URBAN FARMING MAKE IT YOUR NEW HOBBY
OVERCOME LAZINESS AND DO YOUR WORK
Laziness isn’t a natural habit for everyone; some of us have an intense zeal to work ethics, while others feel idle always and find it challenging to overcome laziness. Laziness can be caused by a lack of knowledge of the task at hand, procrastination, feeling too comfortable to have the job done, and lack of motivation to get started.
Whatever the reason might be, if laziness intrudes on your daily work output or makes you unconcerned about your duty, it’s going to cost you a lot. The only solution is learning to overcome laziness so that you can be a better person.
If you’ve finally decided to get rid of laziness, here are eight fantastic ways to begin:
Find Your Motivation.
Lack of motivation is the fundamental cause of laziness. Procrastination sets in when we can’t find a good reason to perform the task at hand, and this, is the reason we need the motivation to be productive in our daily roles.
Making a list of what motivates us is essential to gain extra push when needed. It allows you to see yourself at the end of the finished task and think of the rewards attached, which strikes the mind to get started on the job. It is also crucial to keep the goals in mind, as this is the most efficient motivation.
Create a To-Do List.
Accomplishing tasks one after the other makes a work looks in order and helps you work smoothly.
Moreover, having a to-do list helps to work orderly and prevent multitasking. Although some people are skilled in multitasking while others can’t, that is why it is necessary to know what you can handle, your abilities.
Take a step at a time while performing a role; it would prevent being overwhelmed and help overcome laziness.
Make Your Work Environment Interesting.
Your environment and the people around you play a significant role in overcoming laziness. It is of great importance to surround yourself with people you share the same interests within the tasks at hand, as their motivation, creativity, and enthusiasm trigger you to complete your job.
More so, ensure that your space and work area provides you with all the necessary attributes to work well.
Always Look for Positive Examples.
Generally, in life, it is important to have role models and mentors as we look up to them for inspiration. However, to overcome laziness, find successful people and exemplary figures in the same discipline that inspires you. These are people that would put you back on your track anytime you feel lazy and lost.
They are people who push you to continue working no matter the challenges.
Finally, surround yourself with great people, who have been in your discipline and have managed to excel in the same course.
The Effects of Not Completing the Task at Hand
It is essential to be aware of the consequences attached to an incomplete task, as it would trigger our minds to get the job started. If there are no positive reasons to get started with a role, then thinking of the negative effect would undoubtedly help get to work.
For instance, if you have a contract to execute, and you simply lack the motivation to begin, think about the consequences. You may get the contract terminated, and you may also miss the chance of getting other deals to execute, these are serious consequences that would trigger the mind to get started with any task at hand.
Set Some Deadlines.
Having a deadline ticking in mind stimulates the body to get to work. It’s not only about setting a deadline for each task you have to be determined to stick to it. Sticking to your deadline makes you alert and aware of the task at hand.
Make New Habits
To overcome laziness by changing position, get a little exercise during recess, sleep a bit to get the brain and body intact. Begin with the most complicated task first and move to another task. Commit yourself to those tasks, and getting the job done will be easier.
Nothing can be done until you do. You can have all the foolproof tips and tricks in the world, but ultimately nothing changes until you do.
Get Some Exercise
The power physical will help you get rid of laziness. If you are chronically lazy, exercising might not be your thing, but you’ll be amazed at how energetic and refreshed you’ll feel after only 30 minutes of exercise.
So pick a favorite sport, it could be running, walking or other cardiovascular exercises and top it with some fresh air to keep you invigorated for the rest of the day.
THE REGIONAL BLOG AUTHORITY
Busy People Get Things Succesfully Done? WHY?
Look at your very own environment and ask yourself the question why some people can accomplish so much things and other not even one thing. At work at home well it doesn’t really matter, but they are doing it. At the other hand you will surely realize that some people are complaining steady about their work load etc. They are keeping their self, running in circles.
For example take a look at a one parent person, who is working at different locations to then take care of their children and normal house holding. Believe me they are able to keep this all together somehow. People like this are thinking and planning straight forward and they are capable enough to run their things. Is it that they are doing something or not doing anything. Clear the answer is both.
