Entrepreneurship requires four areas of mastery

There is a myth that entrepreneurs have special traits that distinguish them from other people or they have some sort of secret method to success. No entrepreneur, including Richard Branson, has a secret formula. Entrepreneurship is not easy. But, it can be learned and should be taught to everyone.

Based on a research of 500 entrepreneurs, they found four areas of similarities among the majority of successful entrepreneurs: personal mastery, business mastery, entrepreneurship mastery and leadership mastery.

The key to personal mastery is self awareness. The best entrepreneurs know what their strengths are and they leverage on them. In addition to knowing oneself, the best entrepreneurs learn from an early age how to create, communicate, influence, and develop their personal effectiveness.

Business mastery is the ability to think strategically, understand industries, new trends and changes and innovate in new spaces. Business mastery is about developing “a vision of extraordinary possibility.

Entrepreneurship mastery is the technical skills needed, including the day-to-day mechanics of running a business, producing products, delivering services, making money and managing people.

The final key is leadership. And at the heart of leadership is decision making. Entrepreneurs must learn to make good decisions quickly. Entrepreneurs bounce back quickly and learn from bad decisions made. The main reason for most failed start-ups is leadership failure.

Likewise, many start-up leaders fail due to lack of leadership to engage, encourage and develop their employees.

To master these four areas requires learning and practice which many new entrepreneurs don’t invest in. Nearly 95% of all entrepreneurial efforts fail. If we closely study these failures, it is usually a lack of mastery in one or all of these areas.

Every great entrepreneur was once an amateur. There is an old saying that goes, “there are three kinds of people in the world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who don’t even know anything is happening.”

It’s never too late to learn and become a person who makes things happen in this world. Yes, you can dream.

Source: Now everyone can dream by Roshan Thiran

Management Tools 2009

Management Tools 2009: An Executive's Guide by Bain & Company

Over the past three decades, management tools have become a common part of executives' lives. Whether trying to increase revenues, innovate, improve quality, increase efficiencies or plan for the future, executives have looked for tools to help them. The current environment of globalization and economic turbulence has increased the challenges executives face and, therefore, the need to find the right tools to meet these challenges.

To do this successfully, executives must be more knowledgeable than ever as they sort through the options and select the right management tools for their companies. The selection process itself can be as complicated as the business issues they need to solve. They must choose the tools that will best help them make business decisions that lead to enhanced processes, products and services and result in superior performance and profits.

Successful use of such tools requires an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each tool as well as an ability to creatively integrate the right tools, in the right way, at the right time. The secret is not in discovering one magic device, but in learning which mechanism to use, and how and when to use it. In the absence of objective data, groundless hype makes choosing and using management tools a dangerous game of chance.

Source: Management Tools 2009: An Executive's Guide
Download : Booklet [pdf] More: Management Tools

Your Career's Business Plan

Create a business plan for yourself, and make your career your life's work.

Author and career consultant Ronna Lichtenberg believes that by taking a day to think about the way you earn your living, you can make a huge difference in making your job more fulfilling. Whether you work for an employer or yourself, in a major corporation or behind the counter in a coffee shop, you're the CEO of your career. The tools any CEO needs are the same ones the rest of us need.

By following the steps outlined in Ronna's seminar, you can create your own business plan and find more fulfillment your career.

Who Are You?
* Write a curriculum vitae in 15 lines or less—not a résumé, but a description you might give to someone introducing you as a speaker.
* Repeat the exercise, but write your description as if it were 15 to 20 years from now.
* Start thinking about what it would take to get from the first introduction to the second. In CEO lingo, this kind of thinking is called gap analysis.

Most people have trouble with this exercise, according to Ronna. While many of us often worry about our careers, we don't take the time to think about them in a focused way. To help the process, Ronna suggests asking yourself these questions:

* Do you know what your most valuable skills are?
* Could you write an ad for yourself?
* Do you sometimes feel there's something stopping you from reaching your potential?

