Milwaukee Biz Blog

Are you, like millions of Americans, concerned about the current state of the economy and what the future might hold?

I'm a husband, father, friend, and working American, just like you. And just like you, I'm thinking a lot about what's happening in our world, and how I can secure my finances and safeguard my family in these tumultuous times.

A question that I've asked of myself and my coaching clients lately is: Is the world ending with the collapse of our markets and financial system?

The news headlines would have us believe that everything is coming to a crashing halt tomorrow. But as the sun still rises and sets, and we continue to put food on the table for our children and head to our daily grind ... we know that the answer is no, of course, not!

Life goes on. The world keeps on turning. Of course, there are many distractions and much to-do about who is to blame for the financial crisis. And we want to know who is going to "fix" the mess that our nation finds itself in.

But one thing we need to remember as we embark on all of this speculation is: We can't undo what's already been done, and we can't change what's beyond our control.

The only thing we CAN do is learn from past mistakes and fix whatever isn't working.

No, I don't mean that you or I personally can fix the housing market catastrophe - that's something well outside the realm of our immediate influence.

But we CAN fix whatever is within our control. And we can learn to be better planners and embrace ways of life that helped people like our grandparents persevere through the Great Depression.

I believe that this whole shift we're experiencing has everything to do with slowing down fast. It's a sign that's telling us we've GOT to change or risk losing everything that we hold dear.

What does it mean to slow down fast?

Make each decision an intuitive and intentional one, so that we may become more efficient and more effective in our lives.

It's pretty clear to me that the results of reacting on a hair trigger and making hasty, not-so-smart decisions have come back around to bite us.

They're telling us that we NEED to slow down fast, if we want to survive the next 10 years and beyond!

So now the question is: how do we replace habits and attitudes that don't serve us, with ones that can help us live more fulfilling lives while ensuring that we can continue to provide for ourselves and our families?

Consultant David Bohl is a life coach who lives in Hartland. Additional information is available at www.slowdownfast.com.

Let's be honest. When the world is in crisis, or at the very least you perceive crisis is about to occur, your personal performance is the first to go. Maybe you're worried about your investments. Maybe you're thinking that layoffs are imminent, or that a salary freeze and hiking grocery bills will cripple your goal to start saving for the kids' college.

Maybe there's been a reorganization at your firm, or a move to a new location, and chaos has ensued.

If you're having trouble focusing lately, here are a few good reasons to clear those cobwebs out of your head and get a survival plan in place:
1. You don't know where your company will be tomorrow.
2. You don't know if you'll still be employed at this company.
3. The financial future is extremely uncertain at this time.
4. Living expenses continue to increase.

I'm not trying to paralyze you in fear by listing out these possibilities. What I am trying to do is point out reasons why it's smart to prepare for change. Our friends in the southern states recently suffered the blows of Hurricane Ike and are now slowly and painfully picking up the pieces.

Homes and lives were lost. How do you think it would feel to have life as you know it ripped out from beneath you? Would you be ready, if something major happened tomorrow?

While a disaster, whether natural, financial or otherwise, sometimes cannot be avoided, it pays to think ahead and be ready for whatever may come your way. Instead of anxiously scanning the news headlines, engaging in heated arguments over the nation's politics, downloading Tina Fey's Sarah Palin parody, or otherwise frittering away your precious hours, why not mentally and physically prepare for what may come?

 

I dare you to start putting the following plans into action today!

