Star Wars: the Decision to Reboot

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away… the movie franchise that has captured the love of men and boys combined, will once again come to the big screen. Excitement and enthusiasm will surely continue to increase from now until the premier in December this year. Apparently, in the language of Hollywood, this is what is known as a ‘reboot’, and Star Wars is certainly not the first to be remade in this way. Movies that achieved success the first time round are always likely candidates to be reinvented, revived and revamped.

Personally, I couldn’t care less about the lightsaber-wielding Jedi and the return of an ageing (yet still rather pulchritudinous) Harrison Ford, nevertheless there is certainly a message to be derived from the ‘Return of the Jedi’, ‘the force’, ‘the one ring to rule them all?’ ‘The goblet of fire?’ etc.

By ‘rebooting’ a franchise, there is an injection of excitement and renewed enthusiasm that wouldn’t have been felt otherwise. Perhaps this, then, could be a message to take forward in business – a reboot or reinvention of what you offer, your processes and people.

There comes a time every once in a while, when you may feel that your vision and direction of the company has become wayward, or perhaps employees don’t feel as valued as they once did. In such circumstances, it is important to come back to the reasons why you began the journey of starting your own business in the first place, and what your core beliefs and values established from the outset. This is, in a sense, a reboot. If there are elements of your company that do not fit the model you initially had in mind, this referral back to your former self may allow both you and your business to understand how best to move forward again. This does not always mean, however, that changes or adaptations that are made along the way are always negative, nor does it mean your business should maintain rigid systems that cannot be adapted to meet fresh challenges. What the ‘rebooting’ process allows is the opportunity to reflect on these changes, and assess whether they have benefitted or hindered progress.

This look back at your default settings will aid you in refocusing your business in the holistic sense, allowing clarity of thought and a renewed passion for the road ahead.

Sometimes it is best to look back at where you came from, in order to progress forwards.

Planning for Success

There’s something about standing on the cusp of a New Year that inspires us to reflect on the past year and evaluate what went well, what we achieved and what we’d like to do differently. The question is, are you really ready to make the change?

Setting objectives can bring us a sense of achievement, well-being and success, however you choose to define it. It’s worth remembering that it’s not where you start from but where you aim your sights that determines your journey and the final destination. Planning can help you get there. Without a goal in mind it’s easy to become distracted, diverted or, worse still, stuck in a rut, doing the same old things that you’ve always done and getting the same old results.

Sitting down to plan takes a certain mind-set but is worth it in the end. Here’s some tips to help you set your goals and stick to them:

1. Put your goals in writing
Be specific. Use action verbs. Include outcomes that you’ll recognise when they happen. Add dates when things need to be completed by and build in rewards when results are achieved.

2. Visualise your goals
This works particularly well for personal goals. Simply go through magazines and find pictures and words that visualise your goals and create a goals board. Pin it up somewhere prominent so you can see it every day as a powerful reminder of where you’re heading.

3. Enlist the help of others
Finding someone to share a common goal will help you stay committed and motivated. A mentor– someone you respect and who has already achieved goals you want to reach – can provide insight and advice on your journey. 

4. Keep it simple
Break down your goals into manageable chunks, so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the long-term goal. The first step is always the hardest, so be specific about what you are going to do and when and make sure you check your progress along the way.

5. Enjoy the journey
Having motivated yourself into taking that first initial step, let yourself feel good about the progress you make. Prepare yourself for any obstacles that might stand in your way, stay focused and celebrate as you accomplish each sub-goal.

For advice and help with your planning, contact Paula Finch, a Business Development Coach and certified NLP Master Practitioner. Tel 01778 424640. Email: paula@business-growth.net

Growth Accelerator – Delivering results 1 Year On

The Department of Business, Innovation and skills has published the first annual report on the GrowthAccelerator scheme.

What’s impressive is that the scheme seems to be genuinely unlocking new high growth potential, with only 32% of the 6,000 or so businesses that have participated in the scheme so far having sought strategic business advice previously in the last 2 years.
Reported feedback includes:

• Significant impact – 78% said their initial assessment provided clarity on how to drive growth
• 77% said they got something from GrowthAccelerator that they couldn’t get elsewhere
• 94% of businesses receiving Business Development coaching have achieved an outcome they couldn’t have by themselves

Key findings in the report include

• 3,400 businesses are increasing turnover more quickly and 3,100 are increasing employment at a faster rate as a result of working with GrowthAccelerator
• Ambition, dedication and inspiration in management teams are the most vital factors in achieving high growth for businesses.
• Businesses using the service are happy with the advice they have received – 97%say they’d recommend GrowthAccelerator
• Based on this experience, high growth comes from businesses of any size, age or sector or in any geographical location. In other words you don’t have to be a start-up business, based in London or other city centres to achieve success on the programme.

The scheme now aims to generate 55,000 new jobs and £2.2bn of economic growth within three years. That’s great news for business.