‘little’ bit.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
“Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible” says William Arthur Ward.
What a lovely thought! Actually what a lovely several thoughts!
I have always believed that I am a ‘realistic optimist’. I remember sitting in my English Major class in college in the early 70’s and making that statement, in front of the whole class, to the teacher (who I still consider one of my closest friends some almost 45 years down the line), and her looking at me as though I had ‘lost the plot’ when she said “Exactly what does that mean?”
To be completely fair, I have been asked that very same question many times since then and explained as I will here.
Let me put it this way (and I am going to give my beliefs around South Africa here as an example), I have great faith in South Africa. I think that we have huge potential to grow as a nation, to join together in making this country the best that it can be. I believe that if we all work together and all do our bit, that we can eradicate poverty, crime and corruption. That is the optimist in me talking. The reality of course is that we may very well grow but that will be a huge climb because unfortunately the fact of the matter is that not all members of the nation will be ‘pulling’ in the same direction. Not all will be working to eradicate poverty because some will be stealing the food/opportunity/ money for education etc. right out of the hands of those poor people. Not all will be working to eradicate crime and corruption, because many will be actually working very hard in their chosen professions of crime and corruption! That’s the realist in me talking.
So whilst I am very enthusiastic about the potential of the country I am also acutely aware of the challenges that face us all if we are to get it right.
Thing is though, although I am very aware of the challenges, I am also inspired enough to want to do something to make the whole thing work. I am still prepared to ‘do my bit’ to make a difference and to motivate and perhaps even inspire others to also do their bit, no matter how small or how ‘little’ that bit is, because you see – all the ‘little’ bits will at some point join up to become a ‘big’ bit and that ‘big’ bit will make a huge difference and that ‘huge difference’ will ‘enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible’.
As much as the reality is that there will always be those who are pessimistic about the future, the reality is also that the impossible can be obtained, if everyone ‘Chips in’ and does their ‘little’ bit.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, April 26, 2013
HR - How to Manage Sick Leave Abuse - Part 2
HR – How to Manage Sick Leave Abuse – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
Last time we looked at some of the records that need to be kept in order to ascertain the trends of absenteeism.
This time we will look at what you need to do in order to try and get to the root of the problem.
You need to do an audit on your company to see if you can highlight the problem areas.
Included in your audit should be the following (but not limited to):
- Is there a documented leave policy in place and do all of your staff know the possible consequences of abuse to absenteeism.
- Whether or not the line managers and/or supervisors (and indeed even you yourself) manage the absenteeism. Do all the employees face the same consequences or do some employees get preferential treatment?
- Are the workspaces and/or working conditions comfortable, are your staff working in a safe environment, is there sufficient lighting and air circulation etc.
- Are there any other factors that could have any bearing on job satisfaction? If so, these could be part of the absenteeism problem.
There are several ways in which to conduct this type of audit, and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune and it can be done ‘in-house’ as long as the person(s) conducting the assessment remains impartial and of course there cannot be any ramifications and/or adverse consequences for the answers that you get from your employees.
One of the most successful ways to conduct this type of audit is by interviewing the staff. Ideally this would be done with the line managers and employee representatives. Another way to do this is to get the staff to complete a questionnaire or survey on the important issues – this of course can be done anonymously.
Some of the questions that could be asked are (but not limited to):-
- What work do you do?
- What are your responsibilities (as you understand them)
- What department do you work in
- Do any of the following impact on your work (work flow and/or quality of the work that is produced):
• Level of noise
• Attitude of fellow staff members and to fellow staff members
• Attitude of management and to management
• Availability of tools and equipment
• Training to use the tools and equipment (and include in here computer and technical skills too)
• Physical layout and accessibility of the work areas in relation to the work flow
• Personal circumstances that may make coming to work difficult
• Personal health problems
• Any other factor that may make coming to work difficult
Don’t forget to include something where the staff can give suggestions on how to improve the situation – many years ago we had quite a fantastic response to this, with really great ideas. We turned it into a competition and the person who came up with the most realistic, doable, innovative suggestion won a weekend away at the Company’s timeshare.