These kind of successful persons are in action to get their things done properly. They don’t have time to complain and make excuses or procrastinate.
Let me share some Factors That Kill Productivity
Some people never get their stuff done? Unproductive people I call them :
- They Lack interest or energy.
- They suffer from a poor work ethic.
- They Lack organization.
- They are easily overwhelmed — and panic.
- They Start things, but never finish them.
- They Procrastinate.
- They Spend time worrying rather than working.
- They constantly complain.
- They are easily distracted.
- They Look over their shoulder — and cover their behind.
- They Play politics.
- They Fight change.
- They Resist learning.
- They Fear making a mistake.
- They fail to make decisions.
- They reinvent the wheel.
- They Demand perfection of themselves.
- They fail to set deadlines.
Here is a listing of Traits/Characteristics of Highly Productive Persons/People:
If you want something done ask a busy person how. These group of productive people are the following
Ambitious. They Believe there’s no time like the present.
Self-confident. They Are battle-tested. They believe that “If I did it once, I can do it again.”
Single-minded. They Know what matters most and are relentless in pursuit of those priorities.
Goal-oriented. They Establish fixed deadlines instead of going with the flow. They know that Parkinson’s Law holds true — “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
Forward thinking. They Prepare in the morning; reflect at night.
Focused. They Don’t allow themselves to be disrupted or sidetracked by others’ priorities.
Trusting. They Do things that matter to them and find ways to get the rest of it done.
Action-oriented. They Rarely complain. They’re too busy getting things done.
Positive. They Don’t let obstacles get in their way. When they confront a barrier, they find a way around it.
Accountable. They Don’t make excuses or cast blame. They know their mission, accept responsibility, and are determined to get it done.
Modest. They Don’t spend time promoting their accomplishments. They know that results speak for themselves.
Resourceful. They Make use of dead time rather than letting valuable minutes fritter away.
Organized. They Rarely waste time reinventing the wheel, repeating mistakes, or looking for misplaced items.
Project-oriented. They Say “no” to one idea so they can say “yes” to another.
Decisive. They Make bold decisions. When you do nothing, nothing happens.
Realistic. They Strive for excellence rather than perfection.
Check for yourself if your habits are helping or hurting your productivity activities. If so start to change your inside.
In life you will reach moments of challenges. You will be confronted with big fear or maybe asked to do things beyond your limits. As this take place, always remember that getting things done is as much a mindset as it is. If you start spending time and start worrying about the future you are stressing yourself out, you are not only wasting expensive time, you are helping yourself to create a powerful hurricane in your mind that makes it very tough to succeed. The real fact is, just as a pep talk inspires you to climb new heights, chronic negativity is taking over and will drag you down in the valley. Sometime people work very hard to make their lives even harder.
On the off chance that you need to complete more stuff, you can! It won’t occur by doing things a similar way. It’ll require a purposeful exertion to grasp new propensities that push you forward and to take out conduct that is keeping you down. The truth of the matter is, the main thing holding you up is yourself. It doesn’t take a mind specialist to make sense of how to turn out to be increasingly profitable. You simply need to dedicate yourself to it.
Do You Get More Things Done after reading this. Just let me know! During this CORONA PERIOD you will have to become more productive and think out of the box.
THE REGIONAL BLOG AUTHORITY
How do you get important shit done?
