The Business Director-Army General

By John B. Daniels

I own up. My greatest fantasy is to look at things in the light of others. These things may not be identical, complementing, or overly related. I believe to do a comparison or two is quite enlightening; it keeps the mind alert and focused all the time. That is the sharpness I encourage in the business practice of today to become a multimillionaire. When am on the highway and a sleek, smart car zooms past, I do not hesitate to cut short whatever conversation to comment to my travel mate, What a cute car! Isnt the finish deadly, the color superb? I would be smiling the moment he retorts, Its cool, deadly, marvelous! Then I look back via the side mirror only to see a better-looking limousine overtaking.
This is the greatness of the immeasurable mans ability going all the way, utilizing all the intellect and resources to come up with a superb product.
Though it may sound quite awkward, I strongly advocate for giving credit where it deserves. No harm in that. To wonder whether that car five
minutes ago was American, English, or Japanese made would assure I do
not doze behind the steering.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Feb 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456877088

John B. Daniels

John B. Daniels is a young investor born in Kenya in the early 80's, raised and living in Michigan State, U.S.A. He is experienced on business practise issues, especially Strategic Management and Customer Care. He has invested in different business fields ranging from Security Business to Tours and Travel as well as Real Estate Development.

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Copyright © 2011 by John B. Daniels.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2011903133

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4568-7707-1

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4568-7706-4

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4568-7708-8

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Contents

Dedication

Appreciation

Introduction

Chapter One The Business Director-Army General Part One

Chapter Two Promoting A New Brand In The Market

Chapter Three Business Management From The Director’s Desk

Chapter Four The Business Director-Army General Part Two

Chapter Five Business Management Styles

Chapter Six Choosing The Strategic Business Manager

Chapter Seven Risk Management

Chapter Eight Reaching Out To Customer Through Product Marketing

Chapter Nine Trends, Styles, And Fashions In The Modern Business Practice

Chapter Ten Ten Smart Business Practices

Chapter Eleven Seven Tips To Maximize Your Business Potential

Conclusion

From the best-selling author of the Every Young Investor’s Handbook and The Gateway to Business Prosperity

Be a millionaire through strategic business approach.

The BUSINESS DIRECTOR-ARMY GENERAL

20 ANALYSES: 10 SMART BUSINESS MOVES TO GET RICH

Be a twenty-first century millionaire in your chosen business practice.

DEDICATION

This dedication is to the people of the world who have the same conviction as I, that it is possible to prosper out of your dreams.

All the others who, in their own way, have the belief that out of a dream an emperor can be born, I salute you all.

The core of this book was born out of your bold contribution in business practice.

Accept my compliments; you are winners.

APPRECIATION

My appreciation goes to my parents, Daniel and Elizabeth; your support through the journey of academics has been exceptional. After all, I concede it was well worth the effort.

INTRODUCTION

I own up. My greatest fantasy is to look at things in the light of others. These things may not be identical, complementing, or overly related. I believe to do a comparison or two is quite enlightening; it keeps the mind alert and focused all the time. That is the sharpness I encourage in the business practice of today to become a multimillionaire.

When am on the highway and a sleek, smart car zooms past, I do not hesitate to cut short whatever conversation to comment to my travel mate, What a cute car! Isn’t the finish deadly, the color superb? I would be smiling the moment he retorts, It’s cool, deadly, marvelous! Then I look back via the side mirror only to see a better-looking limousine overtaking. This is the greatness of the immeasurable man’s ability going all the way, utilizing all the intellect and resources to come up with a superb product.

Though it may sound quite awkward, I strongly advocate for giving credit where it deserves. No harm in that. To wonder whether that car five minutes ago was American, English, or Japanese made would assure I do not doze behind the steering.

Yes, I pleasure in beauty and marvel at hard work. The other day on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur, the beautiful city of Malaysia, I could not help staring in utter admiration at the stylish, lavish skyscrapers dotting the vast city’s skies.

I could not help wondering, is this really the hand of man that can mold such beauty? What do we expect next? Then I would round the street corner expecting to see still a better landmark, and I can give the assurance not for once was I disappointed. The pieces of architecture there are quite stunning, the finish commendable. The works are marvelous to be precise.

The issue of cars and high-rise buildings has taught me one vital lesson. No doubt, man is capable of great achievements only if the power of imagination, the will, the ability, and the resources to perform is there.

Over the years, I have formed a strong conviction regarding man’s capability. Man in his day-to-day practice has been able to achieve a great milestone. Look at the car out there in the driveway. Think of the small bits, the components and parts all put together in a creative and expertise manner and powered to operate as a unit. What of the planes in the air and the ships at the sea?