1. Take stock of your on-the-job performance.
Survey all that you've managed to accomplish over last year. Gather evidence - including reports you've helped create, presentations you've given, sales performance reports that indicate improvement based on plans and procedures that you've implemented, and all creative projects that you were involved with. Create two "Accomplishments" folders for yourself - one that will live on your computer, and the other that you can hold in your hands. Print documents; make copies; e-mail it all to your personal e-mail account.
2. Update your resume and find your "personal selling points."
To help you identify your most marketable traits, take a look at that Accomplishments folder that I talked about in point 1. Based on your accomplishments, in what areas do you excel? How might this appeal to a future employer? If you're having trouble with this, talk with a personal coach, who can help you define your core strengths. Not confident in your writing? Pass the assignment to a resume writing expert who will know the right words to use that will play up your best characteristics. Add keywords to your resume that hiring managers might search for on sites like Monster.com.
3. Have some face time with your financial advisor.
If you're feeling shaky about your money, now is a great time to team up with your investments guy and have him take a look at your portfolio. At the time of writing this (October 2008), financial experts are suggesting to "spread out" your money over several different banks if you have more than $100,000.00 in assets. Check to make sure that your financial institution is FDIC insured. Look into global investments. Our economy might not be in the best shape right now, but there is money to be made with international stocks. Your financial advisor will help you to make the right decisions on what to do with your money.
4. Arm yourself with a list of trusted contacts.
With the world in such a state of flux, there is no better time than to firm up your connections with people who may be of service to you and vice-versa. Sites like Linkedin and Facebook are bringing together friends and acquaintances from decades past. Now is the time to get back in touch with that former employer who always had rave reviews for your work .... that kid from your first grade class who now owns his own marketing company. Get phone numbers, e-mail AND mailing addresses. You really just never know when you'll be needing these!
5. Get and give testimonials.
While you're reaching out to people, be sure to get recommendations and testimonials from those who know and trust you. If you don't have any yet, then start by giving some out. Offer public praise to people whose skills have benefited you.
5. Create a "consulting portfolio" (even if you aren't ready to become a consultant yet).
OK, so you may have no intention of leaving your job at this time, and you may even feel super secure in your position. All of this is great! But again, being prepared will put you two steps ahead of the game; so if you possess any skills that can be easily transferred to the consulting realm, now is the time to play those up.
(To shed some light on just how easy it is to begin consulting; if you get a bite for freelance work, take it. You can easily report this extra income in the 1099-MISC area of your tax return.)
Get a website! Hosting is less than $200 per year and a domain name is as little as $6.00. Take those skills that you identified in points 1 and 2 above, and transfer them to an online resume or personal portfolio page that shares professional information about you to the world.
Think of all the people out there, searching Google for something you might be able to offer them. The smartest people are getting out into the virtual world and being seen!

There are many other ways to "hunker down" and be prepared for the unexpected in today's swiftly changing world. Look into side income possibilities, like investment properties. Things like laundromats and vending machines are also great ways to pocket extra cash. And, don't forget to retrain your mind for bargain shopping. Be on the lookout for bulk deals on things you know you'll always need - like toilet paper!

While some things are most definitely out of your control, other facts of your life and your future are easily managed. The key is to put yourself "in charge" of the things that you can change for the better.

Once you do this, you'll be able to buckle down and give your job the full attention it deserves.

After all - it's what they pay you for, and you want to continue being paid. Right?

 

Consultant David Bohl is a life coach who lives in Hartland. Additional information is available at www.slowdownfast.com.

How particular are you about who you have in your inner circle? Are you aware of the influence of those you interact with on a regular basis? Since most of us spend a good deal of time with other people, we should consider the quality of people we spend the most time with.

Who you spend your time with is as significant as what you spend your time doing.

Some people drag you down to their level if they play the victim role - complaining and blaming, never taking responsibility for their lot in life. If there are people in your life you'd rather not spend time with because they pull you down, ask yourself why they're still in your life. Even when family members fall into this group, limit your time with them if at all possible.

Other people bring you up to their level where they enjoy and celebrate life, playing the role of victor, the one who chooses their lot in life purposefully. These are great people to be around because their enthusiasm for life is contagious. When you're feeling down, they can lift you up. You can learn how they approach life and handle difficulties with grace. Hang out with them as much as you can. Let them know you appreciate them.

