A time for reflection

ANZAC Day is a day of reflection for many of us as we consider the sacrifices many people made for the betterment of the general poulation.

Reflection is a valuable practise! It allows us to look back and learn, which will hopefully prevent future mistakes.

Take the time to not only reflect on key dates on your calendar but also on elements of your business, such as key decisions, outcomes of relationships, results of marketing campaigns and the success of deals done.

Set goals and find a way to measure impacts as you go. This will allow you to reflect with greater ease and clarity facilitating decisive action.

Action - reaction - action along the way from a platform of solid planning will set you up well for success.

Kind regards
'Simon At Your Service'

One size doesn't fit all!

One of the things I love about judo is that anyone can find a range of techniques to suit them. With some sports there is a best way to do things and a certain type of athlete (build etc) that is likely to succeed. With judo you develop techniques that suit your build and situation. As an example, taller, leaner people may prefer leg throws whilst shorter, stockier folk could excel using shoulder techniques.

This is a useful example to apply to business where making the best of what advantages you have is vitally important. What do you do really well? And how can you build on it to develop your unique form of competitive advantage?

Lesson 5

Hi Everyone

The fifth lesson put forth by Jigoro Kano in lessons for judo outside of the dojo is contained in an eloquent statement I believe lends itself to reflection rather than explanation. The statement is as follows:

Walk a single path, becomming neither cocky with victory, nor broken with defeat, without fogetting caution when all is quiet or becomming frightened when danger threatens. (Kano, Kodokan Judo, 1994, Kodansha International, Tokyo, p. 25.)

I look forward to sharing a new theme next week.

Kind regards
Simon 'At Your Service'

Do you know when to stop?

This week I am continuing to share the 5 priciples of judo outside the dojo.

The fourth principle needs little explanation, Jigoro Kano suggests that you should know when to stop (Kodokan Judo, 1994, Kodansha International, p. 25). 'This can be stated quite simply, when a predetermined point is reached, it is time to cease applying the technique, or whatever'.

This is something that most successful gamblers or investors have used as a basis for their activities. Knowing what they have to play with and setting clear boundaries set as to when enough is enough. In business this would be akin to your succession plan that highlights the details of when and how you will remove yourself from the business if things aren't going as planned.

Having this type of plan also prevents us from making a very common decision-making error commonly known as, 'escalating commitment'. Which Waddell et al  (Contemporary Management, 2007, McGraw-Hill, p. 280) state, is 'a source of cognitive bias resulting from a tendency to commit additional resources to a project even if evidence shows that the project is failing'. In other words, continuing to plunge more and more resources into something that is clearly not working. I wonder if that something you've experienced? I know that as a kid I used to do something similar when I was telling a lie!

I look forward to sharing the 5th lesson on judo outside of the dojo next week.

Kind regards
Simon 'At Your Service'