Archive for August, 2006

Business Performance Questions

Answer these questions on a periodic (weekly, monthly) basis. Keep all answers together on one or two pages. Look over all the answers and identify an action plan for yourself and your business.

Management and Me

* What are 5 things have I (we) been procrastinating?
* Where can I (we) be more effective in what I (we) am doing?
* What are the hidden agendas of my boss or partner?
* What are 3 areas in my (our) work must I (we) recommit to?
* For what problems must I (we) ask solutions?
* Looking back over the last year, what things would (we) change?
* What key choices or decisions must I (we) make?
* What are my (our) time wasters?
* In what areas should I (we) obtain more education?
* Where am I or my Company vulnerable?
* If I was Chairman of the Board, what would I do differently?
* In what areas are staff or departments experiencing friction?
* What do we do wrong at work?
* Who needs to be rewarded or recognized for things well done?
* In what areas are goals and objectives not clearly defined?
* What rocks must I (we) roll so my (our) staff and clients can move forward faster?
* What deadlines must I (we) set for others and myself?
* How can I (we) delegate more effectively?
* What needs better maintenance to reduce future firefighting?
* What am I (we) willing to sacrifice for the above actions?
* What prospects, customers, suppliers or staff should I (we) develop more?

Money

* What are some ways to increase cash flow?
* What are some ways to cut costs?
* How can I (we) more accurately measure our profitability?

Marketing

* What do my (our) clients really want? How can I (we) provide it?
* How can our product mix be improved?
* How can our Unique Selling Proposition and product positioning be improved?
* What are our competitors and industry doing that we must react to?
* How can we improve our marketing, sales and service?
* How can our sales process be improved for higher closure rates?

Manufacturing

* How can product quality be improved?
* How can we improve our production control?

7 P’s Personal Performance Process

Journaling questions catch your blind spots, keep you on track and improve your habits. Become more focused, clear, creative, purposeful, aware and balanced.

There is magic in taking time to ask yourself the right questions that will pop out the right answers for you. At least monthly, if not weekly, spend about an hour and answer all of these questions. Be brutally honest with yourself. Once you have answered the questions, create a list of action steps for your next week or month. Do this process regularly and watch your life change.

Patterns, processes, procrastination, habits:
Where can I be more efficient in my life?
What 5 things have I been procrastinating?
What are my time wasters?
What excuses keep me stuck?

Problems, past, pain:
Where am I vulnerable?
Where do I hold myself back?
What am I afraid of?
What stresses me?
For what problems must I ask for solutions

Perceptions and perspectives of myself and others:
What are the needs/desires of my boss or partner or family?
What is God’s agenda for me?
What contacts or friends do I want to develop more?
What negative or limiting thoughts keep jumping into my mind?
What key choices am I ready to make

Prosperity:
How can I create another or larger or easier income stream?
In what areas do I want to receive more learning?
How can I be more productive and effective?
Where are some opportunities for me to give

Principles and values:
What 3 areas in my life do I want to recommit to?
Where do I need to clarify my stand or position?
What deeds or actions need my forgiveness or acceptance?
What can I do to increase balance in my life?
What value is most important for me to express now

Purpose, potential, passion, power, possibilities, path:
What are my deepest heart-felt desires, dreams and visions?
Where are my life purpose and goals unclear?
How can I experience a greater sense of meaning in life?
What new ideas are teasing me these days

Peace of mind, play, pleasure, pamper:
When do I feel greatest happiness in my life?
What can I do to have more fun in all areas of my life?
How can I get more stillness, solitude and peace in my life

When you have completed the answers and the resulting action steps, ask yourself, “What am I missing? Is there anything else?” Use questions often. The subconscious mind is always answering. We must only practice asking and then listening.