The connotation behind the word "question" suggests concern, doubt and even ignorance. I prefer to think of a question as the pursuit of intellectual clarity. Questions enlighten and inspire innovation, creative thinking, and the serendipitous discovery of positive resolutions. Questions can maximize productivity, minimize disasters, and ultimately facilitate profitable outcomes. Perhaps a simple explanation is that questions require answers and correct answers usually results in rewarding solutions.
Below is a compilation of thought provoking questions to encourage resourceful reflection among emerging business owners and entrepreneurs. Actually, they might serve as a refresher course for any business professional, regardless of his/her tenure at the helm.
1. Does your corporate culture enthusiastically inspire and reward creativity and innovative thinking?
2. Are you working to insure you will be relevant in order to compete within the next 3 to 5 years?
3. Is your corporate business model strong enough?
4. Does each employee thoroughly understand your corporate strategy and use it to drive business?
5. How can you better maximize your bottom-line while minimizing your cost?
6. Are you paying close enough attention to statistics and trends that impact your business and the businesses of our clients?
7. Are you effective in developing successful negotiating tools among your sales force?
8. Do your employees want to succeed for the company as much as for themselves?
9. How much attention do you pay to the reasons a project/client that was lost? Do you reevaluate every aspect of your strategy to identify things you could have done better?
10. What steps have you taken to ensure the loyalty of your clients?
11. If there was simply one word you would want associated with your organization in the minds of your clients, competitors and employees, what would it be?
12. How can you take advantage of the latest technology without losing a personalized interaction with your clients?
13. If you weren't already doing business in this field, would you enter it today?
14. What is your interview process? What did you fail to uncover regarding the worst individual you ever hired?
15. Do you have a prominent and effective social media/website presence, i.e.: location, information, and navigation?
16. Are you passionate enough to continue reinvesting yourself in your business? 17. Have any of your clients used your product(s) in an unconventional way? Have you researched that use to develop positive feedback as a marketing tool?
18. Do you attempt to reestablish productive relationships with inactive clients?
19. What steps do you take to ensure that your clients know (and truly believe) you are credible?
20. Do you believe you; your company and your vision will sustain a positive bottom line? Are you committed to the consistent effort and internal drive to ensure that you will succeed in accomplishing this?
Wayne Gretzky said "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Whether you've already taken your shot or are about to, I hope by reviewing and reflecting on these questions, you have gained some insight regarding what it takes to emerge as a successful entrepreneur.
Below is a compilation of thought provoking questions to encourage resourceful reflection among emerging business owners and entrepreneurs. Actually, they might serve as a refresher course for any business professional, regardless of his/her tenure at the helm.
1. Does your corporate culture enthusiastically inspire and reward creativity and innovative thinking?
2. Are you working to insure you will be relevant in order to compete within the next 3 to 5 years?
3. Is your corporate business model strong enough?
4. Does each employee thoroughly understand your corporate strategy and use it to drive business?
5. How can you better maximize your bottom-line while minimizing your cost?
6. Are you paying close enough attention to statistics and trends that impact your business and the businesses of our clients?
7. Are you effective in developing successful negotiating tools among your sales force?
8. Do your employees want to succeed for the company as much as for themselves?
9. How much attention do you pay to the reasons a project/client that was lost? Do you reevaluate every aspect of your strategy to identify things you could have done better?
10. What steps have you taken to ensure the loyalty of your clients?
11. If there was simply one word you would want associated with your organization in the minds of your clients, competitors and employees, what would it be?
12. How can you take advantage of the latest technology without losing a personalized interaction with your clients?
13. If you weren't already doing business in this field, would you enter it today?
14. What is your interview process? What did you fail to uncover regarding the worst individual you ever hired?
15. Do you have a prominent and effective social media/website presence, i.e.: location, information, and navigation?
16. Are you passionate enough to continue reinvesting yourself in your business? 17. Have any of your clients used your product(s) in an unconventional way? Have you researched that use to develop positive feedback as a marketing tool?
18. Do you attempt to reestablish productive relationships with inactive clients?
19. What steps do you take to ensure that your clients know (and truly believe) you are credible?
20. Do you believe you; your company and your vision will sustain a positive bottom line? Are you committed to the consistent effort and internal drive to ensure that you will succeed in accomplishing this?
Wayne Gretzky said "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Whether you've already taken your shot or are about to, I hope by reviewing and reflecting on these questions, you have gained some insight regarding what it takes to emerge as a successful entrepreneur.
