Achieving Your Goals…For Real!

 How would you like a shortcut to success? A strategy to follow that would help you get what you want in the most efficient and effective way possible? 

If you're like me, you have a limited number of hours in the day and a limited amount of energy to get what you need to get accomplished while at the same time going after your bigger goals. Get ready to learn a simple four-step strategy that will help you create your best life in the most streamlined way possible.

1. Know your desired outcome. When you use your car's navigation system, do you type in all of the addresses you don't want to go to or just the one where you do want to go? Clearly, it is critical to know your desired outcome. What do you want to achieve? What are you going after? How would you like it to be? Now is not the time to be casual, vague, or even humble. Imagine you've rubbed the magic lamp and you get one shot at requesting what you want. Get clear and get specific.

2. Take action. The best advice I could give you about reaching your goals and creating a better life? Get started. Simply do something -- anything, really. Don't fall into the trap of having to know the best action to take to get started because this will cause delay. In fact, it's a crutch many of us use so we don't have to get started.

Analyzing 1,001 treadmills to find the best combination of features is far less scary than going to the gym and getting on one. You can see this dynamic at work in meetings -- let's schedule another meeting to talk about everything we need to do instead of actually getting started. But why do we get stuck in this inaction trap? It's safe. We are afraid of doing something that may be wrong. Inspiration is fickle. You'll feel it one minute and then poof, it will be gone the next unless you nurture it with movement -- taking action and getting started. It's better to throw the gauntlet down by doing something -- even the wrong thing -- than staying in your head and losing the inspiration.

3. Focus on feedback. Remember the hot or cold game you played as a kid? What if you played that game but didn't move? You'd never know if you were getting closer or farther away from the prize. If you stay in your head too long and try to analyze every conceivable next step, you'll never know if your path is leading you closer or farther away. Taking action is how you get feedback. Take the step, because even if you are wrong, that will give you valuable feedback so you can adjust your approach.

4. Be behaviorally flexible. If you notice your actions are not leading you to your desired outcome (or maybe not as quickly as you wish), then you have to be flexible in your approach. It's not enough to just notice what you are doing isn't working; you have to shift your strategy. If you keep hearing "colder," as in the game above, then stop moving in that direction even if you've invested a lot of time and energy. Stop, turn, and take a step in a different direction until you get closer to your outcome.

Whether you are starting a new business, in charge of a new product launch, wanting to re-connect with your spouse, wishing to get healthier, or hoping to create your best life, keep these four steps front and center, and they will help you achieve your goals faster and more efficiently.

What is your opinion?

Identifying the Bad Boss, before it is too late.

You go for a job interview, answer all their questions, and then there is that inevitable moment: do you have any questions for us? This is your moment to find out whether you want the job and, in particular, what kind of person your putative boss might be. So what are the questions that will reveal his or her true colors?

1. Of all the people who have worked for you, who are you proudest of -- and why? You want to work for someone who will help you grow, develop and advance. If this boss hasn't helped people progress, this could indicate a fear of rivals -- in which case, you'll be held back. It may also suggest that no significant mentoring or coaching will occur, in which case: what, apart from salary, will you gain from the position? On the other hand, if the executive can cite a number of people who've gone on to a wide range of opportunities, you could be onto a winner.

2. Can you describe a disagreement within the project, job or department and how it was resolved? All healthy departments argue: that is how organizations think. If there's no debate, there's no thinking. What you want to glean from the answer is whether there is a professional level of confidence around healthy disagreement. If there isn't, then your own views won't be welcome -- a sure sign that politics trump intelligence. Avoid.

3. Are there formal opportunities to mentor or coach rising stars in the firm? If you can't be a mentor, it's highly likely you won't get one either. Many job candidates hesitate to ask if they'll get mentoring or coaching (they think it looks weak), so this can be a good way to find out without appearing to ask.

4. What did the last person in this position go onto do -- and what were they like? The background to a vacant position is always interesting. If the past incumbent left under a cloud, some of that opprobrium may attach to the position -- in which case, beware. If they've advanced inside the firm, it means you could too. If no one really knows -- they're lying and you should have a serious rethink. It's helpful to know how the job was done before, if only because it is far easier to follow someone who is different; if they're too similar, you may find it difficult to assert your own identity.