How do you know what the # 1 important thing in your life is? Easy. It's 9/10 times that thing that you put off. Sometimes it's as simple as that unopened bank statement you stare at from a corner. It is often that big report that wants to be typed, the deadline of which is slowly approaching. Sometimes it is that first hard step towards your new study or job or maybe a project. Because it is so important ... it is also terrifying to you. So you don't take action. And deliberately not. But why? Often because you run into your fear of the unknown. Like staring at a misty Mount Everest, without knowing what your first step to the top is. Or you know EXACTLY what your next step is, but you never decide WHEN to take the step. This keeps everything vague & undefined. So clear the fog. It is often simple enough yet difficult. Well we move on and follow what I illustrate; Take at least one heavy step every day. It is super simple. Nothing new. Not revolutionary at all. But it works. And hardly anyone performs this simple wisdom because your procrastination dominates you. We continue calmly; You start your day with one important step. This way you do at least SOMETHING towards a better life every day. (Because 95% of people feel free to spend a whole week on unnecessary things like checking mail, meeting, and keeping up with social media.) You don't even have to be super effective 50% of your time. … If you take at least one important step per day. Direction for any purpose: More peace of mind, more social, more attractive, happier or richer. Whatever. That's up to you. This principle comes from the book Eat That Frog. If you haven't read it yet, look it up. You can listen to your frog for yourself every day. Your Frog is the annoying frog that you "eat" every morning. That terrible thing that would otherwise put you off for weeks. Until your last-minute stress is so high that you take action. That could be better. Nothing spectacular. But it gives you peace of mind to do it. While it is so important. And by posting / listening you make it real. You clear the fog. Good luck eating the frog. The Regional Blog Authority
Are you okay in your seat? Do this quick check
We sit too much. Especially now that we stay at home and work from home as much as possible. This can be disastrous for our posture. Sitting a lot quickly results in low back pain. Our backs don’t like it at all if we take the same position for a long time. Do you recognize yourself in this? For a good sitting position, do this quick body check: buttocks, elbow, chin, in, shoulders, knees.
Buttocks
Start at your buttocks. Make sure that your buttocks are completely against the back of the chair. Then place a small, firm cushion between the hollow of your back and the backrest. This way you easily maintain the natural shape of your back while sitting.
Elbow
Keep your elbows bent at an angle of ninety degrees. This means that your desk should be exactly that height to support your elbows when typing. If your office chair has adjustable armrests, make sure to adjust it to the same height as your desktop or table.
Chin
Make sure your chin is parallel to the floor. Complaints such as neck and headaches are often caused by staring at a screen that is set too low or too high for too long. To prevent this, it is best to place your screen in front of you and at a good height.
Then
pull your chin in slightly. Many people stick out their chins when they look at a screen. By slightly retracting your chin, you ensure that your chin falls just slightly behind your collarbones.
Shoulders
Crooked shoulders are not thanked by your spine. To avoid a crooked posture, gently roll your shoulders down and back. You should feel the muscles in your upper back become active.
Knees
Bend your knees ninety degrees, and put your feet on the floor. A good sitting position starts at your feet, make sure they are flat on the floor at all times when sitting.
From the Desk of
The Regional
Blog Authority
Are you a laser cat!
Have you ever pointed a laser pen on the floor and see how a cat react? How did the kitten react to the laser? Uninterested? No no no. He went crazy. Funny right. Wonderful entertainment. Of course, his brain has not evolved with a love for the laser. He simply recognizes a small prey in the laser. You can keep a cat busy for hours. Cat doesn’t understand that the laser cannot be caught. Cat doesn’t understand how the laser works. Cat does not understand who controls the laser. Then you feel very smart as a person. Crazy cats anyway.
Why am I talking about this? Read on. . .
You are a cat yourself Yes, You who is reading this now! And you also automatically rely on certain laser dots. Empty goals that will never be reached. While you don’t even know WHO uses the laser in ANY WAY. Who are they?
Snacks like Domino’s and Milka chocolate. Media such as Facebook and Instagram. Games like Candy Crush and Call of Duty. Games & Social media have “attention engineers”. Their full-time job is to keep you distracted for as long as possible. Do you notice that? Well then you know.
I’m sorry to tell you this, but you’re their bitch and your attention gets pimped. You have fun for a while through empty stimuli, then you feel empty.
In that emptiness you need that pleasure even more. This applies to bad food, gaming, zapping, smoking, drinking, etc. In this way, the masses live their lives like a laser pen cat. Blindly chase the empty “laser”.
That’s why people invest their time in Candy Crush, Instagram & YouTube. And they invest their money in snacks, butts, coffee, games and Netflix. Until the laser goes out and you discover that you are chasing an illusion. Something that makes you IMPOSSIBLY happy.
Are you ready for a real change? Then it is time to grow up and teach yourself much better things. Develop yourself and switch into God Mode So that you will lead a life that DOES fall within your control. Now that you actually know it, try putting yourself in GOD Mode and throw that bullshit off. Build powerful goals for more living pleasure and progress. So that you will lead a life within your control. It’s just a life trigger I want to give you.
