On the First Day of Christmas

The clear decisions team is more excited than a bunch of kids in a lolly shop about Christmas this year. That’s not to say we don’t take the end of the year seriously, we know it is a great time to reflect. But we couldn’t help it, we had to get silly with the 12 days of Christmas to capture our reflections on the year that’s been, together with some tips and ideas to get you thinking during your down time this Christmas break.

So in the spirit of Christmas, let’s begin! Try humming at the same time…

On the first day of Christmas my consultant gave to me, a business straaa-tegy – Business strategy is one element that no organisation should live without. In fact, it happens to be the umbrella for all other elements of your operations. Making change, or making sure that the next year is all you want it to be is easy with a strategy. What is yours, and does it need reviewing?

On the second day of Christmas my business improvement coach gave to me, two boxing gloves -There is no doubt that being in business is like being in the boxing ring. As business people, we know that every day something new comes at us and a flurry of punches to the solar plexus can be disorienting. But, if we define our business through analysis and a designed plan, the blows are less impactful and we can start delivering TKOs to our competition.

On the third day of Christmas my project manager gave to me, three staff-a-leaping – Finishing a project with goals met, on time, and on budget can have your team and managers leaping from their seats.

On the fourth day of Christmas my change manager gave to me, four rallying words – Great project management starts with knowing the right questions to ask. At clear decisions, we know that four short words can rally the greatest ideas, conversations, and inspiration. “What would you do….?” We can add anything to the end of that question, “.. if you weren’t afraid?”, “.. if you had unlimited resources?”, “.. if you had an opportunity to make real change?” The options are endless. So, what would you do?

On the fifth day of Christmas my project manager gave to me, five telephone rings – Communication in the new millennium can be short, quick, and effective, but it can just as easily turn to short, quick, and ineffective. A phone call to sort out details can save time and energy when electronic communication goes sideways.

On the sixth day of Christmas my project manager gave to me, six bells-a-ringing – Ring the bells. We know that you are the visionary for your business, you see the big picture, and you hold the passion. Stay motivated knowing that are people there to cheer you along.

On the seventh day of Christmas my business consultant gave to me, seven words of advice – A fresh set of eyes is priceless. Ask someone, be it a client, a friend or an internal customer, to give their perspective on what is happening in your business. Getting feedback will always help a business maximise their potential.

On the eighth day of Christmas my project manager gave to me, eight points of clarity – clear decisions™ is all about clear decisions. We can teach you to eliminate the word maybe from your vocabulary. So for the upcoming year, be clear about what it is you are doing.

On the ninth day of Christmas my change manager gave to me, nine hands-a-helping – Wouldn’t it be great if you had nine other professionals helping you. Change can be an incredible undertaking. You have worked hard and we know you can handle big projects, but your role is different now. You have more responsibilities, your market is different, and your staff are producing more. Delegation is not a dirty word. Work smart, not hard, and make use of others to help lighten the load.

On the tenth day of Christmas my project manager gave to me ten pipers piping – We are piping up to show our excitement about how other local businesses are thriving and doing exciting new things! Congratulations to all.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my project manager gave to me, eleven desk pens – Have you ever received a pen for that could be secured to your desk? Maybe not that you can remember Well those mostly obsolete pens chained to the desk did serve a purpose, offering security in knowing you had the right tool at the right time. Project planning is really about having the right tools in the right place at the right time.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my project manager gave to me, twelve drummers drumming – Lastly, we want all of you to celebrate your successes for the year ahead. Drum those drums! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

And the Grinch with his Grinchfeet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't thought of before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Lisa Twyford

Lisa Twyford

At the start of my career, I learned quickly that many organisations were full of good intentions, but all too often lacking the skills and know-how to execute effectively. That’s why I founded clear decisions™ over 12 years ago. My vision was simple, I had a desire to help businesses and their people move through change projects with great success.

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