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How Can You Free Up The Time To Focus Outside Of Your Core Competencies?

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Free Up Your Time|How Can You Free Up The Time To Focus Outside Of Your Core Competencies?All business leaders, and the businesses they manage for that matter, have strengths. These strengths are known as ‘core competencies,’ that is the mainline tasks, priorities, and unique selling points you offer as a firm.

So for example, you may imagine that a dairy farm is excellent at farming, harvesting, providing a good yield, crafting dairy products, and shipping those products to business-to-business clients or customers.

Their core competencies may not involve marketing. As such, they may use outsourced aid to craft a marketing package and develop their branding properly. Would it be prudent for them to generate a marketing department? Perhaps not, this may only become necessary if they grow to a point where structuring this in-house core competency would be essential.

However, not everything can be outsourced perfectly to another department we may a healthy sum to. Sometimes, we have to find a solution in-house, freeing up time to do so outside of our core competencies. But how can that be achieved? Let’s consider that below:

Effective, Simple To Operate Security Systems

Security is an approach we should focus on, of course, but it might not be that your modest business can really justify hiring a private security firm to watch every element of your business 24/7. This is why essential integrations like Access Control Systems can help you gate access, make certain that security is assured, and also seamlessly integrate those measures so your business is easily secured and operable by its staff. Effective, simple, and easy-to-operate security systems mean that safety and security doesn’t have to be a provision you half-focus on, but a worthwhile element of your daily operation – integrated properly.


Booked Training Days

Booking dedicated training days as an essential element of your core staff onboarding and training refresh should be factored-in to your general staff development measure. Sure, this might cost money and time, but it reduces staff turnover, allows you to hire internally for promotional positions, and grants you the chance to switch up the working year for your most cherished employees. Not to mention onboarding them on courses can bring all kinds of skills, like teaching public speaking, renewed compliance measures, or integrating a business-wide approach to cybersecurity.

Software Implements

Software that saves time and money will always be something to appreciate, even if it can feel as though an automated option takes the power out of your hands. So for example – site-wide cloud storage and communicative platform, like Google Workspace to use a major platform example, can help you keep all of the disparate communications and terminals unified as one. In some cases, integrating booking, ordering or client-handling software can help you provide a seamless and better experience for those who interact with your firm. This easy formatting and portable use can save your staff time, too, which again enables yu a more focused approach towards your core competencies.

With this advice, you’re sure to free up the time to focus outside of your core competencies going forward – and you’re more likely to see the benefit as a result..

5 Core Characteristics Every Business Owner Needs to Master

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Core Characteristics|5 Core Characteristics Every Business Owner Needs to MasterWhen you own a business, you must take on many day-to-day duties yourself, especially in the beginning. Over time, you may employ others to fulfill these roles. However, you need to learn and master a whole set of skills before you can taste success.
Successful business owners know the importance of developing their skillset before they can reap profits. With that in mind, here are some core characteristics you must learn first.

Effective Communication

Whether it’s staff, clients, stakeholders, or customers, business owners need to engage with a wide spectrum of people on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, mastering the art of effective communication is crucial to success. Even if you think you’ve got communication down to a tee, it’s worth checking out the communication skills test on the ZandaX website, which is carefully designed and thoroughly researched to identify aspects of how you communicate in just three or four minutes. Brushing up on your skills can make it easier to converse and build long-lasting relationships – which can have real benefits in every aspect of your life.

Leadership

As a business owner, you should already be a natural-born leader. After all, you’re the one who has the final say so and controls what happens underneath your power. You must be confident in your abilities and know when to take charge. While you may have managers who fulfill certain roles, you must show you’re a force to be reckoned with in your own right. Having strong leadership skills can help to build a successful business reputation.


Time Management

Organization is a must for all business owners. You’ll be required to wear many hats throughout your operation to keep everything ticking along nicely. Therefore, learning time management skills and implementing them into your company can help you stay on track and meet deadlines. Time management skills will show that you value your business and know how to manage your workload effectively.

Negotiation

Negotiation forms a large part of deals to be made in business. To negotiate successfully, you need to hold your own and never say yes to the first offer on the table. When meeting with clients, you’ll need to put your negotiation skills to the test to get people on board and have trust in your company. Patience and perseverance can go a long way and help you secure fantastic deals for your business.

Sales and Marketing

You may think you have a great business, but if customers aren’t flocking through the door or to your website, how do you expect to make any money? Spreading brand awareness is paramount for success. Therefore, learning sales and marketing skills can help get people talking and interested in your brand. This may include setting up a professional website, using social media, and utilizing email marketing techniques.
Without mastering the skills listed above, you’ll have a tough time proving your worth in business and getting customers onside. If you have a passion and want to turn it into a profitable venture, taking the time to build your skillset is essential.

How to work hard and smart in business management

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Business Management|How to work hard and smart in business managementIt’s the greatest challenge of our modern age: maintaining a healthy work-life balance and maximizing your productivity to help your business and career thrive. The last two years have significantly changed many perceptions and attitudes around presenteeism and productivity with the pandemic. It’s a complete culture change. The world we knew became even more digitalized, with most people working from home and attending meetings virtually through Zoom.

However, one of the key learnings for 2022 is when it comes to business management and your career, it’s not so much about how much time you put into it, but how you use that specified time. So, how do you work hard and smart?

Time management

Knowing how long tasks take, and finding the time to do them, is a top skill that is worth mastering, particularly if you’re looking to progress your career to higher leadership roles. If you aren’t sure how long specific tasks take, from answering emails to more significant projects, monitor yourself for a week and take notes. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can time-block effectively. Put each task into your calendar as a block of time and aim to do the job in that allocated slot. This tool will help you concentrate on longer tasks and not get sucked into procrastination or non-urgent admin, therefore making your valuable time more productive. Being able to manage your time effectively will give you more time to relax outside of your working hours and will help to eliminate stress.