Time spent with controlling people is wasted time, because they put excessive demands on those around them and are never satisfied. This might be a demanding boss, who rarely praises but often finds fault. It's a challenge to feel good about yourself and your work in this environment, and it's certainly difficult to grow when you're not allowed to think for yourself. Reconsider staying in your job if you are under the thumb of this type of person.

Some people are stimulating, offering you opportunities for growth and expansion, sharing innovative ideas, acting as mastermind partners, role models, or mentors. Make sure you spend lots of time with these folks. See how you can participate in their lives giving to them as much as they give to you. If you don't have anyone like this in your life now, consider working with a life coach. They are truly supportive and inspiring to have in your inner circle.

You can see how important it is to choose your inner circle with care, because everyone you spend time with has their influence on you. How do you improve the quality of the people around you? Here are some suggestions:

1. Attend lectures and seminars. If you want to be around people who stimulate your mind, you can often find them at lectures or seminars on topics of interest to you. The opportunities presented may lead to new ideas, new business, new knowledge, and new friends.

2. Take a class. To expand your circle, take a class in something totally different from anything you've studied before. Study Italian, learn to cook vegetarian, take up golf, study the stock market. Many of my clients tell me they always meet interesting people when they take a class.

3. Start or join a group or club. There are clubs for just about any interest you have. If you like reading, start or join a book club. Do you knit, sew, crochet? Do you like board games, public speaking, karaoke? If you go to www.MeetUp.com you can find a group of people in almost any interest area, and you will quickly expand your circle of influence.

4. Invite someone for a drink. Whether coffee, tea, or wine is your beverage of choice, inviting someone to meet with you for an hour or so, is a good way to get to know someone and see if they are a good fit for your inner circle. Look for people with different perspectives than yours, because it's one way you can grow. You don't want everyone you spend time with to be just like you. Variety is definitely the spice of life, and makes for a more diverse inner circle.

Consultant David Bohl is a life coach who lives in Hartland. Additional information is available at www.slowdownfast.com.

By now, everyone who hasn't been hiding out under a rock has heard about the subprime mortgage fiasco. Banks lent money to people who didn't qualified for it by using twisty, unethical strategies like "liar loans" (literally falsified loan applications, which is otherwise known as loan fraud), the deliberate targeting of people who weren't in a position to understand what they were getting themselves into and slick sales pitches designed to hide the true cost of interest rate jumps, exorbitant fees, balloon payments and other surprises.

As a result, wave after wave of foreclosures, bank failures and other financial disasters have been racing through the American economy (and the economy of other countries).

So what does that have to do with self-help? Simply this: The subprime crisis is directly related to the skewed way we as Americans look at money, debt and personal wealth, and how we act on these views.

Until we learn to recognize these issues and take steps to eliminate them, history will simply repeat itself in more and more damaging ways.

Here are some of the issues that led to the subprime mortgage collapse. Do you recognize any in yourself? If so, how are they affecting your decisions, and what sort of danger could you be letting yourself in for?

1. Short-range vision. According to scientific research, humans are wired to be more emotionally responsive to short-term gains than long-term risks. In fact, when offered a small reward now or a large reward later, people usually opt for the immediate prize even when it is significantly smaller than what they would receive if they were to wait. As science blogger Johan Lehrer sums it up, "Our feelings are thrilled by the prospect of a new home, but can't really grapple with the long-term fiscal consequences of the decision. Our impulsivity encounters little resistance, and so we sign on the bottom line. We want the house. We'll figure out how to pay for it later."

2. Entitlement. In the American constitution, you are given the right to the pursuit of happiness. However, if you ask around on the street you may find something a bit unsettling: More and more people today believe that humans have more than just a right to pursue happiness - they have a right to happiness itself (which is simply an impossible and unsustainable belief; happiness doesn't do command performances). As a result, people believe that just because they want something (or feel it would make them happy) they have a right to have it, regardless of whether they've earned it, can afford it or even understand what it is they're getting into. As a result of this feeling of entitlement, people eagerly signed up for loans they had no possible way (or, in some cases, no intention) of paying for. It's enough that they wanted it; little or no consideration was given to any other issues.

