Sme business platform - succession planning

The rain yesterday caused so much traffic, all I wanted to do after getting home from the show was sleep! Was tired much.

On the show, we had Mr. Cajetan Ezeorah discussing succession planning. Interstingly I noticed this same topic trending in lagos on twitter with the hashtag #wimbizceochat. You should check it out guys. Many of us SMEs are too busy trying to grow our businesses we tend to forget this important factor.

#Highlights 

1. Succession planning is not just about the CEO. Other key positions in the business should be identified.

2. Succession planning is about leadership continuity.

3. The aim is to retain and develop intellectual capital and minimise the risk of having skill gaps due to someome leaving suddenly.

4. Identifying the right successor has to be a collective decision by stakeholders in the business.

5. Enforcing family members on a business, especially when they do not really have the same passion for the business, can have negative effects on the sustainability of that business on the long run.

6. It is never too early to start thinking about your succession plan.

Cheers fam!

Project Management for SMEs - Debo Ajayi #guestpost

Hi, my name is 'Debo Ajayi and I am a Project Consultant and Strategist.

A few years ago, I discovered something called Project Management. Let me be clear, I didn't actually invent it (someone just breathed a sigh of relief) I just happened upon it. And I discovered that I was born to do this. It came easily and seamless to me.

Now over the years, I have worked in quite a few industries. From Non- governmental to Entertainment, then Management consulting, Construction, Security, training and capacity building and now Business Consulting, I have noticed that one constant factor in all my business and career endeavors is Managing Projects.

I currently run a fantastic organization called Endive Projects and one of the things we have done is create a Product for Business Owners called Project Management for SMEs. Many start-ups have great ideas. The question is how to turn these "fantastic" ideas into great products and services.....That's where Project Management comes in. It enables organizations turn strategic goals into desired outcomes. Every entrepreneur should take a Project Management course and there would be a radical transformation in businesses with astronomical growth and productivity.

Also I discovered that we have a cultural challenge that inhibits us firm achieving our goals in our environment and country (Nigeria). I observed that we are good Initiators, and even executors, but we are terribly poor at planning and closing out Projects or ideas. We are quick to blame governments for failed and abandoned projects. But the problem is cultural. How many of us know people who never finish what they start (hehe, I see guilty faces, plus me), how many of us can identify uncompleted buildings around our routes and streets. Indeed how many of us have ideas that we started on but haven't followed through on? Yeah. I guessed you also have a few (yes we do),don't be alarmed. We can learn and transform our experiences.

Truth is our nation is a reflection of its people. So we need to change certain patterns to make a huge difference in our businesses and careers.

Project Management is the Number one skill required in Management staffs in the world's fortune 500 companies and great multinationals. (Says who?)

Here's just me jumping in with this picture I found that quite sums up why women especially need project management!! See!

Source: http://www.impacttrainingservices.com

Endive Projects helps businesses execute and ensure project success...we also run Project Management training for interested parties.

If you desire to join any of our programs or need our expertise on a Project, please contact

'Debo Ajayi
debo.ajayi@endiveprojects.com
08095763213

Thank you.