Take a break if you want a cool head

Melbourne is a city that plays to its cultural strengths.

Someone once said the most important thing in business is to keep a cool head.

I agree with that and, in fact, you could probably apply that to any situation in life - particularly those which appear seemingly out of nowhere.

But just as important, I think, is the ability to have a clear head, because I have found that when you mind is clear of all the clutter you can often see things for what they are and make better decisions.

Last weekend, work and the attraction of seeing a 6m tall mechanical monkey (the outstanding King Kong musical) took us to Melbourne where I found three days of clear thinking enabled me to better apply strategic thinking to my own business and some projects which are ongoing at the moment.

Whether it is because I have good friends over there, or the fact that I lived there for a time, there is something about Melbourne which I really love. There is a vibrancy and culture about the place which is absent in other cities in Australia.

Melbourne has a uniqueness and it clearly plays to these strengths. It is also interesting to see that there are very consistent messages promoting the city and region.

So, in the time that I had to myself, I worked myself through a strategic planning process and then tested my thinking. The change in environment being integral to being able to see opportunities clearly and set out a plan to take the business forward.

It also brought into stark reality a conversation I had with someone who had recently travelled overseas, that there is a big world out there and, by widening your vision, you can more clearly see and articulate opportunities.

So, what can you do to get some clarity and bring order to your direction and planning?

The key is to break the hold of day-to-day things and look at the big picture.

I firmly believe that to be successful you need to have a plan for yourself and your business and the greatest satisfaction that I get is when clients report back to me the positive change that has occurred in them/their team and their business. Strategic planning is what I do and, therefore, it is just as important to the businesses I am involved with.

That is the power that comes from strategic planning and from having a clear vision. How often do you get time to clear your head and really think about your own goals and those of your business?

The strategic planning process that I apply to my business is the same as that I apply for my clients.

Sometimes having someone independent spend time with you and work through the challenges you are facing has the similar effect of clearing your head, because we can see things that you might be missing because you are buried in the detail.

It also helps to apply your thinking using a proven method.

For assistance with your strategic plan give Zenith Solutions a call on 021-244-2421 and see how we can help you develop your strategic path to success.