Many of the suggestions were put into practice and the absenteeism took a nose dive and stayed there.
Understand though that there will always be employees who have health problems and whose children have health problems and these will always affect the absenteeism. Be understanding where reasonable but use the “Leave Policy” correctly and make sure that there are consequences for abuse.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
Last time we looked at some of the records that need to be kept in order to ascertain the trends of absenteeism.
This time we will look at what you need to do in order to try and get to the root of the problem.
You need to do an audit on your company to see if you can highlight the problem areas.
Included in your audit should be the following (but not limited to):
- Is there a documented leave policy in place and do all of your staff know the possible consequences of abuse to absenteeism.
- Whether or not the line managers and/or supervisors (and indeed even you yourself) manage the absenteeism. Do all the employees face the same consequences or do some employees get preferential treatment?
- Are the workspaces and/or working conditions comfortable, are your staff working in a safe environment, is there sufficient lighting and air circulation etc.
- Are there any other factors that could have any bearing on job satisfaction? If so, these could be part of the absenteeism problem.
There are several ways in which to conduct this type of audit, and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune and it can be done ‘in-house’ as long as the person(s) conducting the assessment remains impartial and of course there cannot be any ramifications and/or adverse consequences for the answers that you get from your employees.
One of the most successful ways to conduct this type of audit is by interviewing the staff. Ideally this would be done with the line managers and employee representatives. Another way to do this is to get the staff to complete a questionnaire or survey on the important issues – this of course can be done anonymously.
Some of the questions that could be asked are (but not limited to):-
- What work do you do?
- What are your responsibilities (as you understand them)
- What department do you work in
- Do any of the following impact on your work (work flow and/or quality of the work that is produced):
• Level of noise
• Attitude of fellow staff members and to fellow staff members
• Attitude of management and to management
• Availability of tools and equipment
• Training to use the tools and equipment (and include in here computer and technical skills too)
• Physical layout and accessibility of the work areas in relation to the work flow
• Personal circumstances that may make coming to work difficult
• Personal health problems
• Any other factor that may make coming to work difficult
Don’t forget to include something where the staff can give suggestions on how to improve the situation – many years ago we had quite a fantastic response to this, with really great ideas. We turned it into a competition and the person who came up with the most realistic, doable, innovative suggestion won a weekend away at the Company’s timeshare.
Many of the suggestions were put into practice and the absenteeism took a nose dive and stayed there.
Understand though that there will always be employees who have health problems and whose children have health problems and these will always affect the absenteeism. Be understanding where reasonable but use the “Leave Policy” correctly and make sure that there are consequences for abuse.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, April 25, 2013
EARLY WARNING - All About Procurement Fraud - Part 4
EARLY WARNING
All About Procurement
Fraud – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February
2013.
Last time we looked at some of the different types of issues that
need to be looked at around procurement.
Today we will have a look at some more.
As we said one of the ways to limit procurement fraud is to ensure
that you have a proper procurement policy in place and that it is adhered to
and checked on a regular basis. We looked at the Needs Analysis, Timing and
Suppliers. Then we looked at Supplier Communication and Negotiation. Other issues
that need to be taken into account when implementing the procurement process
are (but not limited to):
1.
Supplier Liaison
Of course it is important for the supplier to perform and at this
point in the process that is exactly what needs to be done. It makes sense therefore to have some sort of
scorecard in place around the performance of the supplier. By now there should have been at least one or
two deliveries and re-orders and the whole experience needs to be
evaluated. Should the supplier have not
met your basic requirements, then it is obviously time for you to consider
alternative suppliers and/or options.
2.
Logistics Management
Whilst we all have expectations around our
suppliers and their delivery of our goods, it is incumbent upon us to ensure
that we manage the whole process. Issues around (but not limited to) shipment,
delivery and payment need to be monitored closely and of course the terms and
conditions of the contract must be met at all times.
