When was the last time you took a step back and asked yourself, “Is there a better way to really grow my practice?” "Is the path I'm on leading me in the direction I want to go long-term?"

There are dozens of “quick fix” tactics competing for your time and attention, but will any of them drive your practice to the next level? Will any of them provide the work/life satisfaction you're looking for? Probably not, and here’s why:

They don’t address the root cause of job dissatisfaction or anemic growth.

While you’re trying to figure out your best social media channel, how to get found on the Internet, or the best way to get a promotion, you should be looking at:

• Product or service changes to penetrate new markets and sell more to your current customers
• Strategic growth initiatives such as going up-market or down-market, geographic expansion
• Strategic demand-generation marketing initiatives such as public relations and branding - especially if...

The first time I went skiing as a teenager I watched my classmate beautifully ski down the hill and, in slow motion, turn gently to the left and ski into a barn.

The barn wasn't anywhere near the bottom of the run. It was way far away and posed no danger to anyone. But as the instructor shouted "Stay away from the barn!" her turn became sharper until she was pointed directly at the big, red barn!

I suspect that her problem was that she focused on "not hitting the barn" instead of going straight.

That's a lot like when in business we are focused on preventing a result instead of focusing on the result we do want. We often end up "hitting the barn" instead of getting the result.

When I ski and I'm moving fast, I always need to focus on where I need to go and I consciously block thinking about obstacles that could cause danger. I know the danger is there, but I focus on where I want to go.

The same in business. Focus on where you want to go.

I'd love to hear any comments you've had, or...

Strategic Action Plans

You know where you are today. You know where you want your business to go. So why is it so hard to change?

Because making real changes in a business takes big, bold shifts in actions, attitudes, and thinking.

You know all of that, so why is it STILL so hard to make changes?!

Because most business owners and managers are so busy working on the day-to-day challenges of running an ongoing business that it is next to impossible to focus on the work needed to create change.

Strategic action plans identify the changes that need to be made in a business and then break them down into achievable tasks that can be accomplished in 1-2 weeks. Most of the time an individual task doesn’t make a major change in a business. But ask yourself, ”What would happen to my business if every week I can implement just two small changes that would move my business in the direction of my ultimate goal?”

Two changes a week would mean 26 changes for your business in the...