Just as mid-April is tax time, mid-November is prime time to address the company or personal business plan. A year of activity to review and a year of growth and opportunity ahead.

The classic “SWOT” analysis is a great place to begin when you look at the internal and external operations of your business activity; “S” for strengths, “W” for weaknesses, “O” for opportunities and “T” for threats.

Continuously seeking opportunities to enhance my personal performance and skills, I have recently joined a small group of associates applying proven techniques to change perception and in the process increase business production. One concept that we have been asked to apply is to become more aware of assumptions that we make which have become core beliefs affecting and limiting our potential.

“Is it true?” is an exercise in the observation of assumptions that we make that will impact the level of achieved performance or success. A simple example:

“I don’t have enough time.” Is it true? After honest scrutiny, the reality is that I have just as much time as everybody else. The reality of the statement is not about “time” but about the choices and the priority of the choices that we make.

In the world of business, assumptions based on history are made every day. Many such assumptions are also proven untrue every day by business innovators willing to include risk in a successful business plan. A critical part of the business plan process is to not accept any “assumption” as a “fact” without careful analysis of the truth of the statement. Times change and at any point in time production levels, production costs and production methods are up for scrutiny and review.

For example, resource evaluation is often confined to money and explored from a position of cash and scarcity. To say, “productivity is limited by cash on hand” is highly limited and would not withstand the test of truth.  The first reality is that there are more sources of money than cash on hand. But more important would be accessing other already available resources such as staff knowledge, improved planning, subcontracting and other creative actions that could enhance production without the need for additional cash expenditure.

As much as an effective business plan needs a solid foundation, the facts and assumptions used to construct that plan must be based on the test of truth and exposed to all options available. Restricted by our own histories of past production and past methods, the business model is restricted to past results.

It has been said that the original prototype digital watch was taken to a famous Swiss manufacturer for inclusion in their mass market. The company took no interest in the innovative watch, because it had no parts, no springs, no wheels and no hands.  Lacking support, the inventor took the product to Japan, where production commenced and the digital clock became history as the traditional Swiss stood by and watched.

Listen to your own self talk and create an inventory of “assumptions” that have become “facts” in both your business and personal arena. By asking, “Is it true?” of each of those assumptions, you may be surprised by the limitations you have set and the opportunities you can create for a successful new year.

Charles Bogue is a Broker with Coldwell Banker Brokers of the Valley in Napa, where he offers real estate marketing services as the CB Team. Phone:258-5221, e-mail: cbnapa@napanet.net.