When we talk about PREPARATION, it’s most important to start with a question:
What’s your FOCUS?
Is your focus, (and has it been really) to KNOW YOUR NUMBERS?
The numbers track all the activity. And when people panic or get too emotional, they focus on the wrong things.
Focus on what you WANT to CREATE is super important right now.
And make steps towards that.
Knowing numbers is a key piece to this puzzle that could be being missed.
What is your business COSTING you? REALLY?
For instance, the business language for that may be CONSOLIDATION.
CONSOLIDATION of what you do have, and doing a stock take of what we KEEP and what we THROW out.
We KEEP what’s NEEDED
We THROW out what’s NOT
This is a simplistic way to look at things, however it’s a good start.
BACK TO BASICS.
So CLEANING HOUSE becomes part of the PREPARATION.
Cleaning house is something we ALL can do now.
It’s something that we ALL can do going forward.
So long as BASIC needs are met (I’m thinking MASLOW’s HEIRACHY OF NEEDS) then, you can function.
If you have your basics in place you have time to THINK clearly. You have time to be STRATEGIC and you have time to PREPARE.
So, if you’re NOT feeling PREPARED right now, or you weren’t prepared, what within that is IN your control.
Did you mis-understand, or not understand what you needed to?
Did you not see what you needed to see? Were you distracted?
(This at a personal level is actually what #ownyourowneconomy is all about).
Understanding the USE of our BUSINESS RESULTS to SET up our PERSONAL results.
Part of Preparation is about resetting what SUCCESS means for YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR LOVED ONES, YOUR TEAMS.
And the GLUE to that is actually CARE, SUPPORT & EDUCATION.
The one thing that I believe HELPS and SUPPORTS PREPARATION and CUTS through PANIC and HIGHLY CHARGED EMOTION is KNOWING YOUR NUMBERS.
Really know your numbers: What it costs you to live in a way that sits well with you. What inflows of cash you need to meet all your commitments. And of course if you need to then adjust those commitments, negotiation and do so.
The secret is CASH-FLOW. Cash-flow is blood to our lives and our companies.
To create and keep cash-flow going, we must have the foundations and basics right.
Keeping ourselves in check on this, being well intended and calm is key.
The quality of our life and business that we create, begins with the quality of our character.
Meeting the needs and wants of others, produces good inflows.
Character is everything in times like this.
We MUST apply ourselves to what MUST be done to GET through. And take the steps that get us there.
Education and Learning about handling what cash-flow we do have and monitoring costs is a key theme for ourselves and those who work with us.
If you’re the owner, do your people understand a balance sheet?
If you’re an employee, do you understand a balance sheet? High level? In detail?
If not, make it your business to LEARN FAST. Know your NUMBERS.
Life has a way of teaching us what we need to know, even if it’s uncomfortable.
