Posts Tagged ‘business’
The Gratitude Attitude
Friday, November 20th, 2009We’re in a recession. Business isn’t doing well. Many people are out of jobs. Many of those who do have jobs aren’t working as much or making as much money as they did a year or two ago.
Yet, next week is Thanksgiving. The time when we should all be thankful — grateful, for the blessings we do have. And most of us do have a lot for which to be thankful — even if we spend a lot of time complaining!
When things are not going as we think they should, we need to start writing down all the things we have to be grateful for. There’s always something, no matter how small. Sometimes, we just need to take a step back to see it – we can’t see the picture when we’re in the frame.
Gratitude helps you see what is working in your life. It gives you a positive outlook which, in turn, gives you a good attitude. That puts you in a good mood which may help you get or retain customers which will put you in a better mood. In this positive state, you can step back and see new ways to improve your business.
To really reap the benefits of the practice of gratitude, you need to do three things:
1. Acknowledge your feelings. When you think about all the things for which you are grateful, let your whole body feel the gratitude. Stop and say to yourself: “I am so thankful for . . . ” and just relax and let that radiate throughout your body. It will release positive endorphins which will help you fight illness and chronic diseases and make you feel wonderfully alive.
2. Write it down. Each day write down at least 3 things for which you are grateful. Keep a journal. When you write, you are physically involved with your gratitude. That anchors the gratitude in your body. It also helps you remember it throughout the day.
3. Put out a reminder. I once knew someone who had a stuffed bear. The bear had a button to push to listen to a story. Every time that person saw her bear sitting in the chair in her office, she felt love even when she didn’t push the button. Set out a dish or a stuffed toy or a figurine that will remind you of your thankfulness. Then each time you see it during the day, stop and acknowledge your feelings of gratitude.
The gratitude attitude will become part of your daily routine in just three weeks. You will feel better. Your health will actually improve. Your life will get better! Try it!
The New Role of IT in Business
Saturday, April 25th, 2009In the past several years, IT-led teams have found numerous new ways to streamline business processes in order to improve operating efficiency and reduce costs. Now corporate leaders are expounding a new role for IT: enabling revenue generation for the business.
Through the use of the right performance metrics, IT capabilities can be structured to support both revenue generation and cost reduction. A flexible structure called Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) will be the basis.
What does this mean and how can it happen? There are five primary areas in which IT will become indispensable.
- Customer Relationships
- Technology will enhance the customer experience
- Technology will boost the number of dollars spent by customers
- Customer Knowledge
- Technology will enable the company to understand who their customers are
- Technology will track the needs and desires of the potential customers
- Product Development
- Technology will improve product development by decreasing time spent
- Technology will aid in the origination of new product or service ideas
- Product and Service Sales
- Technology will facilitate the launch of new products and services
- Technology will become part of the means of advertising and selling through new channels
- Partner Development
- Technology will help identify possible partnerships to enhance products or services or the delivery of products or services
- Technology will be the means of enabling those partnerships
Many companies are still structured with an IT team as totally separate from other teams such as the product development team or sales team. In the future, successful and growing companies will integrate IT staff within each business unit. And company executives will need to work closely with the IT team if revenue generation and cost cutting are to occur.
One of the biggest changes in the IT team in the future will be in the personnel. Many company executives feel it is important to have senior IT managers who have both business and IT experience. Further, they want the majority of their IT employees to have previous experience in business functions as well as IT. In turn, this could elevate the CIO to a Board position.
IT success will be measured most frequently by looking at its contribution to revenue growth. However, in today’s changing markets, another major test of IT’s success will have to do with its ability to help the company become agile in adapting to changing needs. And, as always, in order to realize profits, or greater profits, the company must measure its IT’s success through cost reduction.