5. How far have the expectations and requirements of the position changed since it was first created? If it hasn't changed at all, there's a high likelihood that this is a pretty stable -- but possibly rigid -- organization. Whether that is to your taste or not is a personal choice. But you want to know before you go any further whether you're jumping into a torrid or a stagnant pond.

None of these questions will get you into trouble -- but they may stop you jumping into it.

What is your opinion?

Are You a Great Employee?

This definitely isn't the first time somebody's written about what makes employees special. But it may very well be the first time someone's telling you what will genuinely get your management excited about you and ultimately get you promoted; No kidding.

Look, you've got to understand the reality here. People will cite ridiculously esoteric research studies and pull all sorts of popular, feel-good stuff out of their utopian behinds -- whatever it takes to get you to click. That's great for feeding your ego and your addiction to distraction, but it doesn't do squat for your career.

This is different. It's not some kumbaya fluff that will get you a big pat on the back, a "Nice job, buddy" from the boss, or a gift certificate for a cheap dinner. This is what employees really do to distinguish themselves in the eyes of management. It's how up-and-comers become up-and-comers. It's how you get recognized and moving up the corporate ladder. It's what today's top executives did when they were in your shoes.

 

Take responsibility for hot projects with a fearless attitude: And get this. If it works out, you don't waste a lot of time basking in the glory, at least not at work. Maybe you go out and celebrate with the other team members. That aside, you're all about finding the next big challenge. You're hungry for more. And if it fails, you don't point fingers. You take full responsibility and learn from it. And you know what? That's when management will start to see you as one of them. That's big.

Demonstrate natural leadership: That means when you take charge of something, people naturally follow, even though you don't have the title or the authority. Never mind everything you read; that's what natural leadership is really all about. There are all sorts of different styles that work, but mostly it comes down to a fearless self-confidence and charisma that people find magnetic. That's like gold in the corporate world.

Say, "Sure, no problem, will do," and then do it: Its one thing to have a solid work ethic and get the job done; that certainly key in the real business world. But it's another thing entirely to always accept challenging assignments with open arms and a simple, "No problem, will do" acknowledgement. And the tougher it is, the more confidants you sound and the harder you work to make it happen. That's the sign of an employee who needs a promotion or two.

Roll with the punches without taking things personally: Sure, it's hard to keep your balance when the rug's just been pulled out from under you. But let's face it. The nature of contemporary business is one of constant change, reorganizations and layoffs. Programs come and go. Companies too. One day you're rolling in resources, the next day you need three signatures for a chair. That's the way business is. And if you're flexible, you're adaptable, you've got fortitude and you don't take things personally, that's big.

Think of the company's goals as your goals: I know, the jaded among you will say that blind loyalty to a company will enslave you and get you nowhere. Well, there's truth to that. After all, any employee can be fired or quit, and that's as it should be. This is about understanding how companies operate and making the company's or the department's priorities your own. When you start to identify with the goals of management -- live, eat and breathe them -- then you start to become management. Yes, that's a good thing.

Do whatever it takes to get the job done, even when you're not getting paid for it: Look, success in the real world doesn't work like tit for tat. First, you put yourself out there, take risks, do the work, and accomplish things. Then, and only then, do you get to put your hand out and say, "Give me some." Then, if your company doesn't take care of you, you learn a lesson, put your accomplishments on your resume, and move on to a better place that values overachievers like you.

Grow the business or improve the bottom line: Yeah, I know it's not popular, but that doesn't make it any less critical or true. These days, it's all about doing more with less. Being more efficient, effective, scrappy, innovative, motivational, engaging, and not only that, happy about it. Think of it as a problem-solving challenge where the problem is how to grow the business or cut spending while improving productivity. Like it or not, that is what it's all about.

I would love to hear your opinion.

The Right Marketing Plan

A marketing plan should be a written document, not scratching on a cocktail napkin or recalled from memory. To take your business to the next level requires preparing a written marketing action plan every quarter.

Without a 90-day marketing GPS to guide you to your destination, treacherous roadblocks and time-consuming detours can keep you from reaching your goals. Even if you are a one-person sales department, you should know where your leads are coming from.