There may instances where ‘installation’ needs to take place and
then training needs to be effected.
Clearly this would also need to be monitored carefully as well.
3.
Tender Notifications
Should your company be large enough to
require and/or need tenders to go out to meet your procurement requirements
then obviously this would necessitate a whole different workflow. There are software systems that can be
utilized or you can also outsource these requirements. Obviously you can also keep this ‘in-house’
but I would suggest that careful consideration be taken into how the whole process should work and of
course a lot of research would need to be undertaken in order for this to be as
painless as possible.
Be sure to document the process so that there
are clear lines of what the requirements are and make sure that each step is
monitored carefully.
Next time we will have a look at a few more steps that need to
address in your procurement process.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
BLOGGING TIPS - The harsh Reality
BLOGGING TIPS – The Harsh
Reality
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC
April 2013
I was asked the other day by my Life Coach
what it is about blogging that I find so addictive, having penned over 1300
articles. I must admit I had to stop for
a moment and think carefully about my answer and I am so glad that I did.
You see I have been struggling for some
time now to get articles written. It’s
not for a lack of material you understand (I probably have enough material to
keep me writing an article a day for the rest of my life and beyond). The problem for me is a lack of time, or
rather to be completely honest with myself (as well as you lot) and more to the
point, a lack of organizing my time!
There . . . . I’ve said it!
I have on many occasions stated that I
often write about what I most need to hear and this is again one of those
instances. I am ashamed to say that I
have become a procrastinator of note!
Shocking hey! To the point that
every time I see an article about procrastination, I hastily file it without
even opening it – now that’s just me being a huge coward on top of everything!
The really sad thing about all of this is
that on some level I have to write every single day (and I am not talking about
Policies and Procedures here either) in order for me to be fulfilled – it is my
one creative outlet and I know and understand that if I don’t write and express
myself and dig down deep into the core that is essentially me – well then I
don’t grow and if I don’t grow - well a
part of me dies! That sounded quite
melodramatic don’t you think?
So what happened – why is it that I have
not been writing every day – the simple answer is . . . life. I have allowed the everyday clutter and
clatter to creep into what is fundamentally time that should be sacred to
me. The ‘slap upside the head’ for me
was yesterday when I had a meeting with a client who wants me to mentor him and
we were discussing time constraints and how we would fit it into our respective
diaries and he said “I know that on a Friday you like to catch up on your admin
and that you like to take some time for your ‘dream time’, so let’s have the
meeting on a Friday.” My ‘knee jerk’
reaction to that was – Noooooooo!
Actually, now that I have really thought about in (in the writing of
this article to be exact), the answer is still a resounding “No!”
I have to take back my ‘me’ time! I have to get back into the habit that was
mine for so long, where writing an article was part of my daily stuff – the
daily stuff that matters. I have to get
back to doing what is best for me, in order for me to grow as a human being and
an individual.
So if you are going through the same
dilemma, understand it is about facing the ‘time thief’, even if that is you
and taking control of your life.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
BUSINESS TIPS - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 9
BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 9
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management
16. Problem Solving
17. Being Innovative
18. Teamwork
19. Strategy
20. Branding
21. Marketing
22. Profit and Passion
Today we will explore the last three in this series.
1. Scalability
Contrary to popular belief in many quarters, there is a huge difference between being a small business owner and being self-employed. Make no mistake, whilst it is incredibly important to keep your finger on the pulse of your business and be aware of exactly what is happening in every aspect of it, the reality is, if your business in not fully defined as a company and if it is still reliant on you for it’s very survival, well then you are self-employed. There is no right or wrong for either, it is purely dependent on the way the company (or you) operate.
It is important however, that when you plan for the future that you understand the difference between the two (being self-employed and owning a company that is).
2. Leverage
At some point in time, most business owners need funding. Make sure that your business plan remains current as well as accurate and that you have made allowances for the interest that needs to be paid back (when you are calculating what you need and then what you can afford to pay back as well).
