Tag Archives: strategy

Make it a Game

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“Making it into a Game.”

—Author Unknown

Image from blog.bufferapp.com

Image from blog.bufferapp.com

One of the things we like about weekends, vacations and holidays is that they are almost always associated with considerable fun and enjoyment. It is not unusual to block out time during these occasions for games we enjoy.

Alternately, the majority of folks rarely experience work days as filled with fun. Studies by the Gallop Organization indicate that most people work in their areas of strength — and thus their areas of greatest satisfaction — less than half the time.

EXERCISE:

How could you “gamify” your current personal and professional work efforts? Create new rules and scoreboards to bring greater enjoyment— and perhaps added productivity — to your days.

Consider picking up a copy of the book Play by Stuart Brown, or Google the term gamification to learn how to make 2016 a fun and fulfilling year.

Focus

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Follow One Course Until Successful (FOCUS)

—Author Unknown

Image from blog.ruzuku.com

Image from blog.ruzuku.com

One of my favorite quotes related to the FOCUS acronym is “If you try to chase two rabbits they both get away.”

In our “faster, faster” world, multi-tasking is a fairly common practice. Although this strategy seems to work in many circumstances, it often has drawbacks, particularly when we are faced with a very important priority. In such cases, even a small bit of distraction or taking our eye off the ball can have considerable undesirable consequences.

EXERCISE:

Identify one or two areas in your life where a lack of focus is having a less than desirable impact. Where would following one course until successful produce the greatest value for you today and in the future?

“Convert your Marketing Strategy…”

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“Convert your marketing strategy from a shotgun to a laser.”

—Author Unknown

Image from bigfishmedia.ca

Image from bigfishmedia.ca

Many marketing professionals would agree that if we try to be all things to all people, we almost always miss the mark and become nothing to no one.

Many year ago, when I worked in the pharmaceutical industry, we used an exercise called, “walk the patient across the doctor’s desk,” in order to position our medication in the minds of each physician.

The more specific we were in describing how our medications managed the patient’s symptoms, the clearer the physician was in its utility and application.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you focus your marketing and sales efforts to hit the bulls-eye and better support the customers you wish to serve?

“Never look back unless…”

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“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”

—Henry David Thoreau, 19th Century American author, poet, philosopher

photo from www.yourperfectdaybyjess.com

photo from www.yourperfectdaybyjess.com

At this time of year a fair number of organizations schedule various forms of management meetings to discuss their current status and plan for the future.

They often refer to these group sessions as “retreats,” which I find amusing, since I am sure none of these leaders wish to take their organizations backward.

Recently, some leaders are recognizing the power of the language they use, and are beginning to call these off-site meeting “advances.”

EXERCISE:

Plan you own “advances” with key individuals in your professional and personal worlds to move toward the future you sincerely desire.