3. Visible affluence vs. true wealth. These days, wealth is all about status, not careful investment. SUVs are promoted as the preferred ride of the rich and famous and suddenly everyone has to have one, even if the most they ever haul around is a Teacup Chihuahua huddling in the corner a Prada bag. Ditto for houses - it's not enough to buy a house anymore. You have to buy a sprawling monster of a house with granite counters, a sunken pool and a gym - the real estate equivalent of oversized bling - even if your entire household could fit comfortably in a Mini Cooper with room leftover for a lunch basket. Creating true wealth through steady investment, earned interest and saving money just isn't sexy enough. "Better to show it than grow it," seems to be the motto of today's pseudo-wealthy.

 

4. Hubris. It's one of humanity's biggest failings; the belief that even if we somehow paint ourselves into a corner, we'll just magically sprout wings to get us out of the tight spot. Unfortunately, economics isn't known for its susceptibility to magic. And when homeowners found themselves facing double and tripled mortgages as their interest rates (predictably) adjusted, no fairy godmothers materialized to wave their wands and make things better. Hubris is probably the number one killer of personal wealth; the belief that you can do no wrong has been the downfall of many a would-be self-made man (or woman).

5. The lure of easy debt. Obesity is epidemic in America. Only in this case it's the average American's debt load, instead of their waistlines, that are bloated beyond sustainable proportions. Related to the "right to happiness," the ready availability of credit colludes in making it easy to act on the belief that you should get what you want, even if you can't afford it. Almost everyone in the country is used to simply relying on credit for everything from houses to chewing gum. And lenders made it easy by handing out easy credit to anyone old enough to sign a contract, regardless of their credit history or likely ability to pay back their debt. We've become a buy now, pay later culture. Only, with extortionary interest and other hidden fees that can explode even a small debt into a Hindenburg-sized mess, most of us will be no more capable of paying for it later than we were at the time. Oh, the humanity!

 

So how do you prevent this sort of thing from happening to you? By realizing three things.

First, nobody owes you anything - not even happiness. You want it, you have to earn it - and pay a fair price for it, to boot.

Second, learn to be happy with what you need, rather than straining after what you think makes you "look good." No matter how impressive that McMansion looks when you're house hunting, bankruptcy flatters no one.

And third, live within your means. Buy what you can afford now, not what you hope to be able to afford at some future date. Life is unpredictable. Even if you're on a seemingly straightforward earning track, anything could derail you or change your course. Don't bet your entire future on a short-term reward that relies on everything going as planned.

Consultant David Bohl of Hartland is a life coach who has written an e-book, "Your Life In Balance: A Breakthrough Guide for Creating the Life You Desire!" Bohl documents his transformation and gives the reader step-by-step guidance on how to change their life for the better by focusing on the things that bring a powerful, sustained sense of joy, happiness and fulfillment. For more, visit www.slowdownfast.com.

 

We've all heard the saying, "There's no 'I' in team." But in today's professional sports arena, it's difficult to see that sentiment actually in play. From crazy end zone celebrations to off-the-field antics, professional athletes too often seek to draw attention to themselves and away from the things that matter most - sportsmanship, camaraderie, self-improvement, pure love of the game.

Are we doing the same thing in our own self-preoccupied lives? Myspace, blogs and the internet give us a reason to be more tuned inward than ever before. What am I thinking, how do I feel, what have I done today? Did I fold a few socks or balance my checkbook? Let me shout it to the world and write myself up a Certificate of Achievement!

Maybe it's time to ask the question: Do we need Brett Favre to step in with a lesson on humility?

When I say humility, I don't mean being shy, scared or timid. Humility describes an attitude and lifestyle that seeks the betterment of others - sometimes, at the expense of one's own personal fame and glory. In the case of both sports heroes and real life heroes, we're talking about someone who leads, not because of their own star power, but by their own personal example.