And finally . . . . .
3. Legacy
Like it or not, we all leave a footprint of one sort or another on this planet. We are all responsible, one way or another, for the consequences of our thoughts and actions.
The decisions that you have made, or not, have impacted on our planet, your community, your colleagues, your friends, your family and more importantly on yourselves.
What will be you remembered for when you are gone?
Of course we all need to make money to improve our lives and the lives of our families, but we also need to make a difference and leave the world a richer place for our having been here.
. . . and oh! Don’t forget to always have fun!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, April 22, 2013
MOTIVATION - Run to Your Dreams
MOTIVATION – Run to Your Dreams
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
Tina Downey says “You can run from your dreams in fear or run to your dreams in faith.”
For me this is a ‘no brainer’, but the question is always, which one will you choose? I was recently interviewed on Summit TV on the issues around fear and how that fear impacts on Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners and how these Entrepreneurs and Small Business owners (or actually anyone for that matter) can deal with and even ultimately conquer or get over their fear.
There are of course different types of fear, fear of the dark or fear of heights and for the average business owner, fear of commitment, fear of failure or even fear of success. Then we are often fearful of our own perceived shortcomings, our belief in ourselves (or lack thereof) – you know the one that I mean, that little voice in our heads that often says things like ‘don’t be ridiculous – of course you can’t do that’! The little voice in our heads that second guesses our every move, our every decision, that little voice that mocks us at every opportunity.
The biggest problem with fear is that it paralyses us. We get sucked into its core and then it overwhelms us and the perception is that we need to ‘get away’ from it as fast and as far as possible. We focus our entire beings on – getting away!
The reality of course is that fear will always follow and if you are fearful about something, (irrespective of what that ‘something’ is) and you don’t deal with the issue or the cause of that fear or the fear itself – there is nowhere on this planet that you can actually hide safely from that fear.
So how do you deal with that fear? How do you reclaim your power (and make no mistake, we are all incredibly powerful beings)?
Like most things in life different people deal with situations differently. For me, facing my fear is the most difficult but yet the most liberating way of dealing with my fears and like we here in Africa say, “You eat an elephant one bite at a time”, the only way that I can deal with my fear is one step at a time. I have to face that fear and ask the questions and believe me they are often incredibly hard questions because you have to dig deep inside yourself to find the answers. The “what exactly am I afraid of” and “why am I afraid of that . .” type questions. Oh . . . and there is no point is lying, no matter how much your squirm and try to get away . . you have to be honest with yourself, brutally honest!
Oh, and whilst I am on the subject – be prepared to make some changes in yourself, your mindset and the very core of who you are as a person. You know the ones I mean – the hard ones!
I find the easiest way to do this is, as usual, to write things down. Let your pen be governed by your thoughts as you write down the question that you asked yourself and then the answer that comes – usually very slowly to start with and then like a gushing faucet or raging river – don’t worry about spelling or even writing down full sentences – don’t worry about whether you are making any sense at all, just write. Once done you will be exhausted – well I always am. Then it is time to be gentle with yourself, take a nap or have a massage – take your mind off what you have just gone through.
Once refreshed, go back to your writing and go through each item individually – make notes on what can be done differently to change the outcome and then work through each one individually. Put your thoughts into an action plan and make sure that the plan has dates by which tasks must be accomplished and slowly but surely get on with it. Make sure that there are consequences if you don’t meet your deadlines and rewards if you do. If you need to, turn it into a challenge or a game and before you know it, that particular fear will have dissipated and you will be well on your way to successfully accomplishing your goals.
Will you ever be afraid again – probably! The fact of the matter is that we are human and we doubt ourselves, our actions, our plans. We doubt who we are and what we are capable of and even what our intentions are. That said, it is also our very ‘human-ness’ that makes us courageous and strong and committed too.
