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Quickstart - Maximise The 4 Levels of Collaboration
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Quickstart
Grow a Profitable Consultancy and Still Have Time for a Life
In this issue
Note from Beverley - Make and Take Time To Learn
One Step Further - Maximise the 4 Levels of Collaboration
Ideas Bank - How To Win That First Big Client
Personal Reflections - Do You Have a Role Model?
Note from Beverley
Jury service is now complete and I served on 2 separate cases, which was interesting. It's a great way to learn more about people and another aspect of our society.
This week's Quickstart continues the theme of alliances, joint ventures and partnerships as a way of growing your business and helping you get things done which you are not able or have no inclination to do. The Ideas Bank is growing slowly and I really want to hear your stories and advice so we can all share. So take a few minutes to consider what you can offer to us all this week. In fact why not schedule 5 minute each week on a Wednesday morning to contribute. Just think if 560+ people each gave one tip or story a week how valuable and rich the Ideas Bank will become as a resource.
Have a good week
Beverley
bev@onestepfurther.co.uk
+44 (0) 1344 625713
www.onestepfurther.co.uk
One Step Further
Collaboration is a key tool in helping you grow your business. Collaboration is a key skill in helping you achieve things which you know need to be done, but that you're not necessarily the best person to do them.
In thinking about the bigger picture of collaboration I think there are 4 levels, which you need to consider.
LEVEL 1 - basic admin help to deal with "stuff" - answering emails and the phone, typing, photocopying, filing making apportionments.
LEVEL 2 - business support functions that you needn't be doing and are perhaps not best equipped to do and need a certain degree of specialist knowledge - accounting, web development or graphic design. All things that are critical to your business but are not core skills and needs for you.
LEVEL 3 - Joint Ventures are one off or small projects that you enter into with someone else in which what you both bring to the venture creates something better to take to market and give you both rewards in some form. They have a tactical or operational focus for your future.
LEVEL 4 - Strategic Alliances are longer term partnerships that develop over time and where your businesses are aligned to deliver products or services creating value for clients and for all partners concerned. These have a more strategic focus.
Have another look at last week's Quickstart on how you can Develop Alliances and Achieve More.
So take a look at all the things that you do/need to be done in your business
a) Do you have the skills, time and inclination to do them? if not
b) Start looking for skilled and enthusiastic people to help you
c) Consider who would make a good starter joint venture
d) Would a joint venture win you business you might not have considered?
e) Who could develop into a great strategic alliance and really get your business moving?
Be creative in how you consider leading/managing your business and doing/winning business and you will take you and your business One Step Further.
Ideas Bank
How To Win That First Big Client, that's this week topic and you can read some articles and tips by going to the Ideas Bank and clicking on the link at the top of the page. You'll also find links to all previous "deposits".
As this resource grows, I'd appreciate your feedback as to what you would like to see more of, what you would like to see less of and I would love to have more of your contributions so that we can all benefit from the wisdom and experience of each other.
For next week's topic we're looking for comments, ideas, tips and stories on
"The Value of A Great Business Card"
* What's your business card like?
* What makes a good business card?
* What do you do with your business cards?
* What do you do with other people's business cards?
* How do you use your business cards to win you business?
* What stories do you have about business cards?
Drop me an email at
bev@onestepfurther.co.uk
We all share, we all learn.
Personal Reflections
It's the start of the Wimbledon fortnight and so naturally it's raining in the South of England and as welcome as the rain is, for so many reasons it's a shame that the 2 weeks of tennis will suffer disruptions.
I was watching the warm up of Roger Federer's opening game and the commentators were talking about how Roger is not only a great tennis player, in fact one of the "greats" but he is also a really nice person who most people that know him admire and like. The commentator went on to say that he hoped coaches, both now and in the future, would look at all aspects of Roger's game and the way he conducts himself, as a role model for how they coach and train their current and future proteges.
In many areas of life we look to people to see how they live their lives, how they conduct their business and how they achieve success in their chosen career. And yet in our own lives do we actually take note, make changes and really understand how and why we do this, or not as the case may be.
Sales of Hello and OK magazine amongst others demonstrate our fascination with celebrity and "other people's" lives. Gossip columns fulfil our craving for bad news, outrageous goings on and yet do we really need it? Does it really add to our own lives in a truly positive way?
I would suggest for the vast majority of us the answer is no. I would suggest we use it as escapism or as a way to make us feel better. And yet there are so many great role models that we could learn from that would really enhance our lives and our businesses if we only took the time to look closely.
So why not shun the nonsense of media hype, celebrity and infamy and start to look at what we really want. Then we can search out role models who can help us, who we can learn from and who will have a really positive affect on our future.
As a start you may like to look at www.makemoneyandmeaning.com as a different way to develop success.
Best Regards
Bev
bev@onestepfurther.co.uk
+44 (0) 1344 625713 |
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