Outsource your resources

Don’t have time to do it all? No problem, find someone who can. If you have the means and budget, working with an agency can make a massive difference to your business. For example, video content has become a significant part of marketing, particularly on social media. Companies are competing with millions of other accounts, so top quality, engaging content should be high on your priority list for a successful marketing strategy. Corporate video production companies like MHF Creative are an excellent resource for making your business stand out and pushing your business to the next level. There is no shame in outsourcing tasks to others, especially to experts who will do a better job than you could do.

Get into ‘deep work.’

Deep work is the new superpower for focus and productivity developed by Professor Cal Newport. Deep work is about your ability to focus without distraction, reclaiming your concentration for a specified amount of time. By Newport’s definition, deep work is: “Professional activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”

Think about how you work best, remove all distractions from your environment by muting all notifications on your phone and laptop, and be strict with yourself.

Working hard and smart isn’t just about getting more done; it’s about doing your job to the best of your ability with no sacrifice to your work-life balance or business.

The Skills that Every Entrepreneur Must Have

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Entrepreneur Skills|The Skills that Every Entrepreneur Must HaveWhether you’re a homemaker turning a hobby into a business or a dedicated innovator looking to create the next big thing, there are certain basic skills that you can improve and build upon to enhance your chances of success. The simple fact is that most entrepreneurs have a great idea, yet have no idea how they can make this into a business. The following basic skills can be developed to enhance entrepreneurial businesses’ creative and innovative aspects.

Business management

You need to have a very good understanding of all the business functions if you are going to run your own business. The Bachelor’s in Business Management at Point Park is a great example of a professional means to create a great business knowledge foundation. Without a clear knowledge, understanding, and practical know-how of business processes and functions, it will be nigh on impossible to start your own business.

Teamwork/leadership

One of the top skills required by all those starting a business is leadership and teamwork. Being able to inspire others and create a solid working team has got to be one of the top skills to have and to practice ensuring that you have the team and drive to power the business.

Analytics and problem solving

In an age where data is taken so seriously, it is critical to have the understanding and knowledge to be able to gather and interpret data for the benefit of the business. Being able to think of solutions in an analytic fashion and solve problems are the must-have skills of any new business owner, and in the modern age, this cannot be done with big data.

Technology

There is a wide range of technology skills that every entrepreneur will need; those that are mentioned herein are the most basic that will be essential to have in place to then build upon. Cloud computing, mobile and remote access to work, smart and integrated hardware are essential for any new business. And last but not least, a clear understanding and appreciation of cyber security must be seen as part of these essential tech skills.

Communication and customer service

Communicating the brand story and benefits of the business to both customers and possible funders and investors is key to getting the business off the ground and keeping it there.

Time management

Linked to analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, a successful entrepreneur must be able to manage their time professionally. Keeping a detailed diary and using all the software at your disposal, such as Gantt charts and Workflow spreadsheets, will keep you on the ball and avoid you missing any critical meetings.

These are the skills that no entrepreneur can do without. Most can be learned and accessed in some form online, and the process of garnering the skills and starting the business can actually happen in tandem. However, it would be business suicide to expect to start and run a business without the skills noted herein, as these will be the foundational aspects that will keep your business running.

The Skills Every Entrepreneur Should Have

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Entrepreneur Skills|The Skills Every Entrepreneur Should HaveAn entrepreneur is someone who starts their own business and is responsible for building it up from the ground. As you might imagine, this is by no stretch of the imagination, but if you are determined to make it work, you have every chance of doing so.

Something else that will help you to have the best possible chance of succeeding as an entrepreneur is having the right skills. Some of the most common skills that entrepreneurs require are inherent, but most of them can be learned, so if you are willing to put the time and effort in, you could acquire abilities that will help you to run a much more successful business in the future.

With that in mind, here are some of the most important skills every entrepreneur should have:

Inquisitiveness

In order to come up with great new ideas and solve pressing new problems, you really do need to have an inquisitive mind that is always thinking about things, how they work and how they could be improved. This is probably the most important skill to have.

Communication

Successful entrepreneurs like Jonathan Sears, and Bill Gates if you want to be successful in business, you need to learn how to communicate as effectively as possible. From being able to pitch an idea to investors to directing employees how to handle a work project, and of course, dealing with customers, you are going to be doing a lot of talking one way or another, and the more eloquently you can put your point across, the more successful you are likely to be.

Time management

When you are turning a business, there really aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything that you need to do. It is your job as an entrepreneur to find the time, which means you need to have excellent time management skills, Of course, you can hire other people to help you (and you should) but if you aren’t able to fit everything you need to do into your daily schedule as efficiently as possible, you really will struggle.

Resilience

Being an entrepreneur is hard. Not all of your ideas will land, some of your big dreams will fail, and you will fall short of many of your goals. If you cannot handle those things, you will ultimately be unsuccessful in business and feel terrible in your personal life. If, however, you can handle the rejections, stresses, and bad times and learn from them, you can come back better and stronger and ultimately lead your company to great success.

Mathematics

If you want to do well in business, you need to be able to raise funds, create business plans, work out your bottom line, and a million other things that require the ability to think mathematically, Obviously, there are lots of tools that can help you with this these days but if you have an innate understanding of mathematics, you will find it a whole lot easier to succeed.

If you have all of these skills or are able to work towards developing them, then you are fsr more likely to succeed as a modern entrepreneur.