Alanhargreaves

LATEST ARTICLES ( 172 )

• Treat Colleagues Like Customers

  Try this just for today I once worked in a restaurant where the owner was totally focussed on customer service. The diner’s experience had to be perfect.... Read more

  Posted on 14 March 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER, ECONOMICS, MARKETING & ADVERTISING

• Start Your Own Think Tank

  Working with others Once a month I have dinner with four friends. We are an odd mix, and there is a 20-year span between the oldest and the youngest in the... Read more

  Posted on 07 March 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER, ECONOMICS, MARKETING & ADVERTISING

• Buying a Franchise? Ask the Real Questions

  The real questions revolve around one issue: how much money can you make? Yes, it is nice to be your own boss; and yes, it is good to work with an established... Read more

  Posted on 04 March 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER, ECONOMICS, MARKETING & ADVERTISING

• Less Strategy. More Action.

  How many times does this happen? Everyone arrives at the strategic offsite on Friday night. Most people party too hard that evening. Read more

  Posted on 28 February 2011 BUSINESS

• Why Budget Forecasts Are Always Wrong

  Has anyone ever produced a budget that turned out to be right? I haven’t. Even where the bottom line ended up roughly where I forecast it should be, it got ther... Read more

  Posted on 25 February 2011 BUSINESS

• Should You Start a Business?

  Type “business plan” into your search engine and you’ll find thousands of templates. People write lots of business plans. It's something you have to do if you... Read more

  Posted on 22 February 2011 BUSINESS

• The Fullback

  

  Ever have days when you can’t seem to get focused? We take a dim view of distraction. We think we should be constantly paying attention – as if we... Read more

  Posted on 15 February 2011 BUSINESS

• Creating Action: Make the First Step the Biggest

  Action creates action. We probably all know that. Once you get on a roll, you tend to keep on rolling. It’s the first action that’s the hardest part. Read more

  Posted on 02 February 2011 BUSINESS

• What Happens If You Don’t Delegate?

  I once asked a colleague of mine how he kept his desk so clean There was all sorts of clutter on my own desk. I think I knew where everything was, but it... Read more

  Posted on 24 January 2011 BUSINESS

• Personal Organisation #101 - the Single Best Idea

  Do you know this internal dialogue? In the meeting: That’s great info. I must look up that website before the next meeting. Next week: Where did I put that... Read more

  Posted on 17 January 2011 BUSINESS

• Organise the Best Day of Your Life

  What does personal disorganisation feel like? For me it’s as if I’m lost in a sea of clutter. There’s no clear focus, no sense of priorities and the nagging... Read more

  Posted on 10 January 2011 BUSINESS

• In 2011, Maintain Your Passion by Feeling Good Later

  So what’s going to be so special about 2011? It'll be much the same as last year unless you make it different. But how do you do that? I often fall victim to th... Read more

  Posted on 01 January 2011 BUSINESS