THE REGIONAL
BLOG AUTHORITY
Ten Things That Will Change Your Life[style]
Many times we put our eyes on the big things out there. But the fact remains that as determined as we are to make significant changes and do big things, we can only reach that height of big things until we fix some small items in place.
Life has a lot of experiences, and only if we gather the right experiences, we will not get the best out of what we do.
The constant thing about life is change. No matter what you do, you cannot avoid change. The more we resist change, the more miserable our life becomes. And to give heed to change, we should ensure we plan it and take it gradually as our routine can permit.
We can, however, not avoid the unexpected from happening, but what we can do is, set a sample of what we want for ourselves when the unexpected does happen.
This is where our power of choice comes in, using this power of choice allows us to change our life. And that is the fulcrum of what we are going to be talking about today—using your power of choice to craft out something beautiful for our lives.
1. Make your bed daily
A lot of interpretations can be made from our little actions daily. Making your bed and how you make it can be one of the ways to tell how organized you are.
Many may want to trivialize this act, but making your bed will set you to the next task and the next after that, and you will be bubbling with fulfillment by the end of the day. But it all begins from you doing what is right immediately you get up from the bed.
As soon as you make your bed (clean your bed), the next thing to do is clean yourself. Wash your mouth and have your bath.
Even if you are not going out or you don’t have an appointment to catch, having your bath daily in the morning goes a long way to increase your productivity. Take your time to clean yourself.
2. Read the news
This is another little thing that could affect you most positively or negatively possible. Follow the news and know what is happening around you.
As little as it is, listening to the news can keep you informed about the kinds of jobs that are available, the places you should not visit, and most importantly, you get information that gives you talking rights when around people.
3. Cut Posters in your room
Having a motivational poster in your room is very important; it improves your success rate. It can be the only force that makes you continue reading that book when you are about to stop. You can put up your resolution to finish a book every week on your doorpost.
No matter how trivial it looks but that motivational poster helps you to stay motivated and to get rid of procrastination.
4. Clear youR To Do
To-do lists are usually written to guide you on what to do daily. If you have good things listed out, completing them daily will go a long way to improve every aspect of your life and can cause a drastic change. When you clear your to-do every day, it helps you assess yourself and decide your next move.
Hence you should ensure that your To-Do is cleared before you retire to bed daily. This way, you set yourself up for progress.
5. Exercise daily
The magic behind exercises comes when you are faithful to it. You tend to see its effect after being consistent for at least 21 days. Exercises will help reduce your stress level. Also, during exercise, your body will secret hormones that will help your body relax and prepare it for the day’s activities.
Exercising in the morning increases your chances of completing your To-do listings, thereby improving your productivity. No matter how busy you are, at least go for a 10 minutes walk.
6. Set your alarm 1 hour early
This trick is simple; if it has been difficult for you to get up at a particular time, then you should learn to set your alarm 1 hour before the time you want to wake up. This way, when the first alarm wakes you, you sleep back. Then the second alarm will have more effect, and then your sleep may not be profound.
Sleep can be refreshing sometimes that it can make you miss your appointment.
7. Volunteer
Find a cause you are passionate about and spend time volunteering. You can never experience true acts of kindness until you learn out to give your time and money for something you are passionate about with the expectation of nothing in return.
8. Grow a garden
Nurturing plants teaches patience. Not only will gardening give you something to do, but you’ll also be contributing to your environment. Imagine waking up, looking out your window, and seeing beautiful flowers and plants. You feel pride when you know that you are responsible for such a beautiful environment.
9. Reply all your mails
Sometimes, our mailbox can tell how lazy we are, especially if you accumulate your mails without responding to them. Unimportant emails should not be left unattended to, open them, read them, and take the necessary action.
Ensure that you do not sleep without attending to all your mails, even if you can’t get the information being asked for immediately, you can fix that on your To-Do for the next day.
10. Drink a glass of water before and after sleep
Water is good and can be used when thirsty. But it can also be used as a therapy. Taking water before bedtime has a way of reducing your stress level, and when you wake up, it helps you improve metabolism.
It is free, in your reach and will cost you nothing to take a stroll to the refrigerator before and after sleep.
