I mentioned in a recent blog post about how I am pivoting and making changes to my content creation efforts. This shorter edition of Making Business Happen Radio outlines these changes.

Highlights of the changes to my strategy

• I am moving my content creation to a single website – For the past four months, I’ve run two distinct websites. I am moving my content to one site, www.dallonc.com. At the current time, dallonc.com points you to the Whiteboard Business site. This will change in the coming weeks. As I make this change, I will ensure everyone subscribed to RSS feeds keep getting content through my new site.
• Making Business Happen Radio will go through a branding change – I have several interviews under the Making Business Happen name. Once I exhaust those interviews, I will rebrand Making Business Happen Radio. I will keep you informed of when the change occurs.
• I will focus my writing on more specific themes each month - John Jantsch emphasizes finding a specific theme or overarching topic to center your content each month. I will do this with my own content.
• As I start the new website, my content will be less frequent than on this site – I have recently started a new position as director of finance for a local company, and I am also developing an exciting new review course for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam. Between the time I published this podcast in late March and the time I complete the review course later in 2013, I will publish content two to three times per week. After I have completed the course, i will increase my content frequency.

What will not change

• I will cover the same types of content – I will continue to write about creating your success playbook and topics related to the CMA exam. I will not change the overall topics about which I write, but I will change how I focus that content.
• I will continue to produce two podcasts – I will continue to produce the new version of Making Business Happen Radio on a weekly basis. I will produce my CMA Spotlight podcast on a bi-weekly basis.

Thank you for your patience as I’ve worked my way through my new content creation strategy. Between rethinking how I produce content and my new duties, I have not updated my content as I have normally done.

If you are interested in having me speak at your next event, visit my speaking page.

Sometimes in life, you have to know when to make the right pivot.

photo credit: selva via photopin cc

For nearly a year, I have run Whiteboard Business Partners. I have had some significant success, but I have also known the type of company I’ve wanted to work with. I found that company in Evolution Power Tools, and I start tomorrow as their director of finance and accounting. Evolution is giving me the opportunity to work for the type of company my dad has worked for over the last 30 years. I am extremely excited about this opportunity and am looking forward to building a great company with the rest of the team.

I am also starting an exciting new opportunity with Wiley Publishing and their growing Certified Management Accountant (CMA) review program. I currently run my own course using Wiley material, but this opportunity allows me to enter the authorship ranks with a great team and world-famous publisher.

What will NOT change moving forward

• I will continue to write – Even though I am assuming new responsibilities, I will not give up my writing and blogging. This is something I love to do, and I enjoy learning about the business world. My research and writing keeps me on the front line of new business developments. Plus, wirting is a release for me!
• I will continue my weekly podcast – One of my week’s highlights is delivering Making Business Happen Radio. I will continue to publish a podcast every Thursday.
• If you are subscribing via RSS or iTunes, your feed will not change – Do not worry about missing a post or a podcast if you subscribe via RSS or through iTunes. You will continue to get posts and podcasts as I publish them.

What will change moving forward

• I will change to a new domain – In the next several weeks, I will change to blogging under a personal domain, www.dallonc.com. I’m building the site right now and will move all of my Whiteboard Business blog posts to that site.
• I will develop a more focused blogging strategy – Each month, I will develop a key topic and deliver all content around that theme. I will start this as soon as I move to the new web site.
• Making Business Happen Radio will debut a new name soon – I will keep this under wraps for now, but I am rebranding my podcast. I will debut this name in the coming weeks.
• I will combine my CMA blogging and my general business blogging into a single blog – I have learned that maintaining two blogs is a significant challenge. I will continue to develop my CMA Spotlight podcast, and I will also blog once a week on CMA-related topics.

I will make every effort to make this a seamless transition, but I’m sure there will be a few bumps in the road as I make thing change. I’m looking forward to having a new, mobile-responsive website and the opportunity to build my platform under my own name.

In last week’s post, I highlighted three reasons why Marissa Meyer’s decision to ban full-time telecommuting was a proper decision for Yahoo’s future. This week, I will focus on why this decision was wrong. The lesson of this situation is to understand the key issues facing a critical decision affecting many employees and how your business can learn from this situation to grow and thrive.