Here are a few pointers from Brett Favre's Playbook on Leading With Humility:

• When we lead with humility, we devote ourselves to "we" instead of me.
• Even when he was set to break records, Brett always maintained that winning the game for his team was more important than his personal accomplishments. That's a humbling sentiment if you stop to think about it. How many of us would trade winning one game for a chance to be remembered as the sole holder of a record? Sadly, not many. But that's exactly what Brett has brought to the game.
• Humility is about putting others first. When we focus on the betterment of the group instead of ourselves, we sacrifice attention, recognition, our time. We often relinquish our "moment in the sun." But we do this so that we may bring others to the place where we have arrived - a higher place of understanding. Imagine what kind of impact one single individual can have on human progress, simply by being other-people oriented.
• To lead with humility requires an understanding of our own, dual nature. How can a man be meek and bold at the same time? Well, just take a look at Brett's nature on and off the field. When he's playing, there's no greater competitor. He's tough, he's dedicated and he gives 100% to win. Off the field, he's the simple southern boy he always was. Rather than showing off or getting caught up in activities that have brought down so many other professional athletes, Brett steers clear of controversy, opting for the simple life of hunting, fishing and being with his family.
• Likewise, men and women of substance know that no matter what kind of power their title or position brings, there will be periods when we must return to that state of being the student and not the teacher. This requires mental flexibility. When we are rigid in our outlook, closed to other viewpoints and staunch in our beliefs, we stagnate, run in circles, and stunt our personal growth. Deep down, we can sense when this is happening. Titles and prestige hold no fulfillment unless we can connect with our roots and our center of being. It takes an understanding of the duality that lives within every one of us. Are you willing to bend?
• Leading with humility means owning up to our shortcomings.

Brett Favre is one of the most respected leaders of any professional team. He's a man who probably knows more about the game of football than many of today's coaches. And yet, Brett - for all his fame - has never been above being coached. Compare that to the players that refuse to listen to their coaches, or worse, bad mouth them the minute the cameras are rolling.

 

Looking back a few years ago, many people thought that Brett should've retired. Green Bay struggled for wins and Brett seemed to be at the end of his career. To be sure, he could have walked away without regret. He had a Super Bowl win, the respect of players and fans, and was a cinch to make the Hall of Fame.

So why did he stick around after having accomplished so much? Because he wasn't finished. During those years it's true that Brett wasn't getting much protection from his offensive line. But he was also making mistakes that he wouldn't have made in his glory days. Even so, he didn't want to go out like that and he didn't want his team to continue on that path. Brett worked harder, owned up to his shortcomings and dedicated himself to getting the Packers back to their winning ways.

The opposite of humility is pride. Where would the Packers be today if Brett Favre had let pride rule the last leg of his career? How many times in our lives have we offered Pride the upper hand... refused to admit that we could have done something better, didn't give it our all, could stand some improvement, or maybe we were actually wrong about something? Where did that get us in the end?

When we take stock of our shortcomings and own up to our weaknesses, we open the doors to self-betterment. When we let our egos "sit this one out" in favor of accepting constructive criticism, we emerge stronger in the end. That's humility at work, making us more powerful, helping us grow and become all the richer for the experience.

Humility involves knowing that you already have everything you need.

Today, Brett Favre is playing smarter football. He's taking his career one play at a time and his focus is still on winning rather than breaking records. He can still bring it when he has to, but as always, he relies on his team to win games. And even though the Packers are playoff bound and the records are falling, he's still out on the field - not trying to be the best, but doing the best he can.
What kind of player are you?

 

Consultant David Bohl of Hartland is a life coach who has written an e-book, "Your Life In Balance: A Breakthrough Guide for Creating the Life You Desire!" Bohl documents his transformation and gives the reader step-by-step guidance on how to change their life for the better by focusing on the things that bring a powerful, sustained sense of joy, happiness and fulfillment. For more, visit www.slowdownfast.com.

