Running on Empty

Review the Mission statement.

Ask "how does this (whatever they want me to do/ not do) help accomplish our mission and vision?"

If it don't, we don't.

That includes blowing off meetings.

Did it to the CEO once.

MY VP was hopping mad. I asked him what was our mission? How was wasting a day in a meeting to "show obedience" advancing our mission?

Stopped getting ordered to stupid meetings.

Every one thinks the mission statement is a tool to be used against us...Its actually a compass which points the way to what we should do and the actions we should take. If we all were brutally honest about it, maybe we wouldn't be in this fix.

Mission critical-everything else optional.

milo

As such routine meetings are waste of time,money and energy.When you are so much pressurised for the work you feel like imprisoned in conference room.

Meetings should be objectively held with prefixed agenda. MOM should be properly recorded and individual responsibilities fixed with target dates. Otherwise matters are just talked around and nobody knows what he is supposed to do.

So meeting turns out to be just a ritual.

When in doubt, always trust the "bibles" in the field. The one I recently read that has all your advices above + ways to put them in practice:

Peter Drucker - The Effective Executive

... everything a person needs to know about "getting things done"!

Fortunately I am a business of one! I only have to keep up with my needs and meet the basic expenses. But still if its not work related travel this year its not going to happen.

For me the problem is financial limitations preventing me from expanding. I am a pay by cash and buy used/broken and fix in order to get business equipment. It has saved me tons of money but unfortunately banks don't look a the value of a working machine but the purchase cost and condition of it when acquired. They tip over laughing when I try to apply for business loans. They see me as having no money and very little credit history simply because I am resourceful and financialy responsible.

They dont see that I have skills and insite into fast growing markets or the potential to do well in those markets. What I have been repeatedly told is 'When you get your business set up and have more cash flow comming in we will gladly loan you money.'

When I am set up and have cash flow comming in I wont need them then!