What Marissa Mayer did wrong

1. Mayer is absolutely wrong that face-to-face interaction is the only way to make innovation work – Over the last eight months, I have participated in dozens of Go to Meeting video conferences, Skype phone calls, and Google Hangouts. While these conferences may not completely replace the physical aspect of face to face meetings, they provide a suitable replacement to allow people around the world to interact. 37 Signals, a popular web-based application company, has nearly half of its workforce working remotely. In a recent interview on the 5by5 Quit podcast (warning – some strong language), company co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson emphasized his company’s collaborative culture with employees working around the globe. Today’s technology allows people to interact and share ideas well enough to not require direct, face-to-face interaction.
2. Mayer’s “all or nothing” decision is perceived as out-of-touch and condescending – When you are a company leader, your actions are as important as your words. Mayer recently had a baby, and she brings the child to Yahoo with a caregiver. Meanwhile, the other Yahoo employees have no daycare options on site or the ability to do the same thing Mayer is doing. I have no problems with what Marissa Mayer is personally doing. However, her decision to ban remote working while bringing her child to work with a caregiver is easily perceived as hypocritical. Yahoo employees rightly should ask why does the CEO get this privilege while other employees do not. This is not a way to bolster morale with a team that is already stressed and nervous about the company’s future.
3. Mayer refuses to acknowledge that some work actually requires focused activity – Like many of you, I have faced the distractions of today’s cubicle/office environment. The “Dilbert” comic strip is not that inaccurate. There are times when working in an open office or cubicle enviornment is counter-productive. People do need the ability to escape the office to complete work requiring focus and concentration.

The issues of telecommunting and work-life flexibility will not go away. Our society wears too many hats to neatly segregate life into various buckets. Marissa Mayer has started an important and healthy debate in our workplace. She just needs to execute the idea more effectively.

What are your thoughts on the telecommuting/remote work controversy? Share your comments below!

Welcome to Session #36 of Making Business Happen Radio, the show to help you build your success playbook. I’m Dallon Christensen, your host. This is the podcast to help you become more profitable, productive, and prepared to grow your business.

This show is all about making entrepreneurship and marriage work. My guests are Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor. Brad and Amy live in Boulder, Colorado and are serial entrepreneurs as well as husband and wife. They have written the book “Startup Life: Surviving and Thriving in a Relationship with an Entrepreneur” (affiliate link). Brad is a board member of many companies and successful angel investor. This interview is all about how you can make a relationship work while running a business.

Topics covered in this interview

• How have both of you made it work as a couple in an entrepreneurial lifestyle?
• What is the biggest myth you can think of when discussing entrepreneurship with couples?
• What are some of the pitfalls a couple can face when they move from the traditional “paycheck world” to dealing with more irregular income?
• Normally, one spouse is the dreamer and one is the “grounded and secure one” in a couple. How can you reconcile these conflicting, but valid viewpoints?
• Entreprenurship can be such a challenging road, and depression can set in if things don’t go well. How do you address that possibility in a couple?
• What should be discussed regarding business planning and how it relates to family finances?
• What is one key step to take regarding your time and priority management? Why is this important?
• What are some of the communication strategies you have used to align family and business goals?
• It’s easy for the entrepreneur to fall into a working trap and not make time for “date night” or other ways to be a couple? How do you avoid that?
• It can be hard for entrepreneurs to disconnect, and vacations are no different. How can entrepreneurs ensure their vacation time is devoted to their family?
• Is there ever a time when you are justified in handling business matters on vacation? How do you deal with that?
• If the business is struggling, what must the couple do to “cut the cord” and close the business while minimizing the entrepreneur’s disappointment?
• When entrepreneurs do “make it”, how can they take the time to devote to family instead of constantly trying to do more and make more?
• What’s one question you wish I would have asked, and how do you answer that question?

I would appreciate a review on iTunes. I do take these ratings and reviews seriously, and the reviews help raise the show’s visibility. If you are interested in having me speak at your next event, please visit my speaking page. Now go out and make your business happen!

Resources

• 2013-02-07 Startup Life column – “Scheduled” romance
  Great game of business
• Startup Revolution website
• Foundry Group website
• Wall Street Journal article on entrepreneurs and relationships

Marissa Mayer has the right idea when it comes to improving Yahoo’s productivity and company culture. She is just doing a bad job of executing and communicating the decision.

Mayer, Yahoo’s CEO, is the subject of a fierce debate about the future of working arrangements. Her decision to ban full-time telecommuting at the struggling technology company is the most polarizing business subject of 2013 to this point, with many supporters on both sides of the issue. The concept of remote work and how it impacts business growth and innovation will continue to spark passionate responses.

Photo from cnet.com

I believe Marissa Mayer is right in her belief that innovation and productivity increase with collaboration. I have worked as a remote employee, an office employee, and a self-employed individual working from home. Marissa Mayer is right to recognized teamwork and collaboration as critical to Yahoo’s future success. She also made a data-driven decision to rescind the company’s telecommuting policy. Next week, I will highlight how Mayer’s execution of this decision was far from ideal.

