Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Videos About Advertise Blog Network Contact
   

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

Featured Ebook


ebook Famous Entrepreneurs - Modern Empire Builders


Featured Ebook

More Evan Carmichael
Have A Suggestion?

Sales Lessons From Starbucks And Dell

Status Quo is the Bottom Line



Status Quo is the Bottom Line
   

In previous newsletters, I've extolled the creativity of the solo-preneur or small-businessperson. But often I hear just the opposite.

“We're going to keep things just the way they are.” “I'm going to stay with the status quo.” “I'm just watching my bottom line, nothing else.” “This is not a good time to be wrong.” “This is the way we have always done it and that's good enough, period!” “If it was good enough for [my pappy], [last year], etc. etc.”

Have you ever heard that? Another tougher question: Have you ever heard that coming out of your own mouth?

But what's going on here, d'you think? Sounds like a traditional business, where we're firmly rooted in the past, and therefore, where the past can direct the future. Safe and secure, like our picture of a bank. Does this position provide a sense of security to the owner?

Suppose you were a shareholder in a small business and you heard the owner/CEO say this – would you be reassured, or concerned?

In fact, this is a place where we all go, to gain what I believe is a transitory feeling of certainty in hugely uncertain times. Small businesspeople are looking at an increasing rate-of-change in their business worlds – and, while an entrepreneur is expected to see change as an opportunity, there's no surprise if change appears as challenge or threat.

But staying with the status quo is a big reason for concern. If you own, run or are planning to own, run a small business, you're entitled to be “human” – just not for very long!

Status Quo Observation #1 – Status quo thinking negates the greatest strength of a small business: that it can embrace change so much more quickly and effectively than a large one. Everyone in the world has resistance to change, but in a small business, there are few people, and the owner-CEO has all the power. In a large business, power is often far more broadly distributed, shareholders and boards of directors may be unimaginative or disruptive, and course changes take huge investments and spans of time.

Status Quo Observation #2 – I don't want to be wrong at a time like this! The danger signal: when you're headed down an unpromising path and you can't or won't change. What may have been a great plan last year can turn into a mistake this year. And, unless you're ready to sacrifice your comfort for your creativity, you may be in for a very unpleasant time! The longer you stay on a bad course, the harder it will be to turn your business around when you finally get wise!

Here's my request of you: If you're running, starting or planning to start a small business, remember the slogans that started this newsletter. If you hear any of them coming out of your mouth, look out! You may be in a trap of your own creation.

What's the alternative, the remedy, the magic potion?

In my next newsletter, we'll talk about creating BKAGs – Big, Kick-Ass Goals. Along with Mission and Vision statements, it's a major missing in small businesses. Have a look around right now. Do you see any BKAGs written in your notebook, posted on the bulletin board, written somewhere in stone or blood?



Status Quo is the Bottom Line - To learn more about this author, visit Craig Jennings's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends
[Get Copyright Permissions] E-Mail | Print | More  


Related Articles Related Articles
Do Your Due Diligence
  Once your Federal trademark application is filed, it's on you, the applicant, to keep an eye on your status, any emails & any requests from the USPTO. Failure to do so could result in your application becoming cance...
Status Quo is the Bottom Line
  In previous newsletters, I've extolled the creativity of the solo-preneur or small-businessperson. But often I hear just the opposite.
Does The Opposite Sex Drive You Crazy?
  In sales, you can't communicate the same to men and women. Learn how to adapt your style to better connect to the opposite gender.
Social Status And Resistance To Change
  Why do people so often resist change? Issues of social status may be at the root of much resistance.
Does offshoring mean developed countries are losing technical jobs to developing countries?
  Member Question? Most of software solutions providing companies in US & UK are well experienced with explicit and undaunted gains of offshore software development outsourcing and thats why outsourcing comes as no...

Related Forum Posts Related Forum Posts
Can Your Idea Make Money? Can Your Idea Make Money?
Re: Teen Investors Re: Teen Investors
Site after-posting problems? Site after-posting problems?
profit line profit line
Re: Teen Investors Re: Teen Investors
Re: Amazon Bestseller Status - Assisted by A Virtual Book To Re: Amazon Bestseller Status - Assisted by A Virtual Book To
Maybe We Can't Beat Them Maybe We Can't Beat Them
Re: Do you read self-help books? Re: Do you read self-help books?

 
About the Author


Craig Jennings
(Visit Craig's Website)
What lights me up these days is Public Speaking. I spoke to about 200 small businessmen in Las Vegas last month about a different approach to business planning. They loved it, I loved it, it should be on my website by now at www.craigjen nings.com and I hope you'll visit. New book is in the making as we speak. First draft due by end June. If you'd like some more objective details about this coach and human being, I graduated from Harvard, did graduate work at Columbia, and I've spent most of my life in the world of business. I have worked for some big companies like CBS and Merrill Lynch. I've worked for a dot.com, and a hot Madison Avenue advertising agency. I've taught computers, and designed and presented a curriculum on day trading. I have created 7 businesses of my own, including an advertising agency, a commercial deep sea diving company, a computer training company, and a consulting company
Have A Suggestion?

View Author's Blog
Become An Author

View Author's Video
Become An Author

Free Downloads


Craig Jennings's

Complete
List Of
Business-Coach
Articles

First Name
Last Name
Email
 
If you enjoyed this article, get Craig Jennings's Complete List of Business-Coach Articles For FREE!

More Craig Jennings
Aided Accountability
About Sales III
Great News Time Management is Impossible
An invitation to a New Years Dance
Tricky Truths
Owner vs CEO vs Employee how do you manage being all three
Intentional Referrals
To Incorporate or Not to Incorporate Part II
To Incorporate or Not to Incorporate
Status Quo is the Bottom Line
Become An Author