Try not to look at planning as an obligatory to-do, but as a way to solve tangible problems like generating awareness and improving credibility. Think of it as a way to solve lead generation problems before they arise. Here are some checklist steps to guide you:

1. Attack strategy quarterly. Begin developing a strategy-driven marketing action plan every 90 days. Marketing plays a vital role in successful business ventures, yet many sales people often overlook its systematic implementation. Put down on paper how you are going to do three things:

-- Generate leads for the sales team

-- Build awareness of what your company sells

-- Enhance the credibility of the organization

2. Think strategic first. Too many individuals believe that the tactical plan -- the newsletters, press kits, trade shows, banners, 800-numbers, display advertisements, logos and giveaways -- comes before the strategic plan. Those promotional, publicity and advertising tactics (and there are hundreds to choose from) should be contained within a well-orchestrated marketing action plan. But first create your strategic messages that will generate leads, build awareness and enhance credibility.

3. Update what's happening now. The situation analysis introduces the company and includes:

-- A brief overview of the product or service

-- A brief overview of the personnel involved

-- A past history of the company

-- Its present performance

-- Financial information, if appropriate

4. Profile away. Profiling is a bad word these days, but it works here. The product or service profile provides information regarding the specific items you intend to market. By addressing the following categories, a profile emerges. They include:

-- Position Statement: The niche the product or service is intended to occupy

-- Description: The product or service described in detail

-- Pricing: The methods used to establish pricing. Questions such as, "Will discounts be offered?" are asked

-- Market maturity: The overall market maturity is addressed

-- Quality/Reliability: What level of quality is being portrayed? What's the relation to price?

-- New market potential: The potential size of the market is assessed

-- Delivery of service: An explanation of the service delivery mechanism is given

-- Packaging: Includes overall presentation of the product or service and its delivery

-- Image: The impression customers receive from employees, facility, furnishings, stationary, etc.

5. Make the first the last. The executive summary consists of a one-page, top-level summary of the entire plan. It's placed at the front of the document, but it's the last thing you'll write. Its purpose is to convey the gist of the plan to stakeholders, investors and anyone else who needs to know these facts in a hurry:

-- The scope of the plan in an outlined paragraph

-- The product or service being marketed

-- For whom the plan is being prepared

-- The time period the plan covers

-- The geographic area where the implementation occurs

-- The strategic messages and the tactics to get them to the target markets

If you manage to write two or three paragraphs for each of the topics, you'll end up with plenty. But no more than 10 pages, please. From there, you can refine your tactics. More important, you've taken a big step forward because you've written your strategy down on paper.

I invite your comments!

Are you working for a Dysfunctional Company?

I was reading about how Barack Obama and George W. Bush are the most polarizing presidents of the past 50 years, meaning they had the largest gap in approval ratings between democrats and republicans.

Some think there's a chicken and egg aspect to the question of which came first, our divisive leaders or our divided nation, but I think it's entirely a function of leadership. If Obama and Bush were effective leaders, the nation wouldn't be so divided.

That's because, by definition, leadership is about somehow getting people with disparate views to coalesce and execute on goals and plans they would never agree to on their own. Clearly, that's not happening in Washington and that's why America's so divided; Makes sense, right?

Now, it's tempting to paint all ineffective leaders with the same brush. You can get away with that in politics. Just label the incumbent a big fat loser, vote the bum out of office and call it a day. But when it comes to the corporate world, that's not entirely practical because, well, it's often hard to tell the losers from the keepers.

For example, I've worked with micromanaging control-freak jerks that were remarkably effective leaders. They united people and accomplished great things. On the flip side, I've known good executives who were well liked but, nevertheless, couldn't get everyone moving in the same direction.

While companies may not have political parties to deal with, polarizing leadership and divisive management are real and entirely common issues that destroy organizational effectiveness and ultimately lead to operating failure in companies big and small.

Since we can't really solve a problem without identifying it first, here are seven signs of a dysfunctional company with polarizing leadership:

Ivory tower effect: When self-important executives make decisions in a vacuum or otherwise barricade themselves in their expansive corner offices, which create a nasty cultural divide between management and employees. On the contrary, I knew one executive VP who insisted on sitting in a cubicle with his people. Good man.

Warring factions: You hear it all the time: "There's a natural tension between sales and marketing"; or "Come on, everybody hates HR," like it's an inevitable feud between warring factions. That's bologna. There's nothing natural or inevitable about it. It's dysfunctional, it's divisive and it fosters rivalry instead of alignment.

Strategy du jour: When dysfunctional executives consistently overreact to a single data point and take the entire organization in a new direction. Often the result of hallway or ad-hoc meetings in obscure places and making decisions in the absence of those who are actually responsible for that sort of thing.