Small activities go a long way to how we handle big things. Hence we mustn’t lose the touch of these little things; the more we are perfect in them, the more productive we become.
The New Normal from China:
If you want to learn how to successfully move your business to the new normal, learn from China. We talk a lot about digital transformation in the Caribbean, but until recently there was no sense of urgency. As a blogger / trend watcher, I went on a little research to find out how China is doing with their strategy and innovation. Adapt to uncertain times China has been struggling with the pandemic and its consequences for the whole of 2020. But a big difference is that it is not the first epidemic for companies. Sars and the swine fever are still fresh in the memory. And it is certainly not the first disruption in normal business operations. Things are changing very fast in China. If it is not the government rules that change again, then hundreds of new competitors will arise or your customers will switch massively, because they are not so loyal. In short, a crisis is almost business as usual. They have learned to adapt quickly in uncertain times. They actually operate in that famous "VUCA world" (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous). That sense of urgency is still lacking in the Caribbean. The digital transformation in this area is underway but slow. More speed is needed and a real push is necessary to get governments in this region up and running. As a leader, it is therefore very wise to look closely at the flexible strategy and rapid innovation within many Chinese companies. However, they operate partly under completely different circumstances. Here I have at least five lessons from Chinese companies where you as a top board member/leader may get benefits during the corona crisis and after: 1. Seek collaboration The Chinese are very good at determining what they are best at and what they can do for themselves, and what they can involve from the outside. That goes far beyond what we know as a focus on core business and outsourcing the rest. Chinese companies like to work in a tight-knit ecosystem in which they bridge each other's competences and offer them together to the customer and the rest of the world. This ensures that you can operate very agile and resilient. Such an ecosystem is very opportunistic. It has its tentacles, as it were, in many markets. If an opportunity arises, the companies quickly emerge. 2. Continue to challenge your way of doing business Call it opportunism or agile business: it is very easy for entrepreneurs to radically overhaul the way they do business. They are good at letting go of what they are selling and how they are selling it as conditions change. 3. Apply the Lemonade Principle A third trait of successful Chinese companies that we can mirror is to be summed up as the Lemonade Principle. If you want to supply orange juice but you only have lemons, you make lemonade. That rowing with the oars you have has roots that go back to the times when China lacked everything. But an extremely contemporary example of being creative with what you have provided TikTok and film producer Huanxi Media Group earlier this year. 4. Embrace technology Another point in which Chinese companies set an example for us is the eagerness with which they embrace digital technology. Of course, we are now discovering Zoom and other tools here, but the Chinese are trying to get all their business processes digital as much as possible. In that respect, they are really miles ahead of other countries. Despite their late start with the internet and mobile telephony, they have skipped a few steps in its development and application. The Chinese government is creating important conditions for this. The government, in particular President Xi Jinping, has a clear agenda that is being pushed forward. If it says: we will become a digital society, then the government will play a completely different role than the governments elsewhere in the world. Such a role may also work in the Caribbean. We also think completely differently about conditions such as the privacy of citizens. But there are other factors that are pushing digitization in China. For example, research shows that Chinese consumers want to try something new three to four times faster than anywhere else in the world, eager if they take advantage of the relatively recent achievements of the Chinese variant of the free market. For various cultural and historical reasons, the Chinese model works very well in the field of digitization. The way companies use technology there is really fantastic. Western / Caribbean companies can certainly try to imitate that. 5. Give your people autonomy A rather unique lesson can be learned from Haier, a giant manufacturer that we know from, among other things, his white goods and air conditioners and address electronics products. When companies run into something, it is the literal disruption of their global supply chains in these times. By the summer, not all factories will still be able to run, if only because they don't get that last percent of the parts. Haier, on the other hand, came through the lock down in it's own country reasonably well and already turned almost full steam in February. The key turned out to be the way the company is organized: not top-down, but as a swarm of reasonably autonomous, small business units. In recent months, this autonomy has shown that teams quickly and creatively looked for solutions to the challenges facing the pandemic. That is a structure that Haier has worked on for ten years, so you can't just copy it. But as a company you can still see whether you can not give your front-line teams, active in sales, production, product development and product management, more freedom and autonomy. Even if only temporarily. Form crisis teams, let them make decisions, give them more budget power and confidence. Managers will really have to step outside their traditional job description. Yes it will have to happen. What awaits the Caribbean as the new normal? Optimistic as I am and also following the world trends, I am sure that a new boom of companies will emerge. On the other hand, companies that have emerged during the previous crisis will also fail. Existing successful business models will be slaughtered as well. For companies that will be stuck with various things, it can best become a cold winter. The Caribbean Blog Authority
The best business strategy during the corona crisis
One thing is clear. Due to the corona crisis, all strategy plans can be trashed. We are transitioning to the ‘new normal’. With a huge economic recession and an unknown 1.5- 2.0 meter society. What now? What do you have to do to stay upright? Which strategy do you choose as a multinational, Small/Medium company or self-employed person? The answer lies in a smart combination of a defensive and offensive approach.
