The Achiever | Optimization Solutions Consultingtop
MAY 2011
Greetings!

Welcome to this issue of "The Achiever," a monthly newsletter brought to you by Optimization Solutions Consulting!

This issue focuses on the importance of Planning for the success of your business, Developing the next level of leaders in your organization, and discovering the Power within you.

Sincerely,

Walter Swindell, II - President
Optimization Solutions Consulting, LLC
www.optimization-solutions.com  
In This Issue...

Click Here to Learn More About Optimization Solutions Consulting!
article1The Importance of Preparing a Business Plan
While employment is a surefire way of securing your future, there are always those who believe that entrepreneurship should be a priority not only among those who are already established in life but also for students who have just finished their studies. Other people believe that getting involved with a profitable business is still the way to go if one wants to be financially successful in the future.

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article2Developing Tomorrow's Leaders Today
Developing Tomorrow's Leaders TodayMany studies document the Boomer exodus from business and industry. Albeit some Boomers may be reevaluating their time line based on the economic changes, but there is no question that a high percentage of the 77.5 million Boomers will be vacating corporate America in the next five years. (Study conducted by AARP-2008) 56% of business and industries' Boomer population hold leadership positions. Conversely, there are only 46 Million Gen X and Gen Y's to take the place of those vacating Boomers. These numbers reflect why business and industry need to be so concerned about brain drain and develop a strategy to combat it.

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article3The Power Within
The phrase you 'create your own reality' is something that many new age folks talk about, but what does it really mean, and how does it apply to you?

'Creating your own reality' is your perception of how you view your world, how you interact with your world, and how you interact with yourself and others.
Perception is not limited to visually seeing something, it is not limited to your thought processes, and it is not limited to your emotions. Perception is all encompassing. What you communicate and the energy you give off based on your beliefs, your emotions, and your behaviors determines what kind of life experiences you have. Your perception of your reality is literally a mirror. At any given moment, your external world and behaviors perfectly mirror your inner consciousness. 

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article1_contdThe Importance of Preparing a Business Plan (continued)

Preparing a Business PlanPeople who immediately go into business without any plan at all are the ones who end up with nothing at all, in terms of their capital or investment. This is because they have joined a war without carrying any weapon at all.


Starting a business is not an easy task as it requires the proper motivation, preparation, and research. You do not go into business just because you have thought of an idea that you believe will strike gold and you want to implement it immediately. Of course, some do this but the rate of failure will always be high.


If you want to have a higher success rate in business, then you have to do it slowly and properly and with the proper business plan. A business plan will help you create a map of the business you want to go into plus it would help you pinpoint the difficulties that you should encounter along the way.


A business plan will serve as your guide in starting and implementing the business and in steering such business to success. When making a business plan, it is important to take note of your reasons in wanting to go into business, whether you are going into it because you want to get rid of that bossy creature breathing over your head, or you want to be financially independent. It is also important to determine the proper business endeavor for you considering your hobbies and skills, time preferences, and of course your experiences.


Before doing your business plan, be able to identify the possible business area where you would like to go, like if you want to go into the buy and sell business, what products would you sell? Is there a demand for the product you are planning to sell and are there other businesses in your locality which sell the same products? If there are, what would be your advantage over the existing enterprises selling the same products?


Another important thing to consider is the legal structure that you would prefer, whether you would want to go into single proprietorship, partnership or a corporate type of business. Do you have an accountant who will manage your records? Also, take note of your possible sources of capital and the amount you are going to need to start and maintain the business.


When you have answered these questions, then you are more prepared to write a business plan that will help you start your business. There are professionals who can help you make your business plan.


Once you have completed you business plan, then you can evaluate whether it is at par with what you have in mind. A business plan is not rigid and it can be flexible depending on your business needs. However, a person who fails to make a business plan before starting a business venture can expect to have a rough time ahead.


Optimization Solutions Consulting can help you create a plan for your business,
contact us today!


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article2_contdDeveloping Tomorrow's Leaders Today (continued)

A recent report conducted by OI Partners state that 54% of companies surveyed said they did not have enough qualified candidates working for them to succeed their executives and managers and 14% weren't sure if they have enough leadership successors in place. The survey included responses from 212 primarily large and mid-sized employers throughout North America.