Analysis paralysis: When executives, especially from warring factions, chronically debate issues to death, going down one rat hole or knock-down, drag-out fight after another without actually making decisions because there's no clear leadership to drive consensus.

Walk on water behavior: When leaders either consciously or subconsciously hoist certain groups up on pedestals while denigrating others. Besides being divisive, that also creates "walk on water" behavior where exalted groups aren't subject to standard processes like budgeting, for example.

Silo mentality: When teams, departments or entire divisions act as if they're independent from the rest of the company, usually in a defensive "it's us against them" sort of way when fighting for resources; Often the result of being denigrated by a dysfunctional and divisive CEO. A.k.a. "bunker mentality."

Sacred cow: A pet project -- usually owned by a founder -- that's immune to criticism and the company's standard processes. In other words, it continues to be funded long after it shouldn't. Also leads to passive aggressive behavior where the exec in charge agrees to kill it but never actually does.

I would love to hear your opinion!

How to Fail Your Business

Sure, businesses fail -- but are you failing your business?

Here are six ways you could be failing your business:

Your eye has started to wander. You're bored with your business because, well, things have gotten a little stale. You don't want to necessarily leave your company, but you've started to look for a little variety: You're thinking about forming other companies, or starting a side venture, and you pay less and less attention to your primary business. In the process results, relationships with customers and suppliers, and employee morale all suffer.

You focus on the wrong line. When revenue is down it's natural to focus on cutting costs, especially if, like me, you don't come from a sales background. Instead of focusing on the top line and growing sales, you cut and cut and cut until nothing is left. Sometimes it is impossible to save your way to profitability, and focusing on top-line growth is the only long-term answer.

You use "we" at the wrong times. You know there is no "I" in "team" so you try to say "we" -- but at the wrong times. "We worked straight through the weekend," sounds good -- unless you stayed home while your employees were at work. "We need to cut down on errors," sounds good -- unless you're the only one who made the mistakes. Use "I" whenever you personally make a mistake, and use "we" whenever you do something positive.

You network rather than sell. Networking is like sowing seeds. Selling is like harvesting crops. To survive, your business needs sales, not business cards and handshakes. Spend all your time networking on the golf course, at restaurants, and at social events instead of getting out and selling and revenue suffers. Network some of the time -- sell all the time.

You're in it for glory. Does your business serve as an extension of your ego? Is your business just a status symbol? Is your business on display for the greater glory of you? You should serve your business. Your business should not serve you -- and especially not your ego.

You can't stop searching for that one big idea. Innovations and breakthroughs do sometimes build great companies. Innovations and breakthroughs are hard to develop and even harder to deploy, though. Most companies succeed through hard work, attention to detail, and consistent execution. Ignore ideas and small improvements while you search for that one incredible breakthrough and your company will fail. A big idea is unlikely to transform your business; executing lots of small ideas can build a great business.

I would love to hear your comments and opinions.  You can publicly display them on my Blog: http://businessmanagementcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Or e-mail me in private: stevehomola@gmail.com

Your opinion is always highly regarded and respected!

How to get fired!

Whether you love or hate your job, you probably don't want to put it in jeopardy because of some behavior you weren't consciously aware was a career hazard. And there are a slew of risky behaviors out there -- you don't have to send your boss an angry email to get on his or her radar in a bad way. Here are some behaviors to watch out for:

1. Abuse your sick days. Yes, you have an allotment of sick days at your disposal, but if you read HR's fine print, you'll see that they're not just some sorts of wildcard vacation days. If you always use every vacation day to which you're entitled every year, or have a habit of calling in sick on Mondays, you are flagging yourself as someone who lacks personal integrity and abuses the system.

2. Throw bombs. You've probably heard that it's fine to ask questions, challenge conventional wisdom and say "no." But that doesn't mean it's okay to be confrontational or rude. You can quickly flag yourself as anti-collaborative or difficult to work with if you throw bombs in emails or in face-to-face meetings. Find constructive ways to ask questions and disagree, or you'll be "the guy" no one wants to work with.

3. Undercut your own team. Know the right time to discuss sensitive issues. If you are concerned with your own team's ability to meet a deadline or worried about a decision your boss made, make sure your partners aren't a part of the email thread where you express your reservations. Otherwise, you become the guy that undercuts and undermines your boss and your team in front of partners, and there's no faster way to the bench than that.

