Bob Prosen Common Sense Advice -- Kiss Theory Goodbye

Recently, I read Bob Prosen’s book Kiss Theory Goodbye.  This book should be required reading for anyone who runs a business…

In Kiss Theory Goodbye, Mr. Prosen presents five essential principles for profitability and success.

1. Superior Leadership
2. Sales Effectiveness
3. Operational Excellence
4. Financial Management
5. Customer Loyalty

I like these five points because they remind me of my 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations:

• Clarity of purpose and direction
• Committed and engaged employees
• Skillful execution of the things that matter
• Mutually beneficial relationships with important outside constituencies

Mr. Prosen and I both believe that you will be successful if you identify and stick to some basic, common sense principles for running your business.  If you use your common sense and don’t slip into bad habits you’re well on the road to success.

One of the things I like most about Kiss Theory Goodbye is Mr. Prosen’s discussion of what he calls “five crippling habits that attack from within":

1. Absence of clear directives
2. Lack of accountability
3. Rationalizing inferior performance
4. Planning in lieu of action
5. Aversion to risk and change

I really like reason number 4 – planning in lieu of action.  Mr. Prosen says

• “Companies spend enormous time, energy and resources on planning.  The problem is that companies too often don’t invest an equal amount of time, energy and resources to achieving the plan targets.  And when that becomes apparent, they say ‘let’s revise the plan again’.  This insidious habit can bring down companies all by itself.”

Bob Prosen is a results driven guy.  When we discussed his reasons for writing Kiss Theory Goodbye, his passion for execution was obvious.  He said, “business books just aren’t practical enough – they don’t tell you how to do anything.  Leaders want direct, straightforward information they can implement immediately.  Kiss Theory Goodbye replaces theory with proven tools and tactics companies can start using today to get the results they need.”

Bob Prosen is my kind of guy.  He presents solid, common sense advice in a very readable format.  You owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of Kiss Theory Goodbye.  Read it, highlight it, and most importantly, use its common sense ideas.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more leadership common sense.  Check out my other blog www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming the life and career star you are meant to be.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Comments

[Steve Roesler]

Bud: Maybe we've been in many of the same organizations too often, but your focus on Bob Prosen's "Planning in Lieu of Action" really hits home. During the past year I've been working closely with some managers whose overall results have been declining. They are trying to get out of the office and work with their people and their customers. But their boss is asking for more reports, plans, and presentations. The demand for voluminous plans is actually exacerbating the poor performance. However, the continuous delivery of updated plans and cause analysis has played into Bob's item #3: Rationalizing Poor Performance. And all of this is happening while the business managers are asking for #1. Go figure.

[Bud Bilanich]

Steve:
Thakns for your comments -- I agree, all of Bob's problem areas are interrelated.
BB

[steve]

maybe we as business owners have so little time that we want recipe books, step by step instructions that we can do easily, not a bunch of theory. usually most business books appear to be sales brochures for the authors, who tend to run consulting businesses. so they might inspire you to take action, but they don't tell you much of anything. i'll check out this book, i wish it was in audio format on audible.com, it seems they don't have the good business books :-(

[steve]

I got his book, and I just finished chapter one. One of the action items to do is to define and quantify your top three objectives. How do you suggest I do this? I am running a startup so I guess my main goal is to make a profit to survive. After that, I'm coming up blank with the other 2 objectives. Everything else seems to be related to the first one, i.e. increase customers/market share, get new products developed asap... Does anyone have suggestions on how to define your top three objectives?

[Bob Prosen]

Steve- First I want to thank you for picking up a copy of Kiss Theory Good Bye. I hope it serves you well for many years to come. You asked a great question. To answer it I need a bit more information. Is this your first start-up, how many people are part of the company and when did you start the new business? If you just started the company my recommendations will be different than if you have been in business for a year or longer. Let me know and and I'll be happy to give you some advice.

[steve]

First Startup ? YES
Number of People ? 2 (Wife & I)
Years in Business ? 3

Some additional thoughts since I posted that:

Top 3 Objectives:
Make more money easier
To Enjoy my work more
To get higher caliber clients, and therefore more $$$, less agrevation, or at least more $$ for the aggrevation :-)

But these are very wishy washy, how do I quantify those?

I am acting as a fire man, constantly jumping to the latest problem, because that is what my cusotmers want from me, but it doesn't leave me with any time for working ON the business.

I want to be able to start each morning with the same process, set my daily objectives and get to work on them, but it seems my creative mind wants to jump to something else. How do I develop this discipline?

Thanks Bob

[steve]

by the way, i am either re-seling this book on amazon or giving it to the local library. after reading it completely, i found it to be shallow in depth, it had a common sense musings, but no real meat on the bones on how to do anything. just my 2 cents

[Maxim]

The Iraqi government says guards from US security firm Blackwater killed more people than previously thought.