What Marissa Mayer did right

1. Mayer is right that collaboration and teamwork are critical to any company – It is true that people need quiet, focused time to work hard on developing new ideas. However, a company does not thrive when its employees work in isolation. Growing companies need people with a variety of strengths and interests. This teamwork then produces the ideas which advance a company. The ability to “connect the dots” and link great ideas from different viewpoints is what allows a company to capitalize on new ideas.
2. Mayer is right that innovation and creativity comes from chance meetings – Innovation and creativity are not check-the-box, structured activities. They result from brainstorming, unusual events, and chance opportunities. Steve Jobs understood this when he helped design Pixar Studio’s building with the restrooms in the central part of the building. This forced all employees to migrate to a central location. These meetings sparked many great ideas. Your company needs
3. Mayer was right to use data to support her decision – Mayer had a instinctive reaction that empty parking lots meant people may not be working. She then worked with her executive team to review remote working records and reportedly found many Yahoo telecommuters not being as productive as they could be. She used data to support her gut reaction, and this resulted in a more defensible decision.

Next week, I’ll highlight what Ms. Mayer did wrong executing her decision. This series should be a reminder to company leaders and owners about why even right ideas can meet strong resistance if not executed properly.

Do you feel Marissa Mayer’s idea about telecommuting was correct? Share your thoughts below!

This post contains links I’ve found during recent research to help you build your business playbook. I do not go into detail on these items, but I encourage you to review them if you find them interesting. The photo is a recent favorite from Flickr.

photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc

PURPOSE

Decide what you are NOT about – When we try to be everything to everyone, we do a lousy job at everything. This article from The Build Network will help.

GAMEPLAN

Creating a strong social media policy – Your team must know what is encouraged and what is discouraged when interacting through social media. This article will help.

RESULTS

LucidMeetings – A key to any good meeting is communication and agendas. This shared tool will help keep all attendees prepared.

ACCELERATION

Diigo – If you are looking to increase learning among your team or tribe, this social bookmarking tool is worth a look.

Have a great weekend!
Dallon

One of the benefits of blogging is the ability to locate and research other content. This guest post from Joel Parkinson is a way for me to give you more great content from around the web. Change management is a critical topic in today’s business environment. Session 34 of Making Business Happen Radio featured a candid discussion of why many change management initiatives fail. These ten blogs will help you find more information on how to manage change in your own businesses.

Joel Parkinson is a writer for the web site projectmanager.com, where he has recently been researching project management software. In his spare time, Joel enjoys surfing and running.

photo credit: daveelf via photopin cc

Top 10 blogs About Change Management Tools and Techniques

Change is a word that is constant, and it affects everyone, from people to companies and organizations. If a company or organization does not easily accept, and embrace change, then it could be heading for a lot of trouble. Today, you’ll hear words like “change management” mentioned often in the workplace. What does it mean? Change management is actually an approach towards transitioning, or shifting people, teams and organizations from a current state, to a “desired” state. The process allows people fully accept, and embrace the changes that occur in their work or business environments. Let’s take a sneak peak at a few of the top change management tools and techniques blogs today.

Accenture.com

Accenture is a large management consulting, technology services and outsourcing firm, with a major presence on more than 120 countries. The firm collaborates with the customers to help them perform better in businesses and organizations. It also operates a blog on change management, with popular posts such as  “Enabling Sustainable Change Published”, “To Offshore or not to Offshore?” , “Stakeholder Engagement”, “If You Build It, They Will Come” and more.

businessweek.com

With change crucial to businesses and organizations, the capacity to adapt and manage change is crucial and necessary for business leaders and managers. The web services blog service contains more than 800 blog items and thousands of news feeds, about topics like change management and more.

change-management-blog.com

Once you log on to the change-management blog site, you’ll see a phrase which says “change is a state of mind”.  It also contains blog written by the finest bloggers on topics like change management.

Leanblog.org

The Lean Blog started operating in January 2005, and continues to host news, commentary and discussion about what the word “lean” truly means. The blog service was created by Mark Graban, and focuses on topics like lean management in the manufacturing world, as well as in the healthcare industry after Mark moved there in late 2005.

practicalchangemanagement.blogspot.com

Whether you’re a change manager, consultant or tech guy, this blog service will provide you with ideas on how to support your organization in successfully achieving its goals, and effectively managing change.  The blog also covers change management-related topics that most workers and managers are likely to run into long the way.

Nimble.com

Nimble is often described as “the social business blog”. It has blogs which discusses topics that are related to  Customer  Focus, Lead Nurturing Marketing, Small Business Social Media, Social Selling Strategies and more.

