Text Box: Last month we shared with you our wish to become a paperless office. This month we thought we’d report on some of our progress! We are now signed up with an electronic fax service so you can fax us all you like—we receive it digitally and can then save it into the appropriate area for reference on demand. Are you taking the Challenge to go paperless? If so, share your progress with us and we’ll publish new ideas in the next issue of the FUZE.    

Text Box: The Environmental Challenge Continued...

Text Box: The FUZE NEWSLETTER

Text Box: Volume 1, Issue 3, April 20/07

Text Box: TIP OF THE DAY Text Box:   Have you seen this symbol around? If you have, but haven’t had a moment to figure out what it is yet, it’s called an RSS feed - here’s the definition from Windows Internet Explorer: “A feed, also known as RSS feed, XML feed, syndicated content, or web feed, is frequently updated content published by a website. It is usually used for news and blog websites, but can also be used for distributing other types of digital content, including pictures, audio or video. Feeds can also be used to deliver audio content (usually in MP3 format) which you can listen to on your computer or MP3 player. This is referred to as podcasting.” Next issue we’ll explore where and how you can get RSS feeds that may be relevant to you……..  

Text Box: We’re of the opinion that a strategic plan is less about what you need to do and more about clarifying what you want to achieve. In our experience the how to succeed begins to appear once the decision on where you’re going is solidified. Have you ever done a strategic plan at an organizational level or maybe even at a project level and had it slowly disintegrate or be tossed out completely? Ask yourself these three questions: 1. Did you and those around you really buy into the outcome of the plan? 2. Did you worry (reassess & doubt) too much about how you were going to reach the goal instead of trusting that it would be accomplished in time? 3. Did you take the necessary steps to implement the plan—in other words, did you and those around you really commit to it? A strategic plan is only as good as the motivation behind it. You and your team cannot be motivated by something that isn’t there. The job of the strategic plan is to make it clear what your purpose is, and that the right team is in place to carry it out. Everything else is a benchmark for moving forward, but will more than likely be dynamic, changing based on the environment around you internally and externally. Getting the most out of your Plan: To get the best results here are a few tactics: · If you are embarking on an organizational plan or a project plan that needs a fresh approach, get a third party perspective from someone who will be boldly honest—meaning they’ll be prepared to tell you the truth even if you would prefer not to hear it. · Make sure the entire team is able to participate for overall buy-on once the plan is presented in it’s entirety. This holds true for project plans as well as organizational plans—everyone wants to feel some control over their own destiny. This can be accomplished through strategic facilitation, one on one interviews, surveying or a combination of all depending on the circumstances. · As the leader of the plan, do some real soul searching about what the goal is—don’t underestimate the importance of clearly knowing what you want to achieve including on a personal level. If your heart isn’t in it you need a new plan. We don’t mean to pretend that feasibility isn’t important, it is extremely important. How the goal will be achieved needs to be addressed—the ‘how’ is just not written in stone whereas the goal must be to truly know when you’ve succeeded. If you would like more information on the Static Interactive approach to Strategic Planning call 951-9803 or email us. Article by the Static Interactive Team

Text Box: Humour Break

Text Box: Making Executive Decisions... A large firm had just hired Clarence as their new CEO. The previous CEO met with him privately and presented him with three numbered envelopes: #1, #2, and #3. "Should you encounter a problem you feel you're not capable of solving, open these," instructed the departing CEO. Things went along pretty smoothly, but six months later, sales took a downturn, and Clarence was really catching a lot of heat. About at his wit's end, he remembered the envelopes. He went to his drawer and took out the first envelope. The message read, "Blame your predecessor." Clarence called a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO. Satisfied with his comments, the press - and Wall Street - responded positively, sales began to pick up and the problem was soon behind him. Approximately one year later, the company was again experiencing a slight dip in sales, combined with serious product problems. Having learned from his previous experience, the CEO quickly opened the second envelope. The message read, "Reorganize." This he did, and the company quickly rebounded. After several consecutive profitable quarters, the company once again fell on difficult times. Clarence went to his office, closed the door and opened the third envelope. The message read: "Prepare three envelopes!" Text Box: grounding operations. igniting opportunity.

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Text Box:      STRATEGIC PLANNING ...

Text Box: To Develop a Strategic Plan or Not to Develop a Strategic Plan—That is the Question

Text Box: It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. It doesn’t matter how many times you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you. All you have to do is learn from them and those around you because... All that matters in business is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are.    Mark Cuban   Text Box: Quote of the Month