What is the best basic strategy?
The corona crisis is leading to a global recession like we have never seen before. The consequences are enormous. Both in the field of health, society and economy. The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expect the Dutch economy to experience an unprecedented contraction of perhaps -8 percent.
What is the best ‘basic strategy’ for companies and institutions during such a global recession? You understand that this question is not easy to answer, if it can be answered at all.
We are not only dealing with a unique crisis, but also with the greatest crisis since World War II. What can we possibly learn from previous recessions? Immediately cut back and wait for the storm to blow over? Or if it is possible to make targeted investments in new developments and market opportunities that also arise during times of crisis?
Harvard Business School professors Gulati and Nohria figured it out in 2009, just after the outbreak of the financial crisis. They wrote about this in 2010 in the article ‘ Roaring Out of Recession ‘ in the leading Harvard Business Review. They were the first to find that little empirical research has been conducted in this area. So it remains a matter of coffee grounds, but let’s see what they encountered and what their advice is. Remember that history often repeats itself, but always in a different way, in a different form.
Learn from survivors in the past
Gulati and Nohria analyzed the corporate strategies and business performance of companies during three global recession periods, namely those of 1980-1982, 1990-1991 and 2000-2002. Unfortunately, at that time, they were unable to include the results of the recession caused by the 2009-2014 financial crisis.
They studied turnover and profitability data from 4,700 companies over three periods: 3 years before the recession, 3 years after the recession, and during the recession years themselves.
Hard numbers
Immediately the hard figures: 17% of the companies did not survive a recession. They went bankrupt, were taken over, or disappeared from the stock exchange. Most survivors recovered slowly. Eighty percent of the companies that survived a recession were not on the old growth figures in terms of turnover and profit three years after the recession. In fact, three years after the recession, 40 percent of survivors were still not at the old absolute level of turnover and profit.
Only a small number of companies, around 9% in the study, rebounded after a slowdown, outperformed key financial parameters before, and outperformed their industry, with at least 10% in terms of sales- and profit growth. What did these successful survivors do different from all the others?
Four types of companies
The researchers saw that the companies investigated tackled the recession in various ways. In terms of strategy and management approach, they saw four types of companies:
- Prevention-oriented companies , which are primarily defensive and more concerned than their competitors about avoiding losses and minimizing downside risks.
- Promotion-oriented companies , which invest more in offensive movements, with new upward benefits, than their peers.
- Pragmatic companies that combine defensive and offensive movements.
- Progressive companies that use the optimal combination of defense and attack.
Only cutbacks are counterproductive
The companies that emerged most strongly from a recession were not the companies that cut costs the fastest and most deeply during the recession years. In fact, these types of ‘prevention-oriented companies’ are statistically relatively least likely to outperform their competitors in times after the recession has ended.
Anti-cyclical investing is not the solution
This seems to argue in favor of countercyclical investment, but that is not the solution, according to the researchers. The chances of these ‘promotion-oriented companies’ emerging as the winner after a recession by growing the fastest in terms of turnover and profitability are also relatively small for companies that (only) dare to invest anti-cyclically.
Pragmatic approach helps
The companies that, according to the researchers, are most likely to outperform their competitors after a recession are the ‘pragmatic companies’. Depending on the situation, these companies pragmatically combine more defensive and offensive actions.
