This is directed at my EAP grads but is apropos for any and all businesses. I came across something that Seth Godin had published a year and a half ago but it is timeless and with a touch of humor. In my instruction with our students I stress the need to understand what drives your business both internally and externally. Search out the forces that create customers and know the forces that impede your growth. Here is a brief quote from Seth on Business Drivers:
“
Drivers
Most successful organizations are driven by something. Figuring that out isn’t always easy, and is often misunderstood:
MARKET DRIVEN: Lots of people claim this one, but few achieve it. Creating what the market wants. I’ll put JetBlue in this category.
MARKETING DRIVEN: Much more common. This involves creating what the marketing department wants. Like American Express.
FASHION DRIVEN: This involves changing the market to have it want what you just made. Armani, certainly, but also an art dealer at Basel.
FOUNDER DRIVEN: Idiosyncratic activity, usually by the person who’s name is on the door. I’d put Virgin in this category.
SKU DRIVEN: More titles = more success, even if it’s not true. Publishers live this model.
SUBSCRIPTION DRIVEN: How do we transform a stranger into someone who uses what we do, all the time. Intuit, certainly.
PAYCHECK DRIVEN: This is what happened to Home Depot under Bob Nardelli. “
You can see the whole piece, all 19 drivers, on Seth’s blog. It is worth a read as is his blog in general. Seth’s Blog