The next step involves thinking about what it means to invest in Me. Inc, and how to be your own CEO. Any CEO needs the following:

*A vision for the business
*Financial skills
*A marketing plan
*The ability to manage and motivate others

Work on these skills, concentrating on the next 18 months to three years. Ronna says that it's easy to become overwhelmed and give up if you go beyond that time frame.

Develop a Vision
Use these exercises to help you begin to see what Me, Inc. means for you. Remember, some people are better at visualization than others, so keep at it. After the exercise, take out your curriculum vitae again and look at it in the context of your visualization. Is your image of your future self in sync with what you described as your best working day? If not, why not? Rewrite your description to fit your new vision of your future.

It's time to develop a Me, Inc. business plan! Thinking about yourself as a business can feel funny, says Ronna, but even as an employee, you're offering buyers a set of products and services for a given price. Ask yourself these questions:

* What is your advantage over the competition?
* How does your "price" compare?
* Who is your target customer?

You may find it difficult to answer these questions, especially when trying to articulate exactly what your products and services are. Dig deeper for your answers.

Sell Yourself
Now you'll use your business plan to pitch Me, Inc. Selling may be uncomfortable for you, but to be successful, you need to be able to describe what you bring to the marketplace.

* Create your own ad: Fill in the blanks: The goal of your ad is "to convince ______ to buy ________ because _______." With this goal in mind, create your ad.
* Pitch your ad: Invite a friend or co-worker you trust to listen to your pitch. Give yourself three minutes for the pitch, and give your friend two minutes for comments.
* Make an impression: After your pitch, the listener should know what your "brand" was, and what made it different from its competitors.

You've figured out who you are, what your plan is, and how to sell yourself—what's the next step? First, evaluate yourself based on what you've learned.

Exercise Two: The Relationship Inventory

Once you know what you're selling, who are you going to tell? In the case of Me, Inc., you're going to be spending your time and energy. You'll be advertising yourself to the people you pay attention to. Make the most of your limited time by spending it with people who can help you grow.

Exercise Three: Making It Happen

* List three specific steps you would take to reach your goals.
* Write yourself a letter detailing your plans, stash it away, and read it six weeks later.
* Share your plan with a trusted friend and set a specific time each week to measure your progress.

Don't let yourself off the hook. If you're having trouble, figure out what's holding you back. Don't just dump the plan—revise it and recommit yourself. Soon you'll be on your way to working for the best company possible—Me, Inc.!

Source: Investing in Me, Inc

The World's Hardest-Working Moms

全球工作最勤奋的妈妈

这里有一个问题：人们的寿命越来越长，年轻人越来越不愿养育后代──世界工业化发达的国家尤为如此。这些发展趋势都会令高技能劳动力的供应大大减少，抑制经济发展，并最终降低发达国家人们的生活品质。只有一种人能够将我们从未来逐渐衰退的漩涡中解救出来：母亲。

有越来越多的决策者、学术专家以及企业领导人都得出了这样一个结论，那就是：长期经济增长离不开许许多多在职妈妈们做出的贡献。由于大多数先进国家的高技能劳动力减少，而女性在受教育程度方面已经开始超越男性，越来越多的人将她们视为未被充分挖掘的一笔重要财富。

经济合作暨发展组织（Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD）一份题为《Babies & Bosses》（孩子与老板）的最新研究报告指出：「在许多『工业化国家』，人们认为越来越多的职业女性（尤其是在职妈妈），对维持经济发展以及保证养老金和社会保障体系向全民推广并实现可持续发展起着重要作用。」欧盟计画到2010年，其成员国的女性就业率至少应达到60%。

全文：The World's Hardest-Working Moms

One week's job done in 3 days

《3天搞定一周工作！东京女社长的超强时间管理法》
◎出版／世茂出版◎作者／臼井由妃◎译者／李晓妃◎

她从懵懂的家庭主妇，一夕间被迫变身为日理万机的女社长，不但没有因此被击垮，反而在短短时间内让让公司跃升为年收23亿日圆的知名企业。

忙得不可开交的她居然在几年内陆续考上理学博士、健康医科学博士、房地产经纪人、MBA……等。「没时间」是她的口头禅，然而日复一日之下，她学会独门时间活用术，不只把时间变充裕，更同时取得多项难考证照，她说：「时间是不会拒绝你的」，有心想做事的时候，时间是不会拒绝你的。愿意尝试任何事的人，在时间、金钱、心灵上反而更有余裕，不管再怎么忙录，想做的事情还是要做。时间不该用减法去计算，而是用加法，「欲望」能让目标达成的时间缩短。