It's that time of year again when we make resolutions in our personal lives that help guide us into the New Year.

Hopefully, for most of us, we'll follow through and achieve all of our resolutions - even if we do fall off the wagon once or twice. 

As a small business owner, this is also the perfect time of year to make a list of resolutions of things you can do to help grow your business in the coming year. Think of it as reinforcing your business plan - or in some cases, rewriting your business plan to take advantage of new opportunities.

Let's take a look at five resolutions that you can make for 2008 to grow and solidify your business.

Resolution #1: Backup your data.
Backup, Backup, Backup.  What would happen to your business come tomorrow if you woke up and found out that your computer with all your finances, customer information and invoices had died? All too often small businesses don't back up their data and as a result their computer turns into a ticking time bomb. In 2008 resolve to make better use of backup software and other technology that helps keep you protected from the failure that will happen sooner or later. Take advantage of new technology that allows for automatic, off-site backups that protect you even further by storing your critical data at another location. Most of these packages are available for a nominal fee and are worth their weight in gold when disaster strikes.

Resolution #2: Invest in customer relationship software.
Turn your customer data into something you can use to help you grow your business. So many companies store their customer data in spreadsheets or in files scattered across the office. Customer Relationship Management software (CRM is the industry slang) helps you manage your customer relationships and track not only their orders but also their interaction with you via phone, e-mail or other means. With a few clicks you can find out who your most valuable customers are, which ones are consuming large amounts of your time and which ones are prospects for growth in the upcoming year. There are many packages on the market that can help you with this, ranging from off-the-shelf varieties that can suit most business needs and are available at your local office supply store to fully customizable one from big vendors such as Microsoft and Oracle. Take some time this New Year to read up more on CRM software and learn how it can be a valuable tool in managing your customers and your business.

Resolution #3: Procure a good accounting package.
Make 2008 the year you stop using spreadsheets to track your finances and invest in a good accounting package. Spreadsheets are good for very small businesses, but the moment when you start growing you will find that you are being held back by their lack of ability to manage complex financial transactions. Another benefit you will receive from investing in a good accounting package is that tax time will be a breeze - many accounting packages on the market today have modules that let you literally point, click and print your tax returns for your business! A good accounting package can pay for itself within weeks and in many cases even sooner. Think how much more effectively you could run your business when you can get up in the morning and see, at-a-glance, how well your business is doing.

 

Resolution #4: Become a marketing pro.
Learn how to effectively market yourself and your business. You don't need an MBA in marketing to be an effective marketer thanks to the wealth of information online and in stores nowadays about how to market almost any type of business. Perhaps 2008 is the year you decide to take a class or two at your local college to brush up on your marketing skills. Many businesspeople are heading back to the classroom to learn about more effective business management and marketing - plus it is a terrific way to network. Take a few moments when you turn the calendar to put together a list of marketing resources available online and locally and then resolve to take action on one or more of them. After all, nobody is going to buy from your company if they don't know who you are to begin with!

 

Resolution #5: Outsource!
Take inventory in your business of how you can offload some of the more repetitive, routine tasks to others to allow you more time to grow the business. We often get loaded down with routine tasks that must be done, but end up stealing away our precious time we could be investing in the business to make it grow. Whether it be by hiring an administrative assistant to do some of these tasks or outsourcing some of the work to specialty companies or individuals, you may be surprised to find out that the additional cost of doing so is more than made up for by the "brain power" you are able to put back into your business. An added benefit is that by adding personnel to do such tasks they may be able to find even more efficiencies since they are often skilled in these areas - because, let's face it, not all of us can be an expert on every aspect of running a business!

 

So now it's time for you to act. What will you do this New Year to help your small business grow? What action plans can you put in place now to guide you through the upcoming year? 

 

Consultant David Bohl of Hartland is a contributing author at Small Business Trends.

I used to work 100 hours a week. My family took a back seat to my fast-moving, high-paying career, and I eventually paid the price in the form of exhaustion, stress and a non-existent family life.

