Many business owners make the mistake of confusing basic accounting capability with true financial literacy. Being able to keep your books balanced is important, but it doesn’t give you the deeper, more dynamic understanding of your business’s financial health that...

Few metrics matter more to SME than cash flow. Revenue might suggest growth, but cash flow determines survival, flexibility, and long-term opportunity. In practical terms, cash flow is one of the clearest indicators of a business’s financial health. When cash flow is...

Even when business operations appear to be running smoothly, many business owners and CEOs find they are falling short when it comes to clear strategic direction and effective execution. Creating a compelling vision for the future is one thing. Turning that vision...

At The Alternative Board, we are committed to continual improvement. For nearly five years, we have worked closely with a team of independent researchers led by organisational behaviour expert Dr Roman Terekhin. Their work examines a wide range of peer advisory boards...

The beginning of the year is an ideal time to step back from the day to day operations of your business and make space to tick a few important items off your list. Here are 10 practical tasks that will help you begin 2026 on the right foot. Strategic Planning Review...

The business of doing business is evolving at breakneck speed these days. Advancements in technology, changing consumer preferences, and a range of global dynamics continue to create both opportunities and challenges for small to medium sized businesses and the...

With so much change happening in business, from new tariffs and global shifts to the unprecedented impact of artificial intelligence, smart business owners know they need to recognise and respond to changes in their market, customers and industries. But recognising...

Business leaders often struggle with developing and training their mid-level management teams. In fact, managers are often the most poorly trained employees in an organisation. A 2023 Chartered Management Institute (CMI) study showed 82% of new managers had no formal...

The equation is straightforward: a leader with poor or ineffective management habits will likely get less from their team, while employees under strong business leadership tend to work harder and achieve more. Think about the benefits when small business team...

Many business owners start with a bold vision, yet too often, the daily grind takes over. Instead of running their business, they feel like their business is running them. They have a general idea of where they want to go, but lack a structured plan to get there....

Running and growing a business in Australia is no walk in the park. But often, it’s not due to a lack of effort from business owners, it’s quite the opposite. Many business leaders are putting in 80-hour weeks, attending back-to-back meetings, juggling recruitment...

“Employee happiness” might not appear as a line item on your profit and loss statement, but it can make or break your business. In Australia’s competitive job market, keeping your team happy is not just about being a “nice” boss. It is about attracting the right...

Imagine this. You are a business owner who has painstakingly built an organisation, in large part by hiring the most talented, capable people you could find. You wanted them to be happy and inspired, so you installed a mini basketball hoop near the staff kitchen and...

In Australia, we pride ourselves on running businesses