Thechangeblog.com

Created by Peter Clemens, the Change Blog initially focused on the author’s life story. It has now evolved into a community blog that regularly publishes stories about people from all ages of life, and across different situations at home or in the workplace, as well as on topics related to personal change.

blogs.forrester.com

Forrester is a global research and advisory firm that serves clients in business and technology industries. Their blog service covers topics such business process management, business transformation, business process improvement, enterprise resource planning, customer experience and more.

executiveboard.com

Executiveboard.co is CEB Communications official blog site. CEB is a membership organization that is composed of 350 of the planet’s leading companies and serves more than 13,000 professionals. Their blog service covers topics such as Assessing Key Performance Trends and Risks, Benchmarking Performance and Plans, Establishing Innovating Operating Approaches, Organizing and Managing Critical Talent, Driving Alignment and Support for Change, and Navigating Leadership Transitions.

Ketchum.com

Ranked as one of the world’s largest and most diverse PR agencies, Ketchum has over eighty years of success, mentoring and leadership.  Its blog service discusses topics such as change management tools and techniques, employee management, communications and learning strategies.

Welcome to Session #35 of Making Business Happen Radio! This is the podcast to help you build your business playbook. My goal is to help you become more profitable, productive, and prepared to grow your business. If you have a question or comment for the show, leave an e-mail message at feedback@whiteboardbusiness.com or leave a voice mail from the homepage of Whiteboard Business Partners. You can also find the show at locations like the BlackBerry podcast app, Stitcher Radio, Downcast, and your favorite podcast apps.

This session is brought to you by Kent Julian’s Speak it Forward Boot Camp in Atlanta, Georgia from May 2-4. If you want to build a great speaking business, this is the conference for you to attend. Sign up at www.speakitforward.com and use the promotional code “whiteboard” for a special discount when you register.

Please note I am not affiliated with Getting Things Done or the David Allen Company.

My Getting Things Done Journey

• Episode 29 – Why I finally decided to embrace Getting Things Done
• Episode 31 – How I started my GTD journey without considering technology
• Episode 33 – Eight technology tools I have used when considering my GTD workflow
• What I considered when choosing my GTD technology tool
  • I want to limit the tools I use – see Episode 25
  • I want the tool available across a variety of platforms – I do not want to be completely tied to a single ecosystem
  • I want my reference items and action steps in the same application
  • I want something I can tailor to my preferences and workflow

My GTD choice – Evernote

• I’ve used Evernote since 2010 for general notes and file storage
• I’ve used it across PCs, Macs, Android phones, and iOS devices
• It’s very simple to use
• Why I like it for GTD
  • I can tag action steps and reference items with the same project tag.
    • Example – When I do this show, I have action step notes under the project
    • I also have articles, links, and other research items for the podcast
    • I want these under the same project tag
    • Some systems provide great integration, like Nozbe
    • However, I want as much of my workflow in as few apps as possible
  • I can create saved searches to suit my workflow
    • I used Daniel Gold’s outstanding Evernote E-book as my baseline system (affiliate link)
    • Example – Context saved search
      • I use an @Errands context tag to collect everything I should do with errands.
      • I run a saved search for open to-do items with the @Errands tag to see what I can do on my errand run
    • I have a saved search for all closed to-do items still in my _GTDAction notebook.
      • This allows me to move these to my Work Reference notebook
      • I keep my notebook of action steps clean by running the saved search and then moving all notes to my Work Reference folder
  • I actually like not having an automatic link to my calendar – many do not like this
    • I have to take some extra time to determine if the item in question REALLY needs to be on my calendar.
    • This also keeps my calendar much cleaner and leaves it for firm appointments and key due dates
    • I do use a system called FollowUpThen.com to e-mail myself “tickler” reminders
  • This system also keeps my general checklists
    • Morning checklists to get the kids ready
    • My son’s checklist for bringing things home from school
    • Random grocery lists (although my wife uses Trello for her to-do system, so I do use that for our grocery lists)
• No system is perfect – here are some of my challenges
  • No recurring tasks, like taking out the garbage or paying bills
    • I do have these on my calendar or use FollowUpThen.com
    • This is probably my biggest weakness with Evernote
  • Evernote’s new Version 5 iOS app is not the easiest to use
    • I had a hard time finding saved searches at first
    • The nested note function does not exist on iOS
      • I do start my project tags with a period (.) and my Today and Next tags with exclamation points to work around
      • Still would like to see nested tag functionality, especially for some of my organizational items
  • Evernote is still very much geared toward reference and file storage
    • I like the flexibility of the system, but it does take some working around
    • Some of the tag names can also look unusual
• Evernote is a freemium model
  • You can do everything I run for an individual system for free
  • I pay $45/year for the premium version
    • More storage
    • Ability to edit information in notebooks others share with me
    • I also support this product – it’s been a tremendous tool for me

Please leave a review of Making Business Happen Radio on iTunes. I do take the reviews seriously and will use them to improve the show. These reviews and ratings also help the show’s visibility and allow more people to learn how to make their businesses happen. Session #36 features an interview with entrepreneurs and husband-and-wife team Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor on how to make marriage and entrepreneurship work. If you are interested in having me speak at your next event, visit my speaking page. Until next time, I’m Dallon Christensen. Now go out and make your business happen!