The luxury of time is gone. Organizations must get prepared and begin implementing a leadership succession plan. Having prepared leaders at all levels of an organization is a management strategy and a competitive business advantage. Organizations achieve sustainability and growth through their leadership and the quality of that leadership. The important skills necessary to lead a company to succeed in the upcoming years will be different. In addition to being able to lead people, new leaders will need to plan strategically, inspire commitment, and manage unyielding change. However, to be an effective leader takes much more than skill. It also requires the appropriate attitudes and behaviors. There are many tactical skills of leadership, but without the appropriate attitudes and behaviors, the skills are almost meaningless. We talked in a previous post about how actions speak louder than words. It is difficult to inspire commitment in a team when the leader's body language, tone of voice, and behaviors reflect something entirely different. Managing change becomes very difficult if a leader's attitude is "this too shall pass." In order to manage unyielding change a leader needs to be aggressive, innovative, and responsive. And yes, it takes certain skills to be aggressive, innovative, and creative, but success in these areas requires the right attitude equally as much as the right skills.


In working with clients to develop their leadership bench strength we have found the following formula works extremely well:


ASK + GOALS = PBC => IR


In order for your business to achieve Improved Results (IR) there needs to be Positive Behavior Change (PBC). We have found a successful way to achieve Positive Behavior Change (PBC) by customizing a process unique to the client that addresses the needed Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge (ASK) combined with a Goal Accomplishment (Goals) model that drives Positive Behavior Change (PBC) which leads to measurable and improved results.


As your organization develops future leaders for your organization, you need to ensure there is a solid base of leadership skills is important. What attitudes and behaviors do you want people in leadership roles to exhibit? What messages do you want them to send when they are not talking? What example do you want them to set when no one is officially watching? To identify a true leader, observe his/her behavior and attitude as it will tell you a great deal more than an evaluation of their skills.


Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in business and management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching, and youth leadership. 


Contact Optimization Solutions Consulting to learn more about developing the leaders within your organization.

 

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article3_contdThe Power Within (continued)

Power WithinWhen you get right down to it, there is no one more strong or more in control of you than you. As a society we have been practicing, preaching, and implementing these philosophies for an incredibly long time. The challenge is we often forget and then fail to implement. It is impossible to feel badly about yourself without thinking badly about yourself. The only thing that can keep you from enjoying everything you were meant to be and do is thought. Simple but powerful thought. Thinking is an awesome capability, and it can be used either as a tool or a weapon against ourselves.


A lot of people might say their lives or businesses aren't functioning very well but they can't identify what is wrong. The root cause of the problem is usually our own thought process. If you fall into this category, here is a suggestion. Buy a notebook that can fit into your briefcase, jacket, purse, whatever is convenient but easily and frequently accessible. For thirty days jot down every single thought you have had about yourself-expressed or unexpressed. At the end of the month, read what you have jotted down and I guarantee you will be inspired to change. By completing this exercise, you will see your negative thoughts fall into specific categories and these identified categories will become the focused areas in which you can commit to improve. After those categories have been identified, there is a proven process that can help you define and select the best solutions and action steps.


Do you know what the number 1440 represents? 1440 represents the number of minutes in a given day. This is the number of opportunities we have to create a positive, productive, and goal-oriented reality or a negative reality. Affirmations are a positive tool to help reinforce a positive reality and many people committed to affirmations typically read or say them 2/3 times a day for about 5 minutes. That equates to about 15 minutes of purposeful and positive input into your brain. How are you managing the remaining 1425 minutes in your day? How are you guaranteeing you are reflecting the positive? Your own mental space can be a castle or a cage, and you have the power to decide which it will be.


As you build your mental castle watch out for cages imposed by allowing other people's agendas and issues in to your life. We attract this "stuff" into our lives every day. While we certainly learn from other people's "stuff," when we get deeply involved with another person's agenda or issue watch out. It can become very easy for us to adopt and claim another individuals "stuff" for our own. Your mind is the place where you store your success oriented attitudes and corresponding behaviors. Your meaning of life, your purpose, and your success are based on those thoughts. When you have to move or expand your mind to input more good "stuff" that is a good thing. Protect your good "stuff" and don't let anyone tell you you are off purpose or that your stuff is not the right stuff! Your mind is a place to store all your stuff, but the question really is do you have the right stuff stored? The point being is that your stuff, your attitude, and behaviors, need to always be yours. We achieve more results when we are paying attention to our own stuff! If we let others' stuff get in the way we hinder our results personally and professionally.


Create within your mind your reality and the reflection you want to see. Believe in yourself. Believe in your ability and business acumen. You have value. You have a set of experiences that no one else has. Have confidence in yourself and commit to be the best you can be!


Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in business and management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching, and youth leadership.


Contact Optimization Solutions Consulting to learn more about how you can discover your natural strengths, motivations, values, and behaviors.  

 

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