Many would concede it takes the hands of a genius mind to accomplish all this, while others would talk of a creative hand. A few will say it is the hand of logic that does the trick. To come up with such a beauty will take a combination of factors. Maybe all of the above will play a role. Basically, it is a piece out of hard work coupled with the power of clearly envisioned imagination. This is merely the tip of the iceberg; additive factors are in play too.

The modern business setup is no less. This is a man’s practice, a gainful way of life. Today the practice is in a fast-paced evolution, talking of a beauty of practice. We talk of the beauty in terms of the ease of practice, the comfort, the precision, the accuracy, the efficiency, and the reward thereof. The technological aspect that plays a vital hand in the practice has greatly enabled this.

This is realistically what man is after, to do business in the most beautiful way possible. The business of today is a dynamic affair and comes in many shapes and forms. Approximately 80 percent of man’s activity today is in business and associated practices. Business is the driver of today’s economy worldwide.

This practice, business, is pieced together of different components, which are the departments, with a distinct and critical role to play for the entity to excel. Needless to emphasize, if you consider the accounts department, the marketing and promotions department, and a newly emerging strategic department, each plays a distinct yet vital role from the other. They complement to yield the desired outcome of any business setup.

A business will not operate only with the three but with the other equally vital departments like procurement, human resource, and so on. It is the operational role of each business entity that will determine the suitable number of the departments for the entity to achieve efficiency. To do without one vital department will surely compromise the performance or fail the business in its entirety.

To be certain you are thorough, it is critical to do meticulous planning and consideration in a bid to come up with not only an effective practice but also a formidable one. The stronger the business is, be it in its finances or operation, the more the profits it will realize. After observing the operations of an army battalion during one of the early morning training sessions, I was impressed. Yet again, the fantasy crept back.

I sought to know what was uniquely common: the point of connection, if any, between the business practice and the activity in an army battalion. More so, I based my curiosity in the well-coordinated practice, the show of great skill and expertise, the energy, the agility, the ability, the determination, and the focus.

Then it dawned on me: it is the same practice, but to fulfill different objectives. This is what the Business Director: Army General is about. I hope it will certainly be an enjoyable, educative, mind-boggling, and inspiring read.

It is time you had an interesting read, set it aside, and set out to perform. The millions are all in business.

CHAPTER ONE

THE BUSINESS

DIRECTOR-ARMY GENERAL

PART ONE

It is interesting especially to look at some aspects that are not closely related only to connect and draw a practical conclusion in a way nobody thought possible. The army and business in the view of responsibility are in no way related. The army is about restoration of peace where a war breaks out; a business is a gainful practice, a way of life. Different and distinct oriented persons, the army general and the business director head these two. So why try and create a relation between the two?

From studies past to present, these two vital figures head some of the oldest of organized practices: an army battalion and a business practice. Way back to the biblical times, there were army generals and business directors. It seems a lot of human life and practice rotates round these two issues. In these two practices is the epitome of modernization, a revolution that has matured to the modern way of life. In a way, they played a role in man’s evolution.

Though dealing in distinctly diverse practices, from experience it is deducible there is a meeting point of some sorts between these two practices. For one, the two form vital beacons of practice in human life; thus, they must have leaders at their helm.

A business director, as with an army general, must have the coveted but rare qualities. These are coupled with a specialized skill and smart mindedness to operate exceptionally. They are the champions of a disciplined mode of operation, strict adherence to the rule of law and policies.

In their field of duty, they exercise the ability to deliver as required and are timely. For them, the ultimate goal is as important as the process. This is a result that must be achieved against all odds. In their day at duty, they will concede nothing is left to chance; thoroughness is paramount.

A loophole in the practice, however minute, is a deadly window for unfair exploitation. The seriousness of their mandate calls for taking roles seriously and delivering accordingly. This is what leadership calls for.

If you are not an army general, then you must live the twenty-first century business director. In either field, you will get to learn some exceptionally vital lessons. It is about being a competent leader, always ready to combat an enemy and move out a stronger being.

It is critical to understand, a win is not enough; a culture of winning is certainly more desirable. Here are two parts of twenty thoroughly elaborate and practical similarities between the army general and the business director. Though in different fields, they emphasize on certain critical practices captured in the business.

It is doing it right and definitely coming out with the right results. Consider these as personal traits that intertwine to form a strong business personality. It is in the twenty-point practical approach to the business practice. Now, place the business director of today in the shoes of the army general for we discuss the business director in these two perspectives: as the army general and as the typical business person.

