Trick or Treat, punishment or reward, it seems like an easy choice. Halloween has evolved into a treats-only celebration. I don't think kids can appreciate the balance that exists between those concepts. As adults, we can. Balance is important in life and in business. I spent many years managing projects. The traditional model would be three sides of a triangle: Time, Cost, and Scope. For a project to be successful, they must remain in balance. The new model includes an additional aspect, Quality. Imagine a three-legged stool: the legs are Time, Cost and Scope. The height of the stool is determined by Quality. Again, to be comfortable, everything must remain in balance - too low is uncomfortable, too high is unstable.
The same image can be used to describe a business. The three legs in this case are Customers, People, and Resources. People are you, your employees, your subcontractors and vendors. Resources are time, money, space, and equipment. The height of the stool is Service. Here too, things must remain in balance to have a comfortable, stable stool. Legs that are not the same length will cause a stool to topple. A stool that is too high is unstable, too low is uncomfortable. No matter the size of your stool, keeping these four components in balance is the key to having a sustainable, and comfortable, business. |
