Blog Archives

Essential advice from non-essential business owners.

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

In a world that has been turned upside down we need leadership and purpose. What is one person’s non-essential is another person’s essential. In this context, try explaining to a small business owner that their business (and for many their…

Tagged with: #community, #covid19, #nonessential, #peergroups
Posted in leadership, Purpose, Strategic Planning, Values

Do you want great questions or great answers?

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

At first glance, coaching and mentoring may seem to be the same thing and are often transposed in our thinking as they are both techniques requiring similar skills to drive behavioural change, yet the process and the outcomes are quite…

Posted in Company Culture, leadership, Mentor, Mentoring, Strategic Planning

Slogans Attract, Stories Engage, Sales pay Bills.

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

How fit for the future is your sales process?

Tagged with: Bounceback, Covid19, payingthebills
Posted in Business Growth, Marketing, SALES, Strategic Planning

Summer refresh your business relevance

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

Whether you choose a staycation or an overseas escape, it’s never been as important as it is, at this moment in time to take a break from work, the home office, furlough, the job search and the general negative impact…

Key questions every Boardroom needs to answer ASAP

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

Even high performing, strategically sound businesses, that have been run extremely well over the pre-covid years, are having to reassess their futures. Some will become stronger, some will recover, and some will cease, but there is one thing for certain,…

7 Transferable Deep Dive Findings

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

7 years ago this June I registered the company name The Value Innovator, a “me-only-business” set up to support SME’s with easy access to my leading company experience and best practice expertise on strategic and leadership challenge. Never did I…

Tagged with: #constantpurpose, #experience, #perceptionisfact, #relevance, #startwithwhy, Values
Posted in Appraisals, Company Culture, leadership, Strategic Planning, Values

A GOAL without a plan is just a WISH

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

After 30 years in what is generically referred to as “corporate life” where we even planned the plan, the shock of working with smaller businesses that do not produce a plan, let alone written goals was (for me) an anathema…

Tagged with: Budgets, Business Planning, Goal Planning, Growth, Skills for business growth
Posted in Annual Plan, Business Growth, Planning, Strategic Planning

2019 GREATEST HITS

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

So,Greatness is all relative and Hits ain’t quite what they used to be! Nevertheless, here are the most viewed Value Innovator blogs of 2019. #3 Strategy doesn’t have to be complicated – Lessons from a car maker. The May 2019…

Tagged with: culture, self management, STRATEGY
Posted in business strategy, Company Culture, Strategic Planning, Values

Strategy doesn’t have to be complicated – Lessons from a car maker

Posted on May 14, 2019 by Michael Donaldson The Value Innovator

The recent May press headline of JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) British luxury car brand (potentially) being purchased by French PSA Group (Peugeot Citroen Vauxhall) just shows how quickly their respective fortunes have changed. In 2014 JLR posted profits of £2.5B, whilst…