Running a business is an incredibly rewarding experience. Business owners add value to the world, work with interesting people, and control their business destiny. Unfortunately, too many business owners fail to prepare for the day they will eventually leave their businesses.

photo credit: Brave Heart via photopin cc

The hard truth – EVERYONE exits a business at some point

Whether by choice or circumstance, business owners will ultimately leave their companies. Unfortuantely, too many business owners fail to properly prepare for their exit. I recently read John Leonetti’s excellent book, “Exiting Your Business, Protecting Your Wealth” (affiliate link). Mr. Leonetti’s book should be required reading for any business owner or executive working in a small business. With anywhere from 40–70% of business owners approaching retirement age, we must have the conversations to prepare business owners for their exit. Entrepreneurs have worked too hard in their businesses to not realize the value of that work upon their exits.

The key to any successful business exit is for the business to operate independently of the owner. That is hard for many owners to accept, but an independent business will command a higher value for the owner. The owner has created a business with revenue and operations which can continue into the future. The owner has created an asset, not just a job.

Four steps to start your exit planning today

1. You begin to think of your business as an asset and not a job – Many of us like the concept of 401(k) and Roth IRA accounts in the United States. These assets help us build a base of assets for our “retirement”. Think of all the time and money you invest into your business. Is that just a job?
2. You will work in your strengths and delegate effectively – Great businesses are, in every sense of the word, a great team. Great teams have people with different passions and skills, and these people work together to create something better than they could do alone. As a business leader, you must work in your strengths and work ONLY where you are strongest or where only you can accomplish the action step. Michael Hyatt explains how he is building his team in his business in this podcast, and it is mandatory listening for anyone seeking to build a team.
3. You will separate yourself from the business – This is not a bad thing! If you can separate yourself from the business, this means you have people and systems doing more than you can do yourself. When you want to sell your business or pass the business to others, the uncertainty of how this business will run without your direct involvement goes away. Your business will carry on without you, and that increases its value.
4. You will consider multiple sources of income – Many businesses start as service businesses. There’s nothing wrong with that, but your business must diversify its revenue streams to grow. Your investment accounts have a variety of assets to earn income. Your business should be treated the same way as any other investment. You want different income sources so you do not rely on a single source. You also want to avoid your business solely focusing on trading time for money.

You will exit your business at some time in the future. It’s far better to plan ahead and consider how you can build a great business so you can receive the financial reward of your years of hard work and dedication.

How can you start planning your business exit today? Share your thoughts below!

It’s hard to look at a business website or publication without commentary on Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer’s controversial decision to ban remote working at the struggling Internet company. This weeks’ Playbook Questions post does not intend to support a particular position on the debate, but it will make you consider how you can balance flexible working and the results your company needs to succeed. The infographic is from Inc. Magazine.

PURPOSE

What message do you want to present to your current and future employees as you determine the right working arrangement for your company?

GAMEPLAN

How will you ensure your employees collaborate and share ideas when some work remotely a significant amount of the time?

RESULTS

How will you measure your company’s results if you cannot see your employees in the office every day?

ACCELERATION

How will your remote working environment impact your decision to hire new employees? Where can those employees be located?

My weekend post contains links I’ve found during recent research to help you build your business playbook. I do not go into detail on these items, but I encourage you to review them if you find them interesting. The photo is a recent favorite from Flickr.

photo credit: w4nd3rl0st (InspiredinDesMoines) via photopin cc

PURPOSE

Becoming minimalist – Skip Prichard explains why living a more simplified life has its benefits.

GAMEPLAN

How a profitable business fails – Profitability is a great thing, but it’s not the only thing required to succeed in business as Tim Berry explains.

RESULTS

Daniel Pink on why we are all salespeople – One of my favorite authors discussing why selling is naturally human.

ACCELERATION

Evolve or die – Great businesses continue to change and adapt. This article from Canada’s The Globe and Mail explains why.