现代人总是活在强大的压力下过生活，有了工作时间就没了玩乐时间，多出了玩乐时间，却少了睡眠时间，由于竞争激烈，还必须挤出微薄的时间来学习新技能，许多人都会苦喊时间不够用。本书的女社长从家庭主妇，一夕间变成日理万机的女社长时，也总喊著时间不够用，后来她学会活用时间，此后她的时间不只够用，还有余裕可以从事各项活动。现代人最该学习的时间管理，让最多时间的女社长来教导你。

Once Upon a Cow

誰殺了我的牛？

◎我希望我可以那麼做，但是……。
◎對不起我來晚了，但是……。
◎要是……就好了。
◎其實問題是……。
◎如果……還有什麼用。
◎坦白講……。

這些句型，是否常常出現在你的對話（或想法）中呢？請小心了，天下雜誌最近出版的一本小書《誰殺了我的牛？》便警告：藉口、辯解、托辭、謊言、難以捉摸的解釋等等，都是阻礙你邁向幸福人生的「牛」，如果不狠心殺牛，不論是職場上，生活上，你都將永遠困於平庸。

什麼是「牛」啊？這是年少時身上帶著不到兩百塊美金到美國，一路拼搏唸到哈佛的拉丁裔作者卡密歐‧克魯茲Camilo Cruz為我們開場講的一個寓言故事。簡單地說，「牛」象徵所有我們緊緊攀著不放的藉口和自我設限，因為我們一直安逸地生活在水草豐美的自我欺騙中，於是永遠無法成就或許更美好更不一樣的生活。

有的「牛」來自你的內心，有的「牛」來自旁人有意無意的評論；稍不留意，小牛也會長成大牛。問題是，豬不知道自己臭，牛也一樣。許多人得意洋洋地認為自己沒有「牛」，殊不知渾身是「牛」。作者分析「牛」有七種，分別是：「自我安慰牛」、「不是我的錯牛」、「一切都是命牛」、「完美主義牛」、「自覺無能為力牛」、「深奧的哲理牛」、「自欺牛」，都是扼殺幸福人生的惡牛。

發現「牛」還算簡單，重點在於你是否承認你有「牛」；問題是，該怎麼殺咧？作者說，「牛」存於你心，因此改變想法就是根本之道。自我覺察，了解你的「牛」是哪種「牛」，分析「牛」背後你的真正想法，再設想「牛」繼續存在的壞處，以及殺了「牛」以後的好處，自然能擺脫你的「牛」，開創不一樣的人生！

在报章看到这本书的介绍提到摆脱平庸，勇敢杀掉7头牛！而由千里写的編輯手札非常棒，所以转载于此。

原文：問題是，豬不知道自己臭──你也總是藉口不斷，自我設限嗎？

Malaysia Salary Guide

马来西亚薪资手册

马来西亚的Kelly Services自2006起，每一年都推出一份薪资手册。有关手册列出各大行业的主要职业的薪资范围。不论你是企业主或受薪者都是很好的参考资料，想查阅可到Malaysia Salary Guide下载[pdf] - 2006, 2007, 2008/09。

Kelly Services是一家总部设在美国密歇根州特洛伊市的财富500强公司， 他提供包括人事方案，临时员工，外包业务，第三方招聘以及全职员工招聘等各项业务。

他在全球37个国家和地区设有经营机构，每年为750,000位就业者提供就业机会，这些就业者覆盖办公室服务，财务，工程，信息技术，法律，科学技术，创新行业，轻工业，教育，健康服务等各个行业。2007年，Kelly Services的年销售收入为57亿美元。

Creative Thinking -Scamper Techniques

SIMPLY put, creativity is about coming out with something new. Being creative may not make you another Michelangelo, but new ideas are certainly necessary for today’s fast changing world.