If you would like to watch the interview please go to http://www.summit.co.za/current-show/bigsmall-business/dec2012/20121218.html - I am in Part 2.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
Tina Downey says “You can run from your dreams in fear or run to your dreams in faith.”
For me this is a ‘no brainer’, but the question is always, which one will you choose? I was recently interviewed on Summit TV on the issues around fear and how that fear impacts on Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners and how these Entrepreneurs and Small Business owners (or actually anyone for that matter) can deal with and even ultimately conquer or get over their fear.
There are of course different types of fear, fear of the dark or fear of heights and for the average business owner, fear of commitment, fear of failure or even fear of success. Then we are often fearful of our own perceived shortcomings, our belief in ourselves (or lack thereof) – you know the one that I mean, that little voice in our heads that often says things like ‘don’t be ridiculous – of course you can’t do that’! The little voice in our heads that second guesses our every move, our every decision, that little voice that mocks us at every opportunity.
The biggest problem with fear is that it paralyses us. We get sucked into its core and then it overwhelms us and the perception is that we need to ‘get away’ from it as fast and as far as possible. We focus our entire beings on – getting away!
The reality of course is that fear will always follow and if you are fearful about something, (irrespective of what that ‘something’ is) and you don’t deal with the issue or the cause of that fear or the fear itself – there is nowhere on this planet that you can actually hide safely from that fear.
So how do you deal with that fear? How do you reclaim your power (and make no mistake, we are all incredibly powerful beings)?
Like most things in life different people deal with situations differently. For me, facing my fear is the most difficult but yet the most liberating way of dealing with my fears and like we here in Africa say, “You eat an elephant one bite at a time”, the only way that I can deal with my fear is one step at a time. I have to face that fear and ask the questions and believe me they are often incredibly hard questions because you have to dig deep inside yourself to find the answers. The “what exactly am I afraid of” and “why am I afraid of that . .” type questions. Oh . . . and there is no point is lying, no matter how much your squirm and try to get away . . you have to be honest with yourself, brutally honest!
Oh, and whilst I am on the subject – be prepared to make some changes in yourself, your mindset and the very core of who you are as a person. You know the ones I mean – the hard ones!
I find the easiest way to do this is, as usual, to write things down. Let your pen be governed by your thoughts as you write down the question that you asked yourself and then the answer that comes – usually very slowly to start with and then like a gushing faucet or raging river – don’t worry about spelling or even writing down full sentences – don’t worry about whether you are making any sense at all, just write. Once done you will be exhausted – well I always am. Then it is time to be gentle with yourself, take a nap or have a massage – take your mind off what you have just gone through.
Once refreshed, go back to your writing and go through each item individually – make notes on what can be done differently to change the outcome and then work through each one individually. Put your thoughts into an action plan and make sure that the plan has dates by which tasks must be accomplished and slowly but surely get on with it. Make sure that there are consequences if you don’t meet your deadlines and rewards if you do. If you need to, turn it into a challenge or a game and before you know it, that particular fear will have dissipated and you will be well on your way to successfully accomplishing your goals.
Will you ever be afraid again – probably! The fact of the matter is that we are human and we doubt ourselves, our actions, our plans. We doubt who we are and what we are capable of and even what our intentions are. That said, it is also our very ‘human-ness’ that makes us courageous and strong and committed too.
If you would like to watch the interview please go to http://www.summit.co.za/current-show/bigsmall-business/dec2012/20121218.html - I am in Part 2.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, April 04, 2013
BLOGGING TIPS - Where Else to Look for Idea - Part 8
BLOGGING TIPS – Where Else to look for Ideas – Part 8
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC March 2013
Last time we looked at the opportunities around Free Writing, the Movies, reading Fiction and Nature, for inspiration or ideas for articles of interest that pertain to your particular passion. Today we will have a look at a few more.