Combining defensive and offensive actions is the best approach
However, the companies that perform best after a recession are the ‘progressive companies’. Their growth in sales and profit after the recession is the best among the four types of companies in the study. The defensive choices these companies make are selective. They mainly save on costs by improving operational efficiency and not by reducing the number of employees compared to colleagues.
However, their offensive actions are comprehensive. They develop new business opportunities by making much greater investments than their competitors in R / D and marketing, and they invest in assets such as factories and machines, taking advantage of steeply plunged prices.
Mix of defensive and offensive strategies
The best performing companies manage to strike a good balance between (1) cutting costs in time to be able to sing out the recession and (2) investing at the same time to grow tomorrow. In practice, such a combination strategy with defensive and offensive choices is not as simple as it seems.
According to the researchers, three defensive strategies can be distinguished:
- Reduce the size of the workforce
- Improve operational efficiency in business processes
- A combination of the two
In addition, there are three offensive strategies :
- Investing in the development of new markets
- Investing in new capital goods
- A combination of the two
When we combine these 3 defensive approaches with the 3 offensive, a total of 9 combinations are created, which not all work out equally effectively in practice.
The most profitable combination, applied by the progressive companies, consists of using cost savings to increase operational efficiency in particular. And therefore not to put the primary focus on damaging the number of employees at all costs. You must combine the savings on business processes by investing more in marketing, R / D and (where relevant) in capital goods such as machines and factories, compared to competitors.
Smart marketing in times of crisis
It is therefore important to continue to invest in targeted marketing and R / D. Stay closely connected to customers’ wishes, needs, expectations and behaviors. Because they change due to the strongly changed circumstances. Just think of the enormous flight that teleworking, digital care, distance learning, aid initiatives, home entertainment and online shopping have taken.
We know from various other studies that marketing can make the difference, especially in times of crisis and recession. That requires a different, smarter way of marketing companies .
Agile organizations have an advantage
As we can see, the best performing companies cleverly combine defensive and offensive actions. Agile companies have the advantage here. After all, you have to be able to switch quickly and often take drastic decisions. Companies that have invested in ‘ strategic agility ‘ in recent years are now at an advantage.
Working on agility and resiliency
Strategic agility consists of two elements that reinforce each other. On the one hand, the agility and agility of the organization to quickly take advantage of offensive opportunities that arise due to changes in the market. On the other hand, the resilience and robustness (resiliency) of the organization to absorb the consequences of often large and unforeseen changes. Agility and resiliency are therefore two sides of the same coin.
Organizations can enhance their agility by increasing agility and agility at all organizational levels. For example, through a cyclical strategy process ( rolling strategy ), business model innovation, digital transformation and a flexible work organization.
Resiliency is mainly enhanced by a strong organizational identity (such as with companies such as Coolblue and organizations such as the Red Cross), strong shared values (think of the solidarity among care providers), strong partnerships (think of the help of distribution and chain partners) and sufficient financial buffers (think of the banks that have been busy strengthening their financial buffers in recent years).
Balancing between cutbacks and investing
In short, the best strategy during a major crisis and recession generally seems to consist of:
- Reduce costs wisely to create lean and mean business operations,
- targeted investment in marketing, R / D and new capital goods, doing more than colleagues
- strengthening the agility of the organization.
According to researchers Gulati and Nohria, this is the formula for success to emerge from the recession as the winner. Because so they say:
This agility, even as leaders hold the course toward long-term growth and profitability, serves organizations well during a recession.
That means ‘ Investment in both existing and new businesses ‘. And ‘ stay closely connected to customer needs, a powerful filter through which to make investment decisions’ .
But it is balancing, because the researchers write: ‘Don’t be too defensive, Don’t be too aggressive.’
Choose the approach that suits you
One crisis is not the other. Past performance is no guarantee for the future and a ‘ one size fits all ‘ approach does not exist. And as they often say: history repeats itself, but then know this is always different than in the past.
Find out what suits your organization, in your sector, in your situation, at the moment. Listen to what Richard Branson, the famous Virgin Group CEO, once said:
When it comes to the future, there are three types of people: those who make it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened. Some companies are determined to belong to the second group.
The question remains: how ‘progressive’ is your organization? Good luck with your strategy!
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Awesome Reasons Why Social Media Can Assist You Growing Your Business
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