Seven key reflections for business

Media Release
14 September 2007

Seven key reflections for business

Seven key pieces of advice for owner-managers have been collated by New Zealand’s leading business mentors.

Seven Years, Seven Key Reflections is the distillation of seven years work by The ICEHOUSE and The University of Auckland Business School.

Business School academics Dr Deb Shepherd and Dr Chris Woods have worked with dozens of small to medium enterprises through The ICEHOUSE, and have been delivering their reflections in a series of seminars in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.

The ICEHOUSE is a not-for-profit organisation which helps owner-managers to grow their enterprise through tailored learning environments.

“These reflections are a chance for us to take a breath and think ‘what have we learnt’ from seven years of engagement with small and medium sized New Zealand businesses. We are aiming to paint the big picture of the pertinent issues affecting Kiwi owner managers and how they have risen to the challenges,” Dr Shepherd says.

Back to Basics: Remind yourself of the basics of business – things that you know but may have ‘slipped’ in practice. Take the time to look at what is important, but not urgent.

Get to the Heart of the Matter: Step back, look at what you are doing and why you are doing it. What are you passionate about?

It's Lonely Out There: Engage and have conversations with other owner managers.

Serious Play: Make an effort to celebrate success and achievements.

Outside in Thinking: Step outside of your business and your comfort zone to gain an outside perspective on what you are doing.

Making It Happen: Recognise that you can’t make it happen all on your own. Lead others to reach your business goals.

Tensions of Growth: Every growing business has opposing tensions – teams versus individuals, flexibility versus discipline. Learn how to balance the tensions.

“If you’re really going to grow successfully, these are some of the lessons that SMEs in New Zealand can take on board. They can really make a difference to the profit margins of growing businesses,” Dr Shepherd says.

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