As Edward de Bono, the world’s foremost authority on lateral thinking and innovation, said: “It is no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems. Businesses need creativity … to make the shift from administration to true entrepreneurship.”

You can also use creativity in your daily life. You can look at what you are doing and find alternative ways to improve. Problems become opportunities for you to use your creative thinking.

Critical versus creative

Our brain’s left hemisphere is all about logical, rational and sequential thinking while the right brain hemisphere is concerned with intuitive, random and subjective thinking.

Schools tend to concentrate on boosting the left brain in “scholastic” subjects and right-brain activities such as creativity and aesthetics tend to be downplayed. As a result, many people end up being more critical than creative.

Stimulating the right brain can be done by attempting tasks that require imagination and a fresh approach. The human brain has the ability to create an infinite amount of ideas. Unfortunately, most people use only 2 to 3 per cent of their brain capacity.

As a technique for generating ideas, take a look at a classical method called Scamper, an acronym for a collection of seven techniques. There are success stories for each of these techniques:

Substitute: The Russians failed to market vodka in the United States in the 1930s because clear alcohol was not popular. Heublein bought the rights, and looked for other ingredients (substitute) to colour the drink. Moscow Mule, Screwdriver and Bloody Mary were born and caused vodka sales to rise from 6,000 cases a year to 38 million in 1988.

Combine: Customers of American gas company Arco asked if they could walk over to the adjacent convenience store to pick up a hamburger and a quart of milk after they had pumped their gas. As a result, customers can now do all three (combine) all at the same petrol kiosk.

Adapt: William Durant, the founder of General Motors, had great ideas but could not run the company profitably. He was replaced by Alfred Sloan, who was able to take many of Durant’s ideas and turn them (adapt) into reality.

Modify: 3M’s advertisements to sell Post-It pads did not cause sales to pick up. Its general sales manager, Joe Ramey, noticed that people who used the pads could not stop. He convinced the company to modify its marketing approach by giving away free samples. Since then, the Post-It has become one of 3M’s all-time champion products.

Put to other uses: A toilet tissue manufacturer discovered a carload of paper that was too thick to be made into tissue. Unable to return it, he asked himself what else could be done with the paper?” (put to other use), and paper towels were born.

Eliminate: Before 1836, mail charges were paid by the addressee, with the fees computed according to distance and weight. This made correspondence expensive and slow. Rowland Hill proposed that postage be uniform regardless of distance (eliminate), and that this fee be prepaid by buying and affixing a stamp.

Rearrange: Xerox’s first copier was priced at $4,000 and few companies were willing to make such a capital investment. Xerox understood this and began selling what they produced: copies. At 5 cents a copy, company staff could pay for the documents from petty cash (rearrange).

Taking up a hobby is a good start to being creative, and magic is one hobby that requires a lot of creative input. Since magic tricks rely on illusions, it takes a lot of creative effort to make something that is not real appear believable.

You will find that the process of conceiving a magical idea and communicating it to the audience through a performance is a creative process.

Source: Straits Times/Asia News Network

2008 BPMW Day 11

十八。台商OBU贷款保证业务介绍，讲师：陈素莺董事长，海外信用保证基金

十九。国际政经情势与公民外交，讲师：吴建国副主委，外交部非政府组织国际事务委员会

- 前言：公民外交
- 整体外交形势
- 非政府组织发展情形
- 全民外交意涵
- 全民外交之具体作法
- 非政府组织国际参与展望

二十。侨务工作综合座谈,许振荣副委员长主持

结业！





我们的部落格：Taiwan2008.666bbs.com.tw, 谢谢秘鲁大哥！

2008 BPMW Day 10

十五。全球化企业的在地化用人策略，讲师：夏侯欣鹏教授，辅仁大学企管系

- 核心职能与企业策略的连结
- 企业策略思考之核心职能
- 核心职能为基础的人力资源制度

下载：流程導向專業職能辨認工作坊[PPT]


