The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 24: April/May 2016 | Page 14

PERSONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT A day in the life of a serial...ised tango-ing entrepreneur The Reflection Day So take these Tango tips and get that balance: The ‘pulling it all together’ day – the one where you reflect on successes, opportunities and what you want for/from your business going forward. Top Skills required today: total focus, not allowing any distractions, the ability to step away (including not checking emails/texts/messages!) so you can get a deep and genuine hold on where you are, spend a little time really thinking about your business and its value. The Start: After struggling not to reach out for your mobile from under the duvet at 6.30am you add mindfulness and some quick meditation to your morning routine, make an elaborate ritual of the coffee making and drift calmly to your desk, where you are confronted with the detritus of a frantic previous day’s work. Resisting the urge to check your emails and messages you lean back in your chair to consider the best way to reflect, review and reassess. You mull, muse, swivel in your chair, have half an idea, lose it, swivel some more. Then… of course, you need inspiration, let’s see what the internet offers. And there you are, on your computer, trawling the internet for ideas on how to spend some quiet time on assessing your business. So much for personalised reflection. And how to do the Day properly: Reflecting on your business is a ‘strategic imperative’ (Harvard Business Review). We really need to get the doing/thinking ratio in balance. 1. STOP The Tango pause happens when the leader has a moment to decide what to do next, it is absolutely okay to just stop, hold, pause, consider and, when ready… move. The real breakthroughs in business thinking happen when we are not overcome with being busy and ‘doing’; rather they arrive when we allow ourselves specific time to step back, raise awareness, deliberate, evaluate, integrate. 2. IMPROVISE Try a different way of being, of thinking, of seeing. Tweak, fiddle, disrupt, explore in your mind what is happening now, what works and what could be better. 3. APPRECIATE IIndulge and revel in what you HAVE achieved. Don’t rush into the next shiny thing until you have fully recognised and rewarded what great stuff has happened. So, how was your day? Share the great parts and Eureka moments with someone else and pay it forward! Isla Baliszewska is a business support specialist and serial entrepreneur, having run businesses in property, publishing, asset management and IT. She now works with Smart Coaching & Training helping business leaders and their organisations flourish. For more information contact [email protected] or call Isla on 07828 516058. For more Tangoing tips towards a successful business get in touch with Isla. Swindon College How can Apprenticeships deliver for your business? Apprenticeships help businesses grow by: • Reducing training and recruitment costs • Increasing productivity and profitability • Developing a skilled, motivated and qualified workforce • Improving customer service results • Providing financial return on investment. More than 100,000 employers of all sizes and from all sectors in England currently use Apprenticeships to attract new talent, re-skill existing staff and tackle skill shortages.  TOP PERFORMING COLLEGE IN THE SOUTH WEST FOR APPRENTICESHIPS Source: Skills Funding Agency 2013/14 For further information about taking on an Apprentice please contact the Apprenticeship Team at Swindon College on: [phone] S w i n d o n 14 C o l l e g e , * [email protected] N o r t h THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2016 S t a r A v e n u e , S w i n d o n , @ www.swindon.ac.uk W i l t s h i r e , S N 2 1 D Y