A
Review of The Owner's Manual by Hank James*
It
is difficult for a small to mid-sized business entrepreneur
to get information and inspiration about strategic planning.
What
Jim Altfeld has done is to create The Owner's Manual
with its anecdotes, self tests and the shear logic of strategic
planning and strategic thinking for the small and mid-sized
business entrepreneur. The Owner's Manual is an easy entertaining read, while influencing its
readers to discover what they can do now to impact the shape of tomorrow’s business.
Some
of the points in the Manual:
· Change
from reacting to change to initiating change.
· Continuously
distance yourself from the competition—don’t compete
with them.
· I
can't tell you much about my past, but my future is spotless.
· You
can't manage what you can't measure and that which doesn't
get measured doesn't get done.
· The
three most important things to measure are: customer satisfaction,
employee satisfaction and cash flow.
· Business
must do more than merely serve its customers. It must strive
to delight and excite them.
· Where
the company is going is more important than where it’s
been.
· Exit
strategy planning.
· Values,
mission, credo.
Most
entrepreneurs are aware of the need for strategic thinking
and planning; yet they never seem to take the time to focus
on planning. Planning is the hardest work people in leadership
positions have to do. A giant step in getting started on the
strategic planning process is to read The Owner's Manual.
It is more than a handbook on strategic planning and thinking.
It includes the tools to inspire the reader expand his/her
strategic thinking and to take the steps necessary to put
a plan in place for their organization.
The
Owner's Manual is an important new resource for entrepreneurs of small
and mid-sized businesses.