十六。以平衡计分卡推动策略与绩效管理，讲师：于泳泓执行董事，安永会计师事务所

- BSC(Basic Score Card)思维模式
- BSC理论实务
- BSC标竿案例
- BSC延伸应用
参考：Alignment: Using the Balanced Scorecard to Create Corporate Synergies


十七。品味美酒，品味人生，讲师：王灵安品牌大使，寰盛洋酒公司

- 酒，濃情催化地在課程中增進關係互動與了解
- 酒，是一杯香醇的沉醉是卸下心防溝通的媒介
- 酒，有歡笑有眼淚每一段都值得被珍藏與回味

中国MSN报导：品味杯酒人生

2008 BPMW Day 09

参访白木屋品牌文化馆，令人耳目一新。看看这些海报，你将有所体会！

在品牌经营策略里，白木屋是用情景沟通品牌，透过美学，呈现精致品味；透过情境，活化品牌沟通；透过实做，传达品质触动。

在白木屋谋杀了很多照片和用午餐后，大伙就往莺歌陶瓷博物馆参观，和在莺歌陶瓷老街的宇宸陶艺工坊习陶瓷。就这样完成了一天的文化知性之旅。

2008 BPMW Day 08

十四。成功国际商务谈判，讲师：陈彦豪主任，台北大学兼国际谈判及同步翻译中心

- 国际商务谈判的理念与功能
- 国际商务谈判的过程
- 国际商务谈判的技巧
- 国际商务谈判实务原则
- 国际商务谈判的30个基本句型

书籍参考：
谈判技巧手册（蔡宗扬译），
实质利益谈判法（罗竹西译）,
Negotiation 5e by Roy Lewicki

十五。从现金流游戏谈财务智商提升，讲师：邱淑芸执行长，驯钱师财商研究中心

财务智商的功能：不只是投资绩效，而是宏观从容地面对人生各种财务状况起起伏伏的变化。

















富爸爸现金流游戏讲解

2008 BPMW Day 07

十一。国际行销通路规划与拓展，讲师：张昭焚董事长，钰德科技（股）公司。

公司策略规划，行销理论回馈，消费者行为，品牌行销，钰德公司介绍与行销案例分析。

十二。如何以网路行销开启国际贸易大门，讲师：卢天俊总监，都可行销公司

网路现象与行销趋势：新鲜事，发展功能进程，行销趋势。

数位行销工具的应用：工具分析，Web 2.0的行销应用，网路社群经营。

网路行销规划与效益分析：步骤，顾客关系管理，忠诚度应用策略。

十三。拓展全球新兴市场，讲师：黄文荣副秘书长，外贸协会

- 台湾贸易环境的变化
- 新兴市场之拓销策略（以印度为例）
- 地区拓销策略
- 产业拓销策略
- 海外展览拓销策略

2008 BPMW Day 06

九。DISC性向检验与团队动能分析，讲师：李胜隆执行长， 双赢管理顾问公司。

- DISC 個性測驗 - MBA智库百科
- DISC 问卷（最符合自己以及最不符合自己的形容词）
- DISC 個人行為模式

十。组织沟通与领导技能实战训训练，讲师：陈晓明经理，行动力体验学习中心。

陈讲师是一体验式学习(John Dewey-learning by doing)教课，由學員自願參與一連串活動，然後分析他們所經歷的體驗，使他們從中獲得一些知識和感悟。

