Take the Plant Test 1)

When I developed the idea of "Your Inner Consultant" one of my main questions was "If my business were a plant, what could I do to make it grow strongly and help protect it from changes in the environment"? It turned out to be a great way to get myself thinking creatively. Check out "Find your Inner Consultant" .

I have recently turned the whole concept upside down and considered how would it be to look at things from the plant's point of view. It resulted in an interesting thought experiment.

If you have a plant in the place where you work (if you don't then you might enjoy getting one) imagine it is a really smart plant. One that knows all there is to know about running your business. It sits there observing everything you do and all your interactions throughout the day. It is on your side and wants things to improve. Unfortunately like most plants it can't communicate so you will have to imagine what it would notice. If you don't have a business then apply it to your career or any part of your life that you want to grow and change.

Today's Plant Test

Today imagine your plant is watching each thing you do and placing each activity into one of four categories.

1. Things that will build your business and make the whole experience better for you and your customers.

2. Getting things done that contribute to running your business.

3. Stuff that has no real value to the business but it keeps you entertained.

4.Stuff that has no value to the business, you don't find it that entertaining and you only do it in order to put off something that you should do but don't want to.

Most of my time is spent in 2, but a lot more than I would like is in 3 and 4. I have decided as an experiment that whenever I find myself in 3 or 4 I will think of activities in category 1. It is taking a bit of persistence but when I look at it this way I start moving in a better direction.