INNOVATION BY CREATIVITY – Fifty-one tools on how to solve problems creatively Max Van Leeuwen & Hans Terhurne Published by Ecademy Press 2010-05-22 ISBN: 9781905823727 (Amazon listing http://amzn.to/aLMKgs) Reviewed by P.Mackechnie, Extreme Management Solution. INTRODUCTION Believe you’re not creative? Innovation By creativity gives readers a concise guide to using fifty-one different tools designed to help you be more creative. Whether you’re a manager, facilitator or someone who wants t... Read more

Please find the full guide for winning public contratcs at this link: http://slidesha.re/a7ePxL Enjoy and good luck. Pete... Read more

I attended a Procurement Conference a little while ago and collected a number of leaflets and information sheets. I've pulled them together into a document which you can access here: http://slidesha.re/ayxutM For some of the sites you will have to register and enter some detail but if you want the work......... Regards. Pete... Read more

Lets start with what is a business plan? According to Wikipedia: A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals.   Bridgefield group believes it’s: A long term, family-level financial and operating plan that supports the strategic plan in fulfilling organizational objectives. I... Read more

If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there - Lewis Carroll It doesn’t matter whether I’m working with Entrepreneurs, Executives or Business Owners the question WHY always comes up at some stage. The context normally arises when we begin to look at what drives the individual or company to do what they do, or don’t do. Without knowing WHY you do, or don’t do something can have disastrous results, yet the situation can be easily resolved by using such a small but powerful w... Read more

Of course the coaching needs of managers and leaders in larger companies are different from those in small businesses, aren’t they? Before deciding on your answer to the question consider the following areas of development for two coaching clients – developing focus on the future of the business, clarifying strategic issues, assessing operational capabilities to deliver objectives, building effective communication structures, developing a high level of confidence to lead the business, having a ... Read more

I’m a Time Thief and you have let me steal yours. I didn’t feel, or lose, a thing, did you? "Lost time is never found again" Benjamin Franklin Ibid 1743 Most of the time you don’t realise that you are doing it BUT you are. You, for whatever reason, have decided to allow others to use up the time you have set aside for something else, or , worse still, haven’t set aside time for. They come along and, before you know it, steal those valuable minutes, or even hours, from under your nose... Read more

Introduction For a business to be successful, it needs to ensure it has effective processes in all key areas. In this paper, I set out seven such areas along with definitions of each one. I have also included some of the precursors to a business being successful as well as a tool to assist in the effective setting of goals. Strategy. The term Strategy used in this article means: 'The framework which guides those choices that determine the nature and direction of an organisation and includes ... Read more

Many people tell me that they have already heard of, been trained in or have been given Time Management Systems before and yet they are still poor at managing the time they have – why should these be any more effective for you? There is one simple answer – YOU! Unless you actually take action to properly implement decisions then nothing is likely to change in the long term. Knowing about something doesn’t become a skill until you put it into action, without action it is still only knowledge. &#... Read more

Chapter 1 I walk down the street There is a hole in the sidewalk I fall in I am lost It isn’t my fault It takes forever to find a way out. Chapter 2 I walk down the same street There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I pretend I don’t see it I fall in again I can’t believe I’m in the same place But it isn’t my fault It still takes a long time to get out. Chapter 3 I walk down the same street There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I see it there I still fall in It’s a habit My... Read more