Have a great weekend!
Dallon

We’ve had multiple snowfalls in the Midwest this week, so I’ve spent plenty of time listening to podcasts as I’ve cleared our driveway and sidewalks. My most recent early morning podcast was the Entreleadership podcast from Dave Ramsey’s team. Chris Locurto is a good substitute for a morning jolt when the coffee isn’t brewed yet!

photo credit: StockMonkeys.com via photopin cc

In the latest Entreleadership podcast, Chris interviews Dan Briton and Jimmy Page. Dan and Jimmy are two authors of the book “One Word That Will Change Your Life” (affiliate link), and this podcast made me stop my shoveling for a few minutes to think about the one word I want to focus on for this year. I thought I knew what that word was earlier this year, but I realized I took too little time to really think about this.

New Year’s resolutions and other broad goal statements usually don’t work. It’s too easy to write down a long goal statement and not follow it. Picking a single word as your “centering word” forces you to think hard about what you want to do in the upcoming year. That word can apply to many different contexts, but it still grounds your thinking and simplifies what you need to accomplish.

I do not know what my word is yet. My wife and I are celebrating our anniversary with a weekend getaway, and this is something I want to consider as we are in different surroundings. In a busy life, I know I need simplicity and clarity. When I find this word, I will take a major step toward achieving those goals.

What will your “centering word” be? Share your thoughts below!

Welcome to the whiteboard for session #34 of Making Business Happen Radio! This is the show to help you build your business playbook. My goal is for you to take these shows and become more profitable, productive, and prepared to grow your business.

This episode of Making Business Happen Radio is brought to you by the Whiteboard CMA Review. If you are looking to pass the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam, Whiteboard CMA Review gives you two courses to pass the exam on your time and terms. Whiteboard CMA Review’s innovative on-demand review course gives you the flexibility to prepare for the exam from any Internet-enabled device.

“Pivoting” is a key part of great businesses. Companies as large as Apple and Nokia have radically shifted their business models. When companies pivot, they change how they do business and who they serve. Dr. Victoria Grady understands the importance of “The Pivot Point” (affiliate link), and she co-authored a book with her father, Dr. James Grady, to show what it means to pivot.

Dr. Grady completed her Doctoral Studies at the George Washington University in May 2005. Her dissertation focused on the inherent loss of stability suffered by organizations introducing and implementing organizational change initiatives. The research resulted in a validated model (LOE Model) explaining the tendency of individuals, often subconsciously, to struggle, resist, and potentially disrupt the organizational change initiative.

Dr. Grady continues to build upon her research in the field of change management and extended her original model to include a validated index (LOE Index) that quantitatively measures the tendency of individuals within the organization to embrace organizational change initiatives. The index focuses on the employee, and how factors inherent inchange affect their performance. Subsequently, this shift in performance will have a negative impact on the overall health of the organization.

She is currently an Assistant Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Organizational Science within the Columbian School of Arts and Sciences at the George Washington University. Dr. Grady’s consulting practice includes federal government institutions, non-profit organizations, and private sector companies.

Dr. Grady and I discuss the following topics in this interview

• What was the inspiration for you to write this book as a parable instead of a traditional non-fiction/business book?
• On a lighter note, what is it like writing a book with your father? How can business owners with family members working in the business work well together?
• The book’s main idea is that our resistance to change results from having to give up something dear to us. For many entrepreneurs, it’s hard to give up that first business idea. What advice do you have for them?
• Dr. Bankston had his “Betsy”, which was an old computer he used and represented his business to that point. What can we do as small business owners to honor our own “Betsys” in our businesses?
• Small businesses have less bureaucracy and more ability to “pivot”, but they often lack the understanding or idea framework to do this effectively. How can we build a framework to help us understand the importance of pivoting?
• Emotion is such a big part of change. We often blind ourselves to facts when making a highly emotional decision. What can business owners do to change their mindset about including logic and facts in their decision making?
• How important is business planning, meant as a process, to a small business that must pivot a great deal? What does this book teach entrepreneurs about understanding your business?
• What can other team members or trusted outside voices mean to the entrepreneur who needs to pivot, but can’t bring himself to that point yet?
• If you could give entrepreneurs one additional piece of advice from this book we haven’t discussed yet, what would that be?

It is late February, which means we are approaching the mid-April income tax filing deadline in the United States. No one enjoys paying taxes, but they are a necessary part of doing business. This week’s Playbook Questions focus on a sobering infographic from the March 2012 edition of Inc. Magazine.

PURPOSE

Are you running your business to serve others in a profitable way, or are you focused too much on reducing taxes?

GAMEPLAN

What burdens will your business decisions make on your tax bill and, more importantly, your ability to comply with tax laws?

RESULTS

What is one step you can take to make your tax preparation easier?

ACCELERATION

Who can help you reduce the administrative burden and complexity with your tax administration?

