SWB Consulting Services Blog

2021 was a very weird year. Throw out your five-year plan and sales trend reports. Nothing about this year has been normal.

Where do we go from here? Consultants can help small businesses and nonprofits recalibrate their goals based on the constantly shifting realities.

Read more: The Role of Consultants in Your Small Business or Nonprofit

In honor of the Baseball World Series in progress now, I decided to share some of my favorite quotes attributed to Yogi Berra. I do not know if he actually said all of these, but believe they provide good advice for all kinds of managers.

Read more: Ten Quotes Useful for Any Manager

As the months of the COVID-19 pandemic drag on, more people are taking the time to reevaluate some life choices. Stressed out New York City dwellers with means are buying houses in Upstate New York. Workers are choosing not to return to low wage, unsatisfying jobs. After years of inattention, employers are offering employees perks and bonuses.

Read more: Quality of Life

I was recently part of a fascinating discussion about workplace culture that shed a strong light on the varying expectations of different generations of employees. The people in the conversation represented all four age cohorts. 

I recommend one solution to the frustration most of us experience - listening. 

Read more: Managing Multiple Generations

It is easy to blame people who live in poverty for not living up to middle class standards, but it is unfair. The stresses of poverty are pervasive and debilitating.

Many employers of minimum-wage staff are frustrated by difficulties recruiting employees and high rates of turnover. Employers in the "helping professions" of elder and disability care are especially hard hit as they are dependent on Medicaid funding which has not kept up with operational expenses. Many landlords are juggling cash flow to account for renters protected by the eviction moratorium.

Read more: Why Poverty Matters

Every organization needs to define its fundamental purpose, philosophy, and values. The mission statement clarifies the essence of organizational existence. It describes the needs the organization was created to fill and answers the basic question of WHY the organization exists.  A mission statement provides the basis for judging the success of the organization and its programs. It helps to verify if the organization is on the right track and making the right decisions. It provides direction when the organization needs to adapt to new demands. A powerful mission statement attracts donors, volunteers, and community involvement.

Read more: The Importance of WHY

After more than a year in relative solitude, naturally extroverted people are thronging to bars and ballgames, eager to reconnect with their friends - and frankly - total strangers as well. Extroverts thrive amid the swirl of social life and networking opportunities. Extroverted people spend relatively little time listening to others and reflecting on what they have experienced. Characteristically introverted people spend a lot more time with their own thoughts. They are usually observant and good listeners, and may be better at synthesizing complex situations.

Read more: It is Time to Value Introverts

A strategic plan is a document that establishes the direction of an organization. It can be a single page or fill up a binder, depending on the size and complexity of the business and work.

Most managers can benefit from having a strategic plan. The process of developing a plan helps the manager (and the team) step back and examine where they are, where they want to go, and how they are most likely to get there. In the absence of a plan, work still gets done on a day-to-day basis but often lacks a sense of purpose and priority.

There are seven basic elements of a strategic plan. While much more is often included in the plan, these seven elements will help you get started.

Read more: Seven Elements of a Strategic Plan