Monday, August 10, 2009

Somtimes you have to go Back to the Drawing Board

One of the greatest things about Entrepreneurs is that they have the persistence to keep trying. We all need to draw inspiration from their spirit.

Having exhausted a host of innovative and creative methodologies to achieve Large Success or Smaller Successes, sometimes the current path will simply not achieve the expected results. If this is the case then it's clearly time go back to the Drawing Board to bring in some fresh thinking and leverage the network of trusted advisers.

In my own personal adventure I am struggling to move my handicap. As a proclaimed Fix-it guy having turned around a number of Technology businesses, I have always viewed that I could fix my game all by myself. I have subscribed to the Books, the Gizmo's, the Over-correction, the Under correction, new clubs, new balls and the golf Channel. I have even listened to my good friend "Lar" who suggested "that's all in way your dress for the game!" I have consistently resisted engaging the Pro as I feared that the re-building would be so disruptive to the pathetic game I currently process. Having struggled through a horrible game on the weekend I came to the conclusion that it's time to go back to the Drawing Board.

We have written in previous blogs about the importance of Trusted Advisers and Board Members as important tools in an Entrepreneur's available network. The same holds true for service providers including legal, tax, accounting & strategic marketing professionals. A couple of my clients are struggling with getting that first customer to say yes. Sometimes it may the simplest of things that will make all the difference so we go through analytic process of deciding what's working, what's not and try to identify who or what will it take to make the customer say yes. Drafting a New Game Plan leveraging on what we know comes out of this process.

For those following the High Handicapper, the Drawing Board indicated that I need to bring in the professional help. I engaged Jim (CPGA guy) to work with me on the range in the pouring rain. (Never really rains on the course). After an hour of work, we identified a simple three things that could consistently straighten out the shots and reduce that score. Applying the advice yesterday was a Miracle! "Jimmy the Genius" has lived up to his reputation. Let's see if I can apply the concepts to a process of continuous improvement.

Just to be safe however I also went out and got that new golf shirt consistent with my colour palette. I wouldn't want to stop receiving that "free advice" from "Lar".

1 comment:

  1. Dave, I remember seeing an interview with John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins talking about being introduced to the Google guys way back when. Whoever was introducing him (I don't remember) said "you're going to love these guys, they're on their tenth business model".

    RIM started in 1984. The first 'Blackberry' (RIM 950) didn't come out until 1998.

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