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John Niland Articles

Written by: John Niland

Questions to ask before Writing a Proposal - Click To Read Article
A lot of time gets wasted on proposal-writing. Before we invest this effort, there are some basic questions worth asking. Not only do these questions filter out time-wasters, they actually enhance our chances of winning the bid.For example, most professionals are aware of the risk when our entire relationship with the client organisation hinges on one person. But do we consistently translate this into a strategy to build relationships with other key decision-influencers? A question such as “Who else has a key stake in the success of this?” can open some significant doors for the future.Learning to ask the right questions not only saves wasted time and effort, it enhances our credibility as potential suppliers. And it dramatically cuts down that awful task of chasing a proposal on which we have heard nothing since we sent it in.

Wholehearted performance checklist - Click To Read Article
"The antidote to exhaustion is not rest; the antidote to exhaustion is ... ... wholeheartedness" - David Whyte We perform at our finest when we are wholly engaged. Whether we are working or playing tennis, we achieve our best (with least effort) when we are fully focused on what we are doing, when we enjoy the task in hand without stress. Yet this engagement can often be missing. For example, our tendency to constantly evaluate ourselves may get in the way. So does our fear of "getting it wrong". For many successful professionals, boredom can be a big distraction)

Personal Alignment - Click To Read Article
At some point, most of us have experienced that vague feeling that something isn't quite right .... even if we cannot quite put our finger on what it is. Maybe we feel we are running on a fraction of our full potential. Or that we lack the full measure of courage / confidence that we would like to have. Or perhaps we believe we have everything in place, but our intuition does not quite go along with this analysis. This may be indicative that some "alignment" is missing. Here is a brief overview of some of the key elements of personal alignment, even if the full relationship between them is too complex to represent here.

Uncovering Opportunity - Click To Read Article
In a tough economy, it is more vital than ever that a professional firm gets a good return on its investment in growth. Like the people, the pipeline represents the future.

Incentives and Rewards - Click To Read Article
There are two phrases that always make my heart sink. The first of these is "appraisal system". And the second is "incentives plan," "bonus structure", call it what you will. Needless to say, these two subjects are closely related cousins. Underpinning both is the "carrot and stick" approach to motivation; a school of inspiration which has its origins in the management of donkeys.

Hurtling towards the next big birthday - Click To Read Article
A personal reflection coming up to birthday time. What prompted this article? Air-journeys provide invaluable thinking space. This article started life on a flight to Helsinki in early June. The two-hour flight from Heathrow provided me with just about the right amount of time for a brief helicopter-view of my world.

Opening Up New Sectors, New Markets - Click To Read Article
At any point in time, most consulting firms are engaged in opening up new markets: either for themselves or for their clients. This paper addresses: a) Typical contexts in which a consulting firm might want to develop a new market b) Some of the common pitfalls that show up c) Telling the story, when the story is still in development ... "building the road while we walk on it" d) Making use of alliance-partners to accelerate progress e) Deciding when to call it a day v. when to keep going As this is a huge subject, no one paper can capture even a fraction of our collective experience in this area. This document is intended as an aid to discussion, and therefore some questions are inserted to stimulate thinking.

Kicking the email habit - Click To Read Article
Even the high-tech giants such as Google and Intel are recognising that constant bombardment with electronic communications can lead to stress, and are seeking ways to protect workers, starting with their own staff. In this article, John Niland describes an experiment carried out at Success 121 during May 2008, which had a dramatic effect on the productivity of the team. He describes the “email diet” as a pragmatic way to sustain attentiveness and prevent overload, and also deals with some of the practical issues this creates.

Moving up the Value Chain - Click To Read Article
As consultants, our rewards and reputations are rooted in the value we bring. But value is always a perception; like beauty it exists in the eye of the beholder.

What is "sustainable growth"? - Click To Read Article
Everyone wants growth. Even if individual approaches vary - in strategy, style, culture or speed - few directors really want to see a reduction in revenue, and fewer want a reduction in profit. We all want more: even when our aspirations have evolved to include a "triple bottom-line" of "people, planet and profit". There are certainly some independents who want to work fewer days per year. Even they however still want to achieve more in those days that they do work, and wish to secure their future pipeline of customers. Before exploring the benefits of sustainable growth, let's begin by understanding what "sustainable business growth" actually means in practice. We can summarise this in nine key characteristics:





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