Senarii Sessions: Strategic Alignment Podcast

You're probably not making decisions as well as you could (or should) be in your organization. Chances are high that you're not tracking metrics and letting the data drive your decisions. Think corporations like Amazon make decisions without data? In this session I'll explain why (and how) to make data-based decisions. There are some prime examples from actual conversations to explain the importance of making data-based decisions for your organization. You can't afford to leave decisions to gut feelings. Your competition isn't. Keep up. Time tracker: senarii.com/timetracker

Metrics? Data? That seems like a lot of effort for a small business. Don't big corporations do that? I just want to run my business and keep my family happy. Do I really need to track metrics? Yes. Don't know where to start? You're not alone. In this session, I give you 3 tips on starting to track metrics. This will help you figure out when and where to start tracking data in your organization. This will help you take the guess work out. Time tracker: senarii.com/timetracker

There are certain things in your business that are happening, and you don't know about it. And you know what? You're doing it too... without realizing it. Here's the kicker, I don't even know what "it" is, but I know it's happening. I don't have the data. Neither do you. In this session, I'll explain why you need to take metrics. You'll be able to uncover little nuances within your organization that are going unnoticed. Data is transparent, and it's extremely important to success. Give it a listen and see how.

Most people are change adverse. That includes your team too! Whenever there is a change within your organization, it can be difficult to get your team to buy into the changes. This can be anything from new team members, new managers, or new processes. You might even have people that are actively working against your initiatives. In this session, I'll give you 3 actionable steps you can take to gain team buy-in when championing change within your organization. These are practical steps that you can start using today. See, it's pretty simple.

Think you're too small to use strategic alignment in your business? Wrong. Thing you're too big? Wrong again. Strategic alignment has extremely broad applications. You might be surprised at just how and where to use this kind of methodology. In this session, that's exactly what I'll explain. I'll show you how you can use this framework any nearly any aspect of your organization, broad or narrow, large or small, it doesn't really matter. Get ready.

Do you have a system to scale your business? Do you have a proven force driving revenue? Do you have a structured, standardized way of operating your business without you? Probably not. But hey, it's not your fault, because most businesses don't. In this session, I'll give you a high-level overview of the philosophy that drives my proprietary methodology for strategic alignment. It's how we've saved some small businesses up to $30k/year. Spoiler: Can you imagine having the power of a manufacturing company driving your business? It's pretty powerful stuff. Free Case Study: TheEffectiveBusiness.com/case-study.

Do your clients know who and what you are? If you are a graphics designer that also builds websites and codes mobile apps, which is your specialty? Are all (or any) of those advancing your mission? I could probably guess. In this session, I'll explain how to gain messaging clarity and what a few of the benefits are to gaining that clarity. It's got some far reaching effects. Free ebook: senarii.com/ebook.

Do I need a strategic plan for completing a strategic alignment process? I’m not sure what all these terms are, but strategic sure sounds important, right? Strategic is important. In this session, I’ll explain if you need a strategic plan with a helpful little analogy. I recommend checking out session 13 (senarii.com/session/13) before watching this, as we explain what a strategic plan actually us. Enjoy.

Strategic Plan? Strategic Alignment? Are these the same, or at least similar? Sort of. In today’s session, I’ll discuss what a strategic plan is, how it’s used, and where it (most likely lives) in your organization.

Have you ever seen a movie with medieval knights fighting? There's a key lesson we can learn about our businesses from these scenes. It all comes down to focus. In this session, I'll explain this analogy of the arrow vs the sword and how it can apply to your business. Afterwards, you'll understand the dangers of spreading yourself, and your business, too thin. This is a key to penetration within your organization.

Have you ever used that phrase, "because I can..." to justify something? You've probably done it dozens of times, but hopefully not within your business. That can lead to disastrous results! In this session, I'll tell you why it's a bad idea, and I'll give you a framework to make decisions. I call this framework the "3 Golden Questions." Plus, I'll give you one key mistake I've seen several business owners commit.

Do you know the purpose of your organization? 100% clarity on why you exist? If not, you're losing a battle. Clarity of purpose gives you a framework for your business. In this session, I'll explain why you need clarity in your purpose, how to gain it, and how to use it once you've achieved it. This will help make decisions for you on clients to accept, employees to hire, and projects to accomplish. Pretty nifty little tool, huh?

Many businesses waste a lot of money on hiring and training employees, just to watch them leave just a few months later. It’s an expensive cycle, that you need to stop. Employee retention is a broad topic that could take an entire month of conversations to explain well, so we’re introducing a series. Today is part 1. Make sure you subscribe to get all the updates (senarii.com/podcast/subscribe) In this session, I’ll give you 2 practical ways that you can start working to increase your employee retention rate. These are easy, practical ways that won’t cost you much money (if anything) to implement. Also, introducing a Black Friday special for 2019. Limited time offer included is hidden somewhere in the video ;). You’re welcome.

So, I already know what makes me different. Cool. Why does it matter? How can I use that to make my organization better? What does it have to do with strategic alignment? Glad you asked. In this session, I’ll give you 3 reasons why your UVP matters, and how it ties directly into your mission. If you want more information about why your mission matters, check out session #6. Remember, strategic alignment is your competitive advantage!

Do you know your UVP? Do you even know what a UVP is? If not, you’re missing out on leveraging a competitive advantage. It’s not hard, and can be incredibly useful for you. In this session, I will explain to you what a UVP is, how to figure it out, and how it can be used to get more referrals. Not a bad way to spend a few minutes, eh? Watch it now, thank me later.

Having a clear objective is one of the highest priorities for our military. It gives everyone a single focus and each member understands their role in accomplishing that singular objective. Think that could have implications on your business? In this session, I'll discuss why mission matters to your organization. Sure, there's some obvious reasons, but you might be surprised a little bit too. Understanding how to utilize your mission will give you a competitive advantage.

It's the age-old question … what's the difference between your vision and your mission? What should each mean? Why do we need both? Internet searches won't get you what you need. Trust me. I've tried. In this session, I'll explain what the differences are and why both are important. Spoiler: it's not that complicated ;).

Your mission matters. Many small businesses don't have a mission for their business. That's a big mistake. The mission of your organization plays a big role, not just for you and your organization, but also in the strategic alignment process. The clear mission will give you a competitive advantage.

What do you do better than anyone else in your space? What makes you unique? It’s imperative that you are able to understand your competitive advantage. Are you going to be a Yahoo or a Google? How will that effect your employees motivation and satisfaction? In this episode, I’ll cover why you need to understand and clarify your competitive advantage, how to clarify it, and what to do once you have clarity.

I’ve heard people say that strategic alignment sounds like a waste of time, energy, or money for smaller organizations. Not true! Not even close to true. Strategic alignment is your secret weapon. It is a competitive advantage. In this session, I’ll explain the main purpose of strategic alignment and how you can use it to drive revenue and increase your profit margins. Driving revenue and increasing profit margins? Doesn’t sound like a waste to me.

What is strategic alignment? That's the question that I get asked 90% of the time after my introduction. It's a big word, with a lot of implications, especially for small, local businesses, but many business owners don't understand what it is. They think it's "too corporate" for a small business. That's the furthest thing from the truth. Strategic alignment can be the best secret weapon and competitive advantage for a small, locally owned business. In this session I'll define what strategic alignment is and you'll better see some advantages for you and your organization. It's a powerful tool.

Here’s a quick introduction to our podcast. This is an overview of who we are, what we’re trying to accomplish, and what to expect from us. Remember, clear expectations reduce frustration.