| When my two oldest boys were small, one of their | | | | there". That means taking the time to evaluate |
| favorite games was What's Down There? One of | | | | important external factors, things like current |
| them would crawl into my bed first thing in the | | | | economic climate, the global competition, other local |
| morning, and ask: "Dad, what's down there?". I would | | | | competitors, and what customers are buying. Doing a |
| look at the floor over the edge of the bed and | | | | good job at this assessment will produce considerably |
| nonchalantly say something like "Oh nothing, except | | | | more precision in the goals for your own business. |
| for the hundreds of black widow spiders (or alligators, | | | | Indeed, good investigation will frequently add the |
| or writhing snakes...), then I would slowly push the kid | | | | quality of speed to your goals - knowing which things |
| toward the edge of the bed. I could always gauge | | | | should be accomplished now and which can wait until |
| the enthusiasm of his response by the gruesomeness | | | | later in the year. |
| of the particular horror dwelling on the floor. My | | | | To move into world class using your external analysis, |
| younger son (who still has a vivid imagination) would | | | | however, you have to communicate the importance |
| fight with considerable vigor, often producing | | | | of those externally focused goals. When your staff |
| uproarious laughter from the other family members | | | | know which goals are really significant, and see |
| who happened to be watching. His response was | | | | regular reports on progress toward those significant |
| directly related to his knowledge of what was down | | | | goals, a sense of vibrancy will arise in your business, |
| there. | | | | and you will see all sorts of good activity that was |
| The same principle holds true for business. If you | | | | never there before. It's worth the effort - give it a |
| want your business plans to really be effective, you | | | | try! |
| have to have a good knowledge of "what's out | | | | |