2008 BPMW Day 05

参访浩汉产品设计，由黄国煌副总经理亲自接待。看完公司简介，就分组参观企业。

午餐后，我们就到鈊象电子，由李柯柱董事长亲自接待。看完公司简介，一样分组参观企业。最让大家兴奋的是可以免费试玩游戏机，只是时间太短！

来自实践大学企业创新与创业管理研究洪铅财所长以鈊象电子作个案实务研讨。

2008 BPMW Day 04

参访杏辉医药集团，由李志文董事长亲自接待。看完公司简介，就分组参观工厂。

午餐就在有到地风味的宜兰小菜和充满艺术气息的《客人城》美食天地享用。

过后，一伙人到宜兰县政府出席“投资兰阳：产业发展新契机”座谈会，由县长吕国华主持。

旅游是宜兰的重点活动：宜兰劲好玩, 创意游赏之旅。






下午我们进行文化知性之旅到国立传统艺术中心游玩去！

2008 BPMW Day 03

六。活用财报分析创造营运绩效，讲师：叶清恩董事长，台湾企业经营智库。

导论：财报就像一本故事书 [刘顺仁教授]
像读故事书一样读懂财务报表！循序渐进三大制胜秘籍，带你深入浅出玩透财务报表！

心法篇——内功练习法，破解通往财富之路的关键密码，轻松解析企业竞争力。

招式篇——外功练招式，轻松掌握资产负债表、利润表、现金流量表、股东权益变动表四大报表。

进阶篇——活学活用财务报表，锻炼五大神功。克故，避开财报陷阱，保护自己；制胜，提升企业竞争力，武林称雄。

七。国际汇率风险评估与避险操作，讲师：杨声勇教授，中兴大学财金系。

经营环境变迁，企业如何因应？

-企业经营环境变化加速，企图复制过去成功经验是企业竞争力衰退的开始 [Donald Sull, LBS]

- All of life is the management of RISK, not its elimination [Walter Wriston, Citicorp Ex Chairman]

- Change: The Only Constant [Phippe Jorion]

- 风险管理机制的确立，是企业必须面对重要的议题，更是企业应培养的积极习惯

八。从国际行销观点看华人品牌塑造，讲师：James Soames 总监，Subkarma International Associates Co., Ltd.

To Brand or Not to Brand?
- Am I Branding for the right reasons?
A brand is a 'feeling' felt by the customer and 'promise' by the company.
A brand is beyond 'What you do well', 'What your customers value' & 'What is ownable over time'.

- Can my organisation change?
Branding is a 'mindset' that must be shared by all.
Branding implies shifting focus from product to consumer (Features-> What you will fee -> Who you are)

- Is there a market for my brand?
Know your market, set yourself achieveable targets.

- Am I able to differentiate myself from the rest?
Good branding is being different to everybody else, remaining focused, knowing the competition's strengths & weakness and staying consistent

2008 BPMW Day 02

三。企业经营策略规划与展开，讲师：陈建雄副董事长，华宇企业管理顾问公司。

- 企业主必需了解自己事业是处于那个阶段 -初生/成长/成熟/衰退期
- 创业时以技术决定成败，稳定时以管理决定盈亏，衰退时以策略决定存亡
- 唯一不变：变；前预变，后应变
- 展开架构：经营蓝图+公司愿景-〉策略展开+核心能力-〉策略制定+价值评价-〉中长期计划+功能策略-〉平衡计分卡+目标管理

延伸参考：TRIZ
书籍：TRIZ發明問題解決理論，The Great Depression of 1990 & Surviving the Great Depression of 1990 by Dr. Ravi Batra

四。成功领导与沟通艺术，讲师：徐礼集老师，美国人类心智发展研究基金会。

现代企业领导人必需拥有以下认知能力才能成功领导和沟通：

- 经营环境变化趋势
- 人与事互动观念
- 企业团队共同目标与责任
- 基本人性掌控与运用
- 领导，整合与沟通的互动
- 问题解决与潜在能力激发

延伸参考：四书，易经，老子，庄子



五。台湾的政经发展，讲师：廖耀宗主任秘书，行政院经建会。

- 台湾经济发展：
资源（血汗）-〉投资（资本）-〉创新（知识）
- 台湾面临内外部挑战
- 台湾产业发展趋势和商机
- 永续产业发展策略

核心竞争能力：
- 有价值（开发机会/规避风险）
- 稀有（竞争者有一点或没有）
- 模仿代价高
- 不可代替性

核心特色例子：

日本方西瓜


沙滩看飞机[Maho Bay Beach]


木曾三川公园[鬱金香花祭2008]


白川乡合掌屋


久住花公园