POINT 1

THEY ARE PERSONS WHOSE INTERGRITY AND CHARACTER HAS BEEN TESTED AND PASSED

In the human practice, if there are two institutions that deserve to be accorded the dire respect and honor deserved, they are the business and military entity. In the business practice, a lot of hard-earned resources are at stake and so are the operational finances.

Likewise, with the military institution, there is vital arsenal, hardware, and loads of military documents that cannot be let on wrong hands. To lose business resources is to trigger a possible business failure. To lose military hardware and software is to threaten the state security. These scenarios are no-good news in either institution.

To safeguard such a situation before it occurs, it becomes mandatory for the occupiers of the office(s) to be men who are sober, of good character, and are abiders of the law-men and women of good conduct. I must concede the universe is full of such, though some elements of disgrace exist.

These are not merely figures that are handpicked to positions. It takes far more than that. These are critical offices that must be treated as so. Before an occupier is identified, he will have to undergo a rigorous process of vetting not on experience alone but also men with track records of good character.

A man of good character is a pleasant person, a figure easy to deal with, a man who stands for what is right. From experience, persons who have undergone the intensive military training have proved excellent directors as compared to their counterpart who go at it armed with loads of business certificates.

The reason for this observation is about the attention the two accord their tasks. A business director may understand a critical issue is at stake and fail to implement it accordingly. An army general turned business director is likely to sweep with a thin broom with the thoroughness it deserves.

The minute details contained in this practice matter most. Thus, taking each issue bit by bit and tying it all together will deliver. It is this sort of management that is desired at all levels of the business practice.

A man of integrity and unshakable character is undoubtedly the best choice of a business director. It is worth to put this consideration to practice than be sorry when your hard-earned millions start disappearing with lots of well-rehearsed excuses.

You need to watch out. Let not your investment be a source of disappointment but of fulfillment. When this smart chap with all the impressive academic papers comes knocking on your office door, you will have to look beyond the papers. An integrity and character check is certainly of essence.

Evaluate issues with an open mind. Look for a person of integrity and unfailing character as is practiced by the army general. If after a detailed analysis the rating is fair, you are likely to have landed on a good chap.

That is personnel you can risk hiring and taking him through a rigorous training. Probably, let such hiring be on trial basis over a period. If your opinion is this is an excellent guy, you need not hesitate; hire him and let him be on close supervision till all the traces of doubt are cast aside.

In a way, you will have to give the business a far chance to prosper. Get the persons who can fit in the army general’s boots. They certainly fit in the director’s too!

POINT 2

LEAD FROM THE FRONT: COMBAT AND WIN

Wars are undesirable but at times unavoidable. The case of a battlefield yields unimaginable suffering, yet combatants move to the battlefield ready to fight the enemy and emerge victorious.

At the moment when it matters most, in the soldiers’ mind is one resolve. The one mindedness of execution is shockingly desirable. The purpose of their mission makes the core of their intent. A single message rings out. They intend to fight till the last drop in their blood is shed. This is courage surpassing imaginable levels at a time of adversity.

As is with the business practice, these are no mean issues. There is no place for cowardice, neither for option of retreat nor a window for surrender. Once you are at it, you had better do it till you win or die a hero.

The army general will not issue commands from the rear or a safe haven or a business director from a back office. To lead is to be looked upon for direction all throughout. A fearless army general will not mind being wounded or captured. He is a man of one intent: to be a victor. He will lead his troops to flush and combat the enemy, issuing the right directions and urging them forward. It is the only way a win can be realized.

It is so with a business director. The battleground for the business practice is quite flooded, fought from boardrooms to the streets. Here, you cannot afford to slip either. To do so is a sure means to be trampled upon, dead, flat. You have to fight with the determination of a true winner.

This is about utilizing the most remarkable winning strategies and being strategically positioned all the while as well. The battle for new markets is one that the business director should always be ready to engage in. It is the kind of practice you must have for an eye for strategic business opportunities to yield the most profit from.

It is the due responsibility of the business director to urge his team forward and secure strategic opportunities at the precise timing. Though understandably this is easier said than done, a workable plan must be formulated.

Once you engage in the business practice, you will soon realize it is a backbreaking process involving the often numerous negotiations and deal securing. A source of strength in form of a head figure is a source of strength at times of need. It is about leading by practice of the appropriate example.

In the twenty-first century business practice, there is no place for the sort of excuse always in office directors. The breed of today is a lot that does not wait for secondhand feedbacks. There are no clear-cut specialized roles anymore. It is about getting in the thick of things and observing the action firsthand. In so doing, you are assured of better understanding the operation as well as minimizing on decisional mistakes.

The breed of business directors today is the best in many years. They are street beaters, guys who are not scared of