From solo entrepreneurs to the largest companies, each of us has been told for a long time that the key to success is your Business Plan. Set your objectives, chunk it down into bite sized pieces and pursue with vigour. When that stops working, it’s time for a new strategy.

Why should we throw out the Business Plan?

1) The Speed of Change

Look back 100 years, 20 years, even just 5 years ago and you will find the world, its economy and industries were changing at a slower speed. Even the months seemed to go by slower.

For example, how fast did 2014 go? Crazy, right?

In days of old, Experts could look for patterns and make predictions as to what you could expect in the future. Yet now, this is all up in the air. And, guess what? The speed of change is going to increase. Not just the speed but the amount of change.

We’re in for some dramatic rebooting of systems and infrastructure over the next few years in which some industries will thrive and many will sink.

Can it be predicted? Only by very few. Just watch how the movements in Greece will affect the Euro.  How political alliances will change once more truth comes out about who is secretly funding what. The vast majority of us have no idea how big these changes are going to be or what they will affect.

Being agile on your company feet is imperative for survival.

2) Company purpose

How many times have I seen corporate clients laugh behind their hands at the Mission Statement plaque on their office wall? Who was the idiot who thought that was a good idea?

Because there’s one reason they’re in business. To make money. Right?

Then, they hand the job to those with more imagination to concoct some highfaluting text which will look more meaningful, christen it “Our Mission Statement” and proceed with the rest of the Business Plan using the actual mission of making money.

This is all about to change with the world Economy changes. Transparency is the key to the future. There will be less opportunity to take advantage of your suppliers, staff and customers to more thickly line your own pockets.

We can see this the social media discussions already. The public disgust at corporations who abuse their position for the sake of more profit is going to affect customer loyalty on a grander scale as well as increase their staff turnover, which adds dramatically to their expenses.

Not just big corporations but businesses of all sizes.

That Mission Statement has got to hold more substance. While the Business Plan can no longer predict what to expect in 5 or 10 years time then, the only thing left to cling to is a more substantial purpose for the company other than simply making money.

3) Your own Sanity

If you’re only in business to make money my guess is you are already suffering from Professional Burnout. What are the symptoms of Burnout? Feeling exhausted much of the time, feeling detached from your work like you just don’t care any more and often you will have a cynical attitude.

Want to resolve your Burnout? Take a look at my online course to help you.

This kind of Burnout is SO damaging, not just in your work environment but on your relationships and your health.

Pursuing a career or running a business for money and not for “love” is suddenly feeling very phoney and you’ll start looking for a change.

Rather than abandoning your business altogether, go back to the drawing board on that Mission Statement, find a deeper purpose and make that your main stay. This will align your staff better and draw in the right people to match what you’re aiming to achieve.

It may even alter what products and services you decide to offer.

When you identify your values and check to make sure each of your staff matches those values, work will be less exhausting and you’ll feel more sane, more switched on.

From this state of mind, the stress symptoms will fall away and the great ideas you need to cope with change and restructuring will come easier.

Need help finding your purpose and coping with change? CONTACT Kitegirl to discuss your needs and see how her Coaching and Facilitating can best help you move forward.

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