SWOT Analysis
By Raymond Keckler | January 3, 2008
The Statements
Strategies are the way a company accomplishes their mission. Strategies come from a Vision
SWOT
A SWOT
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths and weaknesses come from the internal factors. The company looks at itself to determine its strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are resources that can be used to increase a company’s advantage in the market place. Some strength includes a strong brand name, good customer service or a feature rich product. Weaknesses prevent a company from growing. Weaknesses could be a weak brand name, high cost for the product, or a lack of quality employees.
Opportunities and Threats
External factors are opportunities and threats. Opportunities reveal potential profit and growth for the company. Some opportunities could be new technologies or an unfulfilled customer need. Threats represent those factors that are detrimental to the company. Competitors could have released a better tool for the customers or developed that product customers wanted.
Strategy
Vision
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Happy New Year 2008
By Raymond Keckler | January 1, 2008
Well it is the start of a new year. New hopes and new beginnings. Everyone has New Year resolutions. They make a statement to stop bad habits or start good habits. After a while those resolutions fall by the waist side. How does one keep resolutions?
First, you must want to do it. Too many people say their resolution is to lose weight. They fail very early because they really do not want to put the effort into losing the weight. The reason they do not put the effort into losing the weight is because it is not really that important to them. So when you pick a resolution, pick something that you really desire. Something that you are passionate about. This will help in keeping you on track.
Second, write down the resolution and read it every morning out loud. By writing it down you bring that thought or desire into the real world by making it concrete. Writing it down puts thought into action. Read the resolution every morning out loud. You might even want to read it several times a day out loud. Notice I said to read it out loud. Reading it out loud forces you to hear the resolution. The more times you hear it the more you learn to accept it. Politicians do this all the time. They constantly give speeches saying the same thing. The more people hear them say it the more they will believe it is true. The same goes for reading your resolution out loud. The more you hear it the more you will believe it will be true.
So start the new year off right. Make resolutions you are passionate about. Write down the resolutions. Read the resolution out loud every day. Doing this will help you to succeed in accomplishing your resolution.
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Update of Inventory program
By Raymond Keckler | December 26, 2007
I updated the inventory program with a find section. In the find section you can input criteria for your search and it will output what it finds. The link to download the program is on the right under the blogroll.
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Inventory program
By Raymond Keckler | December 22, 2007
I have looked for an inventory program on the internet. I was looking for a basic hardware inventory software program that used a web interface. There are a lot of asset tracking and inventory programs but none that is very basic. I decided to write my own. Right now it is very basic. You can insert data and list data. More will be added as I have time. The program needs a web server, PHP and MySQL. Included in the zip file is a sql script to create the database.
See blogroll for download link.
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Leaders and Managers
By Raymond Keckler | December 21, 2007
What is the difference between a leader and a manager? There are a lot of discussions on this question. Both are needed in an organization. Both have specific traits that make them good at what they do. So the difference is in what they do and how they do it. A person can be both a leader and a manager.
A manager directs a team. Directing a team means to move them towards a goal. The goal has already been created. The manager takes the steps necessary to ensure the goal is successfully reached without any hiccups. The day to day business must continue without any struggles. A manager’s job is to see that no issues arise to prevent a stable work flow in completing the goal. The short term future is seen through a manager’s eyes.
A leader leads a team. He is not concerned about the steps needed to complete a goal. A leader creates the goal. He looks at the long term future to see where the organization is heading. Selling the idea of what the future should look like is what a leader does. A leader is not adverse to risk as a manager. He seeks it out to see what different ways he can approach the future. Leaders have followers that are fascinated about his vision and want to help create it. This trip could be bumpy but the thrill of the ride creates excitement.
An organization needs both managers and leaders. They each provide a necessary service to grow the organization. From the steady workflow to the excitement of the future, an organization uses its tools to mature. As one grows in their career, trying to create both the leader and manager in oneself is important. Moving up the ladder requires vision and management.
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