I have since recovered from this work fanatic, pressure-cooker life and have done a complete 180. I now focus completely on my values, beliefs and ideals, and as a result enjoy total life balance between work and family, and I coach people on how to do the same.

Laura Carstensen, director of the Stanford Center on Longevity and a professor of psychology at Stanford University, says that people do generally get happier as they age. Here's a quote from professor Carstensen from The Wall Street Journal based upon her research: "How often one feels sad, angry, disgusted, contemptuous - that frequency declines. And in addition to that, when negative emotions occur, they don't last as long."

If happiness increases with age, does unhappiness increase as well?

Not generally. Peter Ubel, a professor of medicine and psychology at the University of Michigan, said: "I know a lot of unhappy 80-year-olds, but if you look, on average there are a lot more grumpy young men than grumpy old men. We just don't call them grumpy. We call them angry or irritable."

Why do people experience greater happiness as they age? Ms. Carstensen believes that it relates to an individual's desire to make the most of the time he/she has remaining.

"When people perceive time is limited, they focus more on well-being," she says. "They get rid of the riff-raff in their lives and select the people who are most important."

So, if you're unhappy today, do you need to wait a few (or more) years to achieve the happiness you desire? Absolutely not. If you wait for happiness, it simply means that you haven't started living.

My suggestion?  Start living today.

• Know yourself and what defines fulfillment in your life,
  Identify your personal and professional goals.
• Honor what inspires you.
• Recognize what supports your self-esteem and what you need to do to keep your relationships satisfying.

 

Consultant David Bohl of Hartland has written a new e-book, "Your Life In Balance: A Breakthrough Guide for Creating the Life You Desire!" Bohl documents his transformation and gives the reader step-by-step guidance on how to change their life for the better by focusing on the things that bring a powerful, sustained sense of joy, happiness and fulfillment. For additional information, visit www.LiveLifeandSucceed.com or contact him at (262) 538-1300.

 

Your time is at a premium. Everyone else's is too, so it seems.

How many times have you called or e-mailed someone and felt like they were doing you a favor by simply extending you the courtesy of returning your communications? How many times have you heard "let's do lunch sometime"?  If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that … I'd have many more dollar bills.

Domino's Pizza built a multi-billion dollar empire and became recognized as the "World Leader in Pizza Delivery" by starting with "We deliver hot, fresh pizza in 30 minutes or less or it's free."

FedEx built a business and created an entirely new industry based upon guaranteed overnight delivery: "When you absolutely, positively have to have it overnight."

Auto dealers offer express lube services "in 29 minutes or less or it's free."

Papa John's offers the "fastest made-to-order pizza in America" by providing fresh pizzas in 10 minutes or less, or they're free.

We've become so consumed with saving time that the concept of "___ minutes or less or it's free" is being spoofed on the Fox News Channel. Using the satire made popular by Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update, they've created the 1/2 Hour News Hour that promises: "News in 30 minutes or less or it's free."

With health care costs and complaints about care received on the rise, hospitals are now offering a quid pro quo for your time.
No, they won't promise that "you'll be seen by a doctor in 30 minutes or less or your treatment is free," but they are compensating people for their time.

According to Yahoo! News, "Hospitals from California to Virginia are trying to cut wait times. They pitch "quality care at a moment's notice" and "door to doc" treatment in minutes.

A Kansas City hospital offers cinema passes to patients who wait half an hour for emergency room service.

A Detroit hospital system gives away Major League Baseball tickets to patients who wait 30 minutes for emergency room service.

Other hospitals offer meal vouchers, baseball and movie passes and written apologies, although I haven't found any studies that project the future cash values of written apologies, especially when considering the choice of emergency rooms is often a matter of proximity and health coverage rather than ultimate choice.

The competition for health care dollars is heating up.  As some hospitals introduce 30-minute guarantees, others plan to introduce 15-minute promises.

