The power of choice

It’s strategy renewal season, with a view to budgeting after that for many of my clients.

I’ve sat in several of these sessions recently, sometimes as an external observer to add feedback and contribute, and others as co-designer with the Executive team.

What’s been most apparent is:

1. Focusing on ‘where we’ve been’ - the legacy of past decisions and the social, physical and digital infrastructure they’ve created - isn’t a smart or powerful way to invent the future.
2. Working harder to ‘give customers what they want’ (or employees) is a low bar and an ineffective replacement for a business strategy intended to mature you into a thriving organisation.

Funding partners, investors, and philanthropists want to see values alignment, outcomes, and credible growth.

Boards want to see a CEO who's considered, has things under control, and has a powerful vision for the future.

Questions I’d suggest you consider, particularly when it comes to courting investors, funding partners or renewing departmental budgets;

• How will you credibly demonstrate the value your department, team or business are capable of creating?
• What options* will you put on the table to go forwards?
• How will you design them, and leverage them against future market, government and customer trends?

*Open vs Closed Questions

When I say options, I’m talking about a choice of ‘yes’es’ instead of ‘yes or no’.

Do you want to invest / Do you want to fund our department for $xM? Yes/no.

vs

1. With $4.5m we can build a new production facility, access another 4,500 businesses in the region, and deliver on the Boards growth objectives.
2. With $7m we can do Option 1, and we can finish the R&D that will bring Project Y to market in 2026, which we can sell through our existing facilities and increase our margins by 4%.
3. With $12m, we can build an additional production facility to the one in Option 1, finish our R&D and begin our North American market entry, lifting the valuation of the business by between $x-xM.

A choice of yes’es!

Don’t ask people closed questions until you are sure you’ve got the sale.

If you aren't confident in answering all of the above, or you are and don't have it in a format that will get everyone excited and the job done, book in for a chat:

For new clients in Australia, please use this link to book.

International clients use this link for my early morning / late evening availability.

Don't leave millions of dollars on the table when they could be yours.

Pain, Stressed Women, and Mothers

Are you really 'BUSY'... Or are you

B elieving

U nrealistic

S tandards and

Y ielding to stress??

My fiancée Nicole Stewart asked the above recently, and whilst we’re discussing acronyms land, we were both at a holistic healthcare workshop last Monday evening where PAIN was explained to me as;

P ay

A ttention

I nside

N ow

Usually I just push through in physical exercise though my lower back isn’t what it used to be, and in the past 10 days of gym sessions I’ve been paying attention instead of ignoring it and pushing through, and the results? Remarkably better!

Though what’s this about stressed women and mothers?

Nicole has just launched her new program:

Stressed out to Successful & Satisfied

How to overcome anxiety and burnout and move towards relaxation, abundance and radiant femininity

If you are a woman, love a woman, care for a woman or want an unusual gift for Mother's Day, check it out - we’ve been getting great feedback all week! :)

https://nicolestewart.coach/#stressedout

Important topics are seldom cheery

This is worth your time, even if you’re in Australia, because let’s face it, we’re a cultural outpost of the USA.

If you watch a minute, you'll quickly know if you want to hear the rest.

Let me know what you get from it.

A reminder to say hello

I do my best work with leaders who consider themselves proactive change makers, whose companies are at a tipping point, have strong offerings, and are ready to launch into the next stage of their greatness.

If that’s you, or if you are a lawyer, accountant, wealth manager, financial advisor, or someone who thinks, ‘I know a few of those!’ I’d love to speak further.

Within Australia, please use this link to book.

International clients use this link for my early morning / late evening availability.

I look forward to hearing more about your world, have a great week!