My weekend post contains links I’ve found during recent research to help you build your business playbook. I do not go into detail on these items, but I encourage you to review them if you find them interesting. The photo is a recent favorite from Flickr.

photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc

PURPOSE

Creating an exciting company culture – Your culture reflects your purpose in business. This article from Entrepreneur magazine helps you determine the key areas you want to model in your own culture.

GAMEPLAN

Get out of debt or save for your business? – This advice is good for anyone looking to start a new business, not just aspiring college-aged entrepreneurs

RESULTS

Nimble CRM – Customer relationship mangement systems which does a nice job of integrating e-mail and social media activity to track relationships with customers.

ACCELERATION

Mistakes to avoid during a succession – If you want your business to continue after you exit, this Globe and Mail article provides some tips.

Have a great weekend!
Dallon

I am not a big fan of the Black Eyed Peas’ music, but I respect their creativity and vision tremendously. This article from Fortune explains why I respect the group so much. Will.i.am, the Black Eyed Peas’ leader, is reinventing himself in business as much as he is in music.

photo credit: Live at J&R via photopin cc

Chris Brogan calls this bringing value to the picnic. Success today isn’t about job titles or stature in a company. It’s about what you can do to become valuable to others. In his book “The Commitment Engine” (affiliate link), John Jantsch emphasizes how a great business results when the owner’s personal purpose intersects with a purpose to add value to others. I think that’s a tremendous way to approach running a business.

What value are you adding to the picnic? Share your thoughts below!

Welcome to the whiteboard for Session #33 of Making Business Happen Radio, the show to help you build your business playbook. This is the podcast to help you become more profitable, productive, and prepared to grow your business. I’m Dallon Christensen, your host and the founder of Whiteboard Business Partners.

This podcast is brought to you by Kent Julian’s Speak it Forward Boot Camp from May 2-4 in the Atlanta, Georgia area. I have attended this event in the past, and it is the best conference I’ve attended to help you build a speaking business. Much of what you find on my own speaking page is what I’ve learned with Kent’s guidance. Sign up using the promotional code “whiteboard” to receive a special registration bonus for participating.

The eight productivity tools I’ve tried (and so should you)

I have discussed how you must build your own workflow ideas without the help of technology. However, technology can be a tremendous way to improve your productivity. Smartphones and tablets, when used correctly, can give you the ability to stay productive and organized anywhere. These eight tools are productivity applications I’ve tested for at least one project to help me become more organized.

Asana – The Simplified GTD Experience

• Free for up to 30 users
• I have used this for shared projects and grocery lists
• iPhone app is very easy to use
• Tags give GTD functionality
• Allows sharing and comments among team members and outside people

Evernote - The All-in-One

• Cross-platform is the biggest benefit
• Not designed as a GTD tool, more of a reference tool
• Very flexible – can arrange the system as you like
• Evernote’s key functionalities
  • Scanned paper
  • Forwarded e-mails
  • Tagging
  • Notebooks – I share a notebook with my coach, for example
• $45/year or $5/month for premium version. Free version available

IQTell- The Collector

• Currently in private beta – sign up here
• I have tested the beta and found several great features
  • Single point of access for many productivity items
    • Calendar
    • E-mail
    • Tickler items
    • Reference items
  • Can link many tools into IQTell
    • Evernote
    • Google Calendar
• Can also link multiple e-mail accounts
• Ability to create action steps and projects from a reference item or e-mail is a good touch
• Great for people who want a single point of contact for their productivity system
• Sahaf Flam, IQTell’s co-founder, is a future guest on Making Business Happen Radio.

OmniFocus - The GTD Powerhouse

• Closest thing to a GTD-approved app – GTD/Omnifocus manual
• Follows the GTD workflow very closely
• Many features
  • Subtasks
  • Different perspectives
• Most expensive option
  • $79.99 on Mac App Store
  • $39.99 for iPad app
  • $19.99 for iPhone app

Taskpaper - The Minimalist

• $11.99 on Mac App Store, $4.99 for universal iOS version
• Three structures
  • Projects
  • Tasks
  • Notes
• Use tags for any identification desired
  • @today – What you want to complete today
  • @next – What you want to do next for each project
  • Could also tag with context or people names
• Clean, simple structure

Things - The Mac Experience

• Must pay for all three versions
  • $49.99 on Mac App Store
  • $19.99 for iPad
  • $9.99 for iPhone
• Most visually appealing of the “traditional” task apps
• No contexts like OmniFocus
• Can use tags for contexts, people, etc.
• Good mix of GTD methodology and flexibility

