Sa zicem ca aveti o idee de afacere – despre care credeti ca are potentialul de a schimba cu adevarat industria. Ati formulat o promisiune de business catre potentialii clienti, cat mai pe intelesul lor. Ati strans capitalul necesar, ati adunat echipa si ati mediatizat noua voastra afacere prin toate mijloacele disponibile. Ce urmeaza sa faceti?
Q: I recently became my own boss, joining forces with my brother, who has an established operation. I am very much enjoying this experience, but the challenges of finding ways to draw attention to our business and earn customers’ trust are extremely tough.
Q: How do you let go? I truly believe in empowering the right people, listening to them, and stepping aside to allow them to succeed. At what point in your amazing journey did you learn that you had to let go?
Jeff Hensley, United States
Q: We’ve been trying to find a way to improve communication with our customers, but neither our website nor our Facebook page is producing results. What would you suggest? – Billy Loaiza Rivera, Medellin, Colombia
I am incredibly lucky to be able to live in the British Virgin Islands, one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. My family’s home is on Necker Island, which is both our home and a luxury resort. Here, I’m much more likely to do my thinking in an office hammock rather than an office chair. This often sets my mind wandering as I contemplate the business of entrepreneurship.
For a long time, the terrible Space Shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986 appeared to have ended our dream of space flight’s ever expanding beyond the preserve of government-funded missions and a few highly trained explorers.
I visit Africa often, and it is apparent that a “yes, we can” attitude is spreading across the continent, as awareness of its business and investment opportunities reaches around the globe.
Restructuring is a difficult process, right? It can be. Even if you’ve done everything right, sometimes you have to take your company in a new direction because circumstances and opportunities have changed. Companies aren’t future-proof – no company lasts forever.
The United Nations climate change conference in Cancun in early December was met with negativity and apathy. As I took part in the meetings, it was clear that after the failure of the Copenhagen talks late last year, there would be no agreement on reducing emissions and tackling climate change. But there is too much at stake for us to give up and go home. It is now up to the business community to take the lead – and with a little help from government, we can succeed.
Inceput de an, ocazie de a face putina “curatenie”. Ce pastram si ce aruncam in 2011?
Conferinta Organizatiei Natiunilor Unite privind incalzirea globala, desfasurata in decembrie la Cancun a fost intampinata cu scepticism si apatie.
Anul trecut pe vremea aceasta citeam articole teribile pe agentiile de presa straine, despre fosti bancheri de pe Wall-Street pe care criza ii adusese in functii de vânzatori la fast-food. Tonul declaratiilor acestora era uimitor: erau pregatiti sa o ia de la capat si nu priveau in urma la beneficiile de sute de mii de dolari pe care le pierdusera.
Sfarsit de an, abundenta de topuri. De la cei mai buni, mai priceputi, mai abili manageri, CEO, antreprenori, pana la cele mai mari esecuri, gafe, restructurari etc. ale anului 2010.
“Cum faci sa te dai la o parte? Eu cred cu toata taria in imputernicirea oamenilor potriviti, pe care ii asculti si din fata carora te dai la o parte, ca sa le permiti sa reuseasca. In ce moment al evolutiei dv. v-ati dat seama ca e momentul sa va dati la o parte?” Intrebarea mi-a fost trimisa de Jeff Hensley din Statele Unite.
De putin timp am devenit propriul meu sef, intrand in afacerea fratelui meu. Imi place aceasta experienta, dar nu stiu prin ce modalitate sa atrag atentia asupra businessului si sa castig increderea clientilor. Eu fac distinctie intre un om de afaceri (al carui unic scop sunt banii) si un antreprenor (al carui scop este acela de a crea ceva durabil) si de aceea as vrea sa aflu ce element sau ce de strategie credeti ca a contribuit la succesul de care va bucurati astazi.
Se plictiseste oare lumea specialistilor in leadership si dezvoltare personala? Sau poate teoriile vehiculate la nivel inalt in acest domeniu, in ultima vreme, merita mai mult din partea noastra decat o ridicare din spranceana si un eventual chicotit neincrezator?
„Am cautat sa gasim o modalitate de a imbunatati comunicarea cu clientii nostri, dar nici site-ul, nici pagina de Facebook nu ne aduc rezultate. Ce ne sugerati sa facem?” Intrebarea mi-a fost trimisa de Rivera Loaiza Billy, din Medellin, Columbia.
Invingatorii nu stau pe loc. Ei cauta excelenta chiar daca pe palierul lor nu mai alearga nimeni, care sa ii poata intrece.
Calatoresc des in Africa si imi este din ce in ce mai evident ca o atitudine de genul “da, putem” se raspandeste pe intregul continent, in timp ce gradul de constientizare a oportunitatilor de investitii si de business existente acolo, face inconjurul lumii. Africanii au cu ce se mandri, inclusiv cu unele succese economice recente.
Restructurarea este un proces dificil, nu? Poate fi. Chiar daca ati facut tot ce e bine sa faceti, uneori trebuie sa duceti compania intr-o directie noua, deoarece circumstantele si oportunitatile s-au schimbat. Companiile nu sunt ferite de impactul cu viitorul si nici o companie nu dureaza pentru totdeauna.