But are all these guarantees really what patients want and need? Aren't we simply splitting hairs? What exactly does the term "emergency room service" mean? I've been to the emergency room a few times in my life, and seeing a "health care provider" is rarely one of the first things that happens.

After what seems to be an extremely long wait, where people who arrived after me are seen before me, I am usually first interviewed by someone in admissions. Then I'm sent back to wait longer. The concept of "door to doc treatment in minutes" is one that I have never experienced.

What would truly make me happy isn't to be bribed for my time. I would be delighted if my wait would be eliminated completely, and I'd like to be seen and treated/diagnosed by a medical professional as soon as I arrive. After all, it is an emergency - to me - until I'm told otherwise by someone who knows better.

At least one hospital understands what I want. The Adventist GlenOaks Hospital of Illinois has a no-wait promise. Patients can skip the waiting room and go directly to a private room where treatment starts and registration is done bedside.

Time is the new currency, and time is money. In this case, saved time absolutely equals saved money for all.

David Bohl is a lifestyle designer, personal coach and owner of Reflections Coaching LLC.  He is based in Hartland and can be reached at (262) 538-1300 and at http://reflectionscoachingllc.com.

 

 

 

Every business has, or should have, a strategic plan. It endows the business with the fundamentals from which to exist and grow. In its simplest form, a strategic plan means realizing an organization’s ultimate goals.

Strategic planning should not be mistaken for a business, or operational, plan. Strategic planning has enduring effects on a business, while business or operational decisions are short-term or day-to-day in nature.

Any strategic plan, or any plan for that matter, must be followed by real and sustained action to achieve its objectives. 

Typically, a strategic plan consists of the following steps:

• Analyze the environment.
• Establish objectives.
• Analyze specific circumstances.
• Select alternative options and strategies,
• Implement, monitor, and adapt the plan.

This is a proven, time-tested model of founding, managing and growing a business. Does this plan apply only to business? Absolutely not!

 

Let’s look at individuals. Many people create their career plan and then adapt their lives to those plans. They then get all caught up in day-to-day operations of their jobs and their lives and lose sight of the big picture. That’s why, often times, they find it difficult to discover a balance in their lives.

By conforming your life to your business or career, what you’re really doing is expending massive amounts of time and energy managing your life. You’ve almost created another job or business (full- or part-time) for yourself.

What you wind up doing is constantly "finessing" your life to fit your job, and I’m not talking about the economics involved in the type of lifestyle that you’re able to sustain with your career.

I’m referring to defining and creating a life and lifestyle in support of your values, beliefs and goals - first, and then planning your career or business around that strategy.

I’m advocating developing a thoughtful design for your life - a strategic lifestyle plan - that delineates what you most want out of life.

How would this strategic lifestyle plan look given the typical five-part business model? Let’s have a look:

• Analyze the environment - Look at what’s going on in your life. Look at how you live, the external factors like how many hours you devote to work, family, friends and yourself, and the internal factors like how well you think you’re handling your life right now.
• Establish objectives - What do you want out of life? Do some soul-searching here to determine your goals, desires, needs, values, and priorities.
• Analyze specific circumstances - Look at your inherent (essential) values, extraneous (non-essential) values, and lifestyle (things you want in your life).
• Select alternative options and strategies - Circumstances and needs (financial, career, family, friends, solitude, developmental, leisure, health, and spiritual) change over time, and at various stages of life. Be ready to flow with things and changes.
• Implement, monitor and adapt the plan - Take action and remain flexible. Live the life that you choose.

Living a life in support of your values and beliefs - implementing and taking action on your strategic lifestyle plan - will keep you focused on what’s most important to you, thus allowing you to live the life that you choose , both personally and professionally.

David Bohl is the owner of Reflections Coaching LLC, a business coaching and consulting firm, specializing in work-life balance and work-family balance issues. He is based in Hartland. He can be reached at (262) 538-1300 or via e-mail at davidbohl@reflectionscoachingllc.com.