Trello - The Visual Experience

• Currently free
• Corkboard concept – Like adding cards to a series of boards
• Can set up boards by project, client, or other setup
• Ability to share with co-workers and outside users
• Colored labels have flexible use
  • Red – Today’s tasks
  • Green – Next actions
• My wife and I use this for many home checklists and tasks
  • Grocery lists
  • Nightly cleaning duties

Zendone - Evernote integration

• Free beta testing as of February 2013
• Intergrates with Google Apps and Evernote
• Able to turn an Evernote item into an action item or a reference item
• Can create items from Zendone directly into Google Calendar
• iOS app available

If you enjoy what you are hearing on Making Business Happen Radio, please leave a review on iTunes. These reviews help the show gain more exposure for those looking to improve their own businesses. If you have a question for the show, please leave a voicemail from the homepage of Whiteboard Business Partners or leave an e-mail at feedback@whiteboardbusiness.com. Tune into Session #34 for an interview with serial entrepreneurs and husband-and-wife team Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor on how to make marriage and entrepreneurship work. Until next time, I’m Dallon Christensen. Now go out and make your business happen!

One of my favorite episodes of Making Business Happen Radio was with Victory Enterprises president Steve Grubbs. Steve turned a political career into a great entrepreneurial opportunity in my hometown. Our interview in a local coffee shop illustrated his ability to remain flexible and creative as he runs a very successful company.

photo credit: Malingering via photopin cc

Before our interview, Steve talked about how he was spending much of his summer away from his office. His daughter was starting college, and the family was spending time together before she “left the nest”. I asked him if he was nervous about being away from the office so much, and he replied he was far from nervous. He knew he had a great team around him who could run the business without his physical presence. Steve did work remotely and was active in big decisions, but he knew his team could run the business without him sitting in his office. I thought this was the ultimate symbol of what entrepreneurship can mean to someone. The CEO of a growing, successful business was able to spend a significant time out of the office without the fear of everything crashing down. In my opinion, that’s the difference between owning a job and building a valuable business asset. If you can build your business so it runs without you, you have the ability to pursue other opportunities for a more rewarding, more balanced life.

The three key questions to ask about your business to help it run without you

You must be brutally honest with yourself as you ask these questions. Once you can candidly answer these questions, you can then determine how to build your business to where it does not require your constant involvement.

1. What can be done only by you? - There are a very small number of responsibilities which you alone can do. These responsibilities usually focus on setting the company’s vision and objectives. You are ultimately accountable for where the business will go, which means you must set the company’s direction. You cannot delegate that responsibility.
2. Where can others help you implement your vision? - As a business owner, you will never disassociate yourself from your business completely. However, you must build a team which can implement your vision. If you set a clear and compelling direction for your business, your team can take that vision and turn it into action steps.
3. How can I let people do their jobs without micromanaging? – If you have a strong team and have created clear objectives, give your team the freedom to get things done as they see fit. The captain of the ship must look out over the horizon, not be in the boiler room fixing a minor leak. Your time and creative energy are limited. You must let go of some of the details and let your team shine. It helps if you’ve hired “athletes“, or people who can quickly assume different tasks as you build your business.

It’s not easy to entrust others to build something you have created. However it is necessary if you want the ability to pursue other interests. Business which grow well have one thing in common – an owner who is comfortable letting the business run without that owner’s direct involvement in all operations.

What can you do to help your business run without you? Share your comments below!

As my friends know, I am a big fan of Apple products and the company Steve Jobs built. My friend Chris Puckett, who is part of an entrepreneurship group to which I belong, posted this photo of famous Steve Jobs quotes on Facebook. They form the basis of this week’s Playbook Questions.

PURPOSE

What feelings have you experience in your business lately? Do you need to reevaulate how what you are doing fits your purpose?

GAMEPLAN

What are you aiming to achieve in the next 12 months?

RESULTS

How will you know you have hit the target with your key projects and action steps?

ACCELERATION

How can you make sure you are doing more great work and less work that others can do better than you?

My Saturday post contains links I’ve found during recent research to help you build your business playbook. I do not go into detail on these items, but I encourage you to review them if you find them interesting. The photo is a recent favorite from Flickr.

Photo vla Stella+S’ via Flickr

PURPOSE

When a J-O-B isn’t enough – Free Agent Academy’s Kevin Miller illustrates the importance of making your calling a bigger part of your work.

GAMEPLAN

Getting your author credentials noticed – Duct Tape Marketing’s John Jantsch illustrates the importance of linking your Google presence to your published content.

RESULTS

Evertaskz – To-do and list manager for people who use Evernote on a regular basis.

ACCELERATION

When the founder takes a break – BusinessWeek article showing the impact of founders who step away from their businesses.

Have a great weekend!
Dallon