4. Evade transparency. Be honest and up front. It's the rare boss who has patience for people who misrepresent reality. In the modern age of email, messaging and metrics, it's difficult to disguise an off-track project for long.

5. Be anonymous. In principle, you might think it's a good idea to keep your head down and do the work you're assigned. But most organizations actively try to grow their next generation of leaders from today's individual contributors. In fact, many companies have an implicit "up or out" policy that requires an employee to participate collaborates, grow and advance. You need to be seen and heard.

I would love to hear your comments and opinions.  You can publicly display them on my Blog: http://businessmanagementcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Or e-mail me in private: stevehomola@gmail.com

Your opinion is always highly regarded and respected!

Are you an Entrepreneur or Leader?

Entrepreneurs and business leaders each have their place in the business world. It's the entrepreneur that forges the path and the leader that turns it into a highway. Even more rare, is the entrepreneurial leader that changes our world. Think Steve Jobs (Apple), Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia), Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Henry Ford (Ford Motor Co.), Sam Walton (Walmart), and dozens of others. Those entrepreneurs not only changed our lives but changed life, as we know it.

So how do you join the ranks of entrepreneurial leaders? First, let's look at the difference between leaders and entrepreneurs. Answer the following questions and see how you stack up. Remember, there's no right or wrong.

Is it easier for you to make promises or to keep promises?

Entrepreneurs are visionaries. They make lots of promises, and by the skin of their teeth and seat of their pants they keep most of them. Reaching beyond their grasp allows them to stretch further which often leads to break-through innovation. Unfortunately, this comes with a cost: Not all promises are kept. Execution sometimes takes a back seat to innovation. Bright shiny metal objects can lead to the next powerhouse idea but can also cause today's priorities to drop faster than the Time's Square ball on New Year's Eve.

Leaders execute. They keep their promises but they don't do it alone. Here's one of the secrets of both great entrepreneurs and leaders: They rely upon these three people:

1. The operations manager or COO to keep the company’s promises
.

2. The financial person (CFO, bookkeeper, controller, etc) to pay for their promises through receivable collection, pricing, and financing.


3. The administrative (executive assistant) to help them keep their personal promises.

Speaking of counting on other people…

Are you a lone wolf or a top dog?

Many entrepreneurs start their businesses, because quite frankly, they don't play well with others. They get an idea that often bucks the system. The idea becomes a passion, the passion takes form and, voila! There is a business.

The entrepreneur typically measures his or her success based on the impact of their ideas.

However, for that business to continue to grow and stay relevant it takes people - a lot of them. Customers, vendors, employees, associates, even competitors are people and require a human connection to manage them.

The leader measures his or her success based on the quantity and quality of their relationships.

Is creativity in your nature or something you nurture?

In his latest book 11/22/63, Stephen King wrote: "Artistic talent is far more common than the talent to nurture artistic talent. Any parent with a hard hand can crush it, but to nurture it is much more difficult."

Nurturing talent maybe more difficult but it is no less important than entrepreneurial talent. Steve Jobs was a "design maniac" who, even while in the hospital, tried to redesign his oxygen mask and finger monitor according to Walter Isaacson in his biography on the man. Such was his passion and creativity.

So here's your final question: If you inspire, you are a leader. If you are inspired, you are an entrepreneur. Still not sure, ask the people around you.

I would love to hear your comments and opinions.  You can publicly display them on my Blog: http://businessmanagementcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Or e-mail me in private: stevehomola@gmail.com

Your opinion is always highly regarded and respected!

The Fundamental Roles of a Great Business Manager

Great business owners become great based on their actions. Intentions are meaningless. Words are important. Results are everything.

But probably not the kinds of results you might have in mind. Consistently accomplish these five functions and you, your company -- and most importantly your employees -- all reap the benefits. Fail at these five functions and no matter how hard you work, you and your business will eventually fall short.

1. Develop every employee. If your sole focus is on hitting targets, achieving results, and accomplishing concrete goals your leadership cart is well before the horse. Without great employees, no amount of focus on goals and targets will pay off. Employees can only achieve what they are capable of achieving, so it's your job to help every employee become capable of achieving more.

Plus, even the most self-starting employees can only do so much to improve their skills. As a manager you owe it to your employees to provide the training, mentoring, and opportunities they need and deserve. In the process you listen, guide, and develop loyalty and commitment. Reviewing results and tracking performance is transformed from enforcement into personal progress and improvement -- both for the employee and for business.

