5. Who’s made the cut? Building high-performance teams
6. Numbers, it’s a game you know: Measurement matters
7. Pass the spreadsheet: Data. Wood. Data. Trees. Data.
8. I’m not paying that: The price is right?
9. Black holes: Disappearing money and how to avoid it
10. A sales story or two: No sales, no business
11. Right message, right place, right time: Making the most of marketing money
12. We made the shortlist! Improving the odds of winning a pitch
13. Cross-selling: Theory to practice without losing your temper
14. It’s showtime! High-impact seminars and events
15. Getting to know you: How to look even more attractive
16. It could be love: Relationships that count for something
17. Sorry, I’m in a meeting: Spending time doing the right stuff
18. I need help, with my help: Independent advice
19. Fast digital: Mandatory transformation. No exceptions.
20. How did that happen? Screw-ups and left-field moments
21. Deft decisions: Evidence-based. Always.
22. I want one of those! Acquisitions
23. Buried treasure: Discovering a new business in your business
24. Who’s your friend? Partnerships and pitfalls
25. Three-year plans and other nonsense: The tyranny of prediction
The Monday Revolution conclusion: One step at a time
Viva la Revolución! An Afterword
Introducing The Monday Revolution
Liberation! Freedom from the shackles of mundane mediocrity! There’s no bloodshed involved here but there will be metaphorical battles fought. Because your personal revolution will challenge the established way of getting things done. You’ve had enough of the way things are in your business life and you’re going to revolutionise the working week.
Your revolution is, in many respects, a silent one you’ve decided to adopt as your own special way of effective working. You will need to develop your own tailor-made revolution appropriate to your own situation and circumstances. There’s no particular need to share the fact you’re on a mission of improvement and change.
The Monday Revolution could significantly change your business life. There are limitless opportunities to raise your game and that of your organisation, but where to start? The Monday Revolution outlines simple ways of cutting through everyday challenges to achieve immediate results. Of course, it’s not a repair manual and you’ll need to work out how to apply the case studies and examples relative to where you work and what you do. But do that and the results will be liberating!
I can’t tell you exactly what to do on Monday – that would be too prescriptive. But I can help your approach to the working week with practical day-to-day and longer-term strategic advice. This should provide a valuable complement to the financial tools you employ as part of running your business life. Shared experiences, which I think you’ll relate to, will act as a prompt to take action.
In order to implement The Monday Revolution, I’ve assumed you have a certain level of authority and control. We’re probably talking, in conventional terms, senior manager to chief executive, chairman or owner and all points in between. Otherwise, I sense I might provoke a sense of frustration from those who agree with the ideas but feel powerless to move things forward.
However, if you’ve not yet succeeded in attaining the levels of responsibility some of the examples require, not to worry. Park the ideas until you’re ready and you’ll start off in the right way. It’s much better than trying to change something you’ve put in place that already needs fixing.
Revolutionaries are self-disciplined and focused on the final result. To that end, apply the principles that run through this book. You’ll recognise them in the many stories and anecdotes as the chapters unfold.
• Invest time wisely. It’s always in short supply and not easily stored for another day. An invaluable resource. The revolutionary spends their time on the right things each week to improve the chances of effective results and maximum satisfaction.
• Find better ways. Around you there are many examples of better ways to solve your own problems and create compelling opportunities. Learn to look outside.
• Simple, not complicated. Revolutionaries are mission clear. Too many moving parts and you’ll increase the chance of failure. Avoid the trap of trying to solve complex problems with complex solutions. Whatever you’re doing or saying, keep it simple.
• Now, not later. The enemy of effective working is procrastination. What is wrong with now?
• Evidence-based decision making. Sometimes there will be little to go on. But this is rare. More likely, the facts are there, but overruled by emotions. Be strong. Look for evidence to back up decisions. Before