1. Quirky Facts
Having been in business now for 10 years this year (yes I am one of those good statistics that we hear about from time to time), I have encountered several ‘strange but true’ incidents and often write about them. Some of them are hilariously funny and I often find myself giggling away as I recount the story, but sadly some of them do not have happy endings and I feel a profound sense of sadness when I tell these stories because they more often than not tell of loss – so yes some of my clients have lost their businesses, their relationships and their livelihood. Both kinds of stories however, are told not to gloat or because I want to embarrass anyone, but rather to illustrate what can and often does happen, so that these particular types of results can be avoided where possible. Obviously it would not be a good idea to ‘name and shame’ anyone, so the identity of the client or real life protagonist is always kept confidential – but their stories are told and hopefully they serve to prevent similar types of issues from reoccurring.
2. Stating the Obvious
Just because I have made a statement, what feels like a million times and in my mind every person on the planet has heard it, the reality is that there are still many more out there who haven’t! Just like I always tell people not to ‘assume’ stuff, so should I listen to my own advice and make the statement again! The reality is that there will be someone out there who hasn’t heard the statement yet and who in all probability, is in desperate need of hearing it. So go back to the beginning, to what are the ‘ground roots’ or the cornerstone of what people need to know. It may feeling like you are caught up in or stuck in a ‘ground hog’ kind of situation, but you will most certainly be assisting someone.
3. Taking a break
When all else fails, I put my pen down or switch the computer off and spend some quality time with my kittens. I tickle their tummies or scratch their ears and under their chins and just revel in the marvel of unconditional love and trust that my animals bestow upon me. They never cease to bring a smile to my face or give me pause to chuckle at their antics and even on occasion to squeal when my youngest unmarried daughter of the feline furry persuasion bites my toes or nips at my ankles, in her own little attempt to get my attention. Often the distraction is all that was needed to take my attention away from the frustrations at hand and I am able to once again focus and get on with what needs to be said and done.
We are at the end of this particular series and I hope that these tips have provided you with some inspiration when you have those moments where your mind is a blank and you feel that there is nothing to write about.
Remember, as much as you may need to get that article out there, you also need to enjoy yourself, so as always “Happy Writing” and don’t forget to have fun!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
BUSINESS TIPS - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 8
BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 8
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2013
So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management
16. Problem Solving
17. Being Innovative
18. Teamwork
19. Strategy
Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.
1. Branding
We all know just how important it is to brand ourselves. Think about it for a moment, even the huge big brands like Coca Cola continue to spend millions on advertising, just to ensure that their branding remains forefront in the minds of the general populace. Even the famous ‘no name brands’ are . . . well brands in themselves – they brand the Pick ‘n Pay’s and the Checkers, as the in house cheaper, but ‘just as good quality’ products.
The message is therefore very clear – if you don’t brand yourself, you are quite possibly branding someone else and you are most definitely sending prospective client’s elsewhere. So get yourself and/or your company properly branding before you start you marketing campaigns.
2. Marketing
Marketing is about getting your message out there – the who you are and the what you sell, be that product or service. It makes logical sense then that who you are and what you sell will only affect the people that ‘hear’ about you or travel as far as your message goes. Pretty much like you may very well be known by everybody at your child’s nursery school, if you move to another province no-one at the new nursery school will know you at all. In order for your marketing to be successful it has to reach everyone in your target market.
3. Profit and Passion
Unless you are a well-heeled (or married to a well-heeled) philanthropist, the fact of the matter is that you will need to make a living and in order to make a living you will need to make a profit. Yes I know that ‘doing what you love’ means that it doesn’t feel like work, but that’s the beauty of doing what you love and charging for it – you will get out as much as you put in! Okay, you might not get it out straight away, but you will reap the rewards at some point. My workshop that was written almost 10 years ago now, has just brought in a huge lump sum and I mean huge – I wish you could see the look of pure glee on my face right now. Actually if the truth be told, it is exactly that passion that you need in order to put the kind of effort in that will determine the kind of rewards that you will eventually get out.
If you’re doing it for free, you are not a business person but rather a philanthropist, if you are doing it for a fee then you are a business person – the challenge here of course is that you need to decide just who you are.
Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
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