Employee development is your primary responsibility as a boss. Spend the bulk of your time developing the skills of employees; goal achievement becomes a natural, long-term result.

2. Take care of problems immediately. Nothing kills team morale quicker than issues that don't get addressed. Interpersonal squabbles, performance issues, inter-departmental feuds all negatively impact employee motivation, enthusiasm, and even individual work ethic.

Small problems never go away. They always fester and grow into bigger problems -- and when you ignore an issue, employees immediately lose respect for you. Without respect you can't lead.

Never hope a problem will magically disappear (or someone else will deal with it.) No matter how small, deal with every issue head-on.

3. Rescue a struggling employee. Every team has an employee who has fallen out of grace: Publicly failed to complete a task, blew up in a meeting, or just makes particularly slow progress. Over time a struggling employee comes to be seen by his peers, and by you, as a weak link.

When that happens it's almost impossible for the struggling employee to turn a corner on his own. The weight of team disapproval is just too heavy for one person to move.

But that weight is not too heavy for you to move.

Before you remove a weak link from the chain, put your full effort into trying to rehabilitate that person instead. Step in and address the situation, but do so in a positive way. Say, "Tom, I know you've been struggling. I also know you're trying. Let's find ways we get you where you need to be." Express confidence, be reassuring, and most of all tell him you'll be there every step of the way.

Don't relax your standards, though. Just step up the mentoring and coaching you provide.

Granted, sometimes it won't work out, so see the effort as its own reward.

4. Serve others -- never yourself. You can get away with this once or twice, but that's it. Never say or do anything that in any way puts you in the spotlight, however briefly. Never congratulate employees and digress for a few moments to discuss what you did. Never say, "This took a lot of work, but I have finally convinced upper management to let us..." If it should go without saying, don't say it.

Your glory should always be reflected, never directed. When employees excel you excel. When your team succeeds you succeed. When an employee rehab project turns into a superstar, remember they should be congratulated, not you.

You were just doing your job the way a great manager should.

Consistently act as if you are less important than your employees and everyone will know how important you really are.

5. Stay humble. As a business owner, you've reached a level many of your employees also hope to someday reach. Some admire what you have accomplished; most respect you for your hard work and achievements. So sometimes an employee will just want to talk or to spend a little time with you.

When that happens you can blow that person off, or you can see the moment for its true importance: A chance to inspire, motivate, reassure, or give someone hope for greater things in their life.

The higher you rise, the greater the impact you can make, and the greater your responsibility to make that impact.

I would love to hear your comments and opinions.  You can publicly display them on my Blog: http://businessmanagementcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Or e-mail me in private: stevehomola@gmail.com

Your opinion is always highly regarded and respected!

The Business Owner-The Utmost Fear

When the competition is fierce and the economy is down, it's natural for small business owners to focus primarily on short-term results -- and on making short-term decisions. While we'd like to think long term, we nearly always operate from a short-term perspective. When revenues are down, customers are deserting, making payroll seems like an impossible dream or cash is flowing in the wrong direction, a short-term perspective is often all you can afford.

Who has time for long-term considerations when the short term is uncertain?

But what if you knew? What if you knew, without a doubt, that you and your business would survive for the next 20 years? What if, for example, you knew:

-- A problem employee will still be on the payroll one or two (or heaven forbid, 20) years from now. Does it make sense to keep ignoring the problem? Do you really want to deal with that employee for years?

-- A disengaged partner won't leave the business of his own accord, and for the next 20 years, he'll make minimal contributions while taking a major share of profits. If you knew that, would you try to address the problem now or decide just to live with it?

-- A small market with a limited customer base will always be small. Would you relocate, expand or find different sales channels, or would you keep complaining about limited opportunities for the next 20 years?

Short-term crises can cause us to ignore longer-term headaches, roadblocks and challenges. We tend to push aside larger chronic problems as we fight smaller, more immediate issues.

So take a step back from the day-to-day and turn the proposition around. Assume hard work, intelligence and persistence will overcome short-term business issues and challenges. Assume you and your business will still be here. In fact, assume you'll still be right here, right where you are today, facing the same problems and frustrations. Then take steps to address them now.

Above all, make sure you never have to look back and say, "I can't believe it's been 10 years and I'm still dealing with this (stuff)." That should be your greatest fear -- make sure it doesn't become a reality.