LMDTFY News

When being a business asshole is the best way forward

According to research covered in David McRaney's book, You Are Not so Smart' - a great read for business owners, marketers and anyone else interested in the human condition – attempting to reach consensus is downright dangerous.

How come? Psychological research shows that trying to reach a consensus decision almost always results in 'Group Think', where spectacularly terrible decisions are made.

According to McRaney, a business asshole is someone who "doesn't care if they get fired or exiled or excommunicated". Without one we all, without exception, ultimately fall victim to 'Group Think'. It's our default position. [more...]

Good anal or bad anal? Five top tips for small business sanity

There’s no such thing as being too organised, right?

If you read some of the business support materials online you’d be forgiven for thinking the entire small business world was run by admin Nazis in thigh length boots with military-style organisation skills. If the whole ’Getting Things Done’ thing leaves you feeling slightly nauseous and more than slightly insecure about your own all too human business abilities, cheer up. While it’s a good idea to be well organised, it’s entirely possible to go too far and drive yourself barmy.

Here’s 5 ways to tell whether you’re hitting the getting stuff done mark or taking things to an unnecessary and slightly frightening level of perfection:

1. Is your paper filing system organised by colour, alphabetically, by department [more...]

Mentioning the C word – When to put Christmas on the marketing menu

According to some businesses it’s been Christmas for ages. I received an email three weeks ago with the subject line It’s Christmas already which, since it was still only October, went straight into the ‘deleted items’ folder. So when, if at all, is it a good idea to bring Christmas into play and kick off a bunch of seasonal, event-led marketing campaigns?

As a small business, it’s a difficult call. Do you try to compete with the big retail boys in the Xmas flurry? Or do you retire hurt ‘til the silly season’s over and shelve your marketing campaigns until everyone’s back to normal?

It depends on your products and services. If your small business is involved in selling goods, [more...]

Kill the kipple for a clearer, cleaner, more powerful small business

How’s your desk looking? Can you see the surface or is it hopelessly cluttered, so much so that you have to clear a space every morning to work in?

Maybe your desk is completely clear but your cupboards and drawers are hell-holes of ancient, festering business-related rubbish. Or perhaps your work space is immaculate… but your brain is stuffed to the gills with clutter. If you’re an organised type you might be totally kipple-free on the surface. But how’s your email and other virtual stuff? In good order or in mortal danger of descending into utter chaos?

Either way, out of sight is rarely out of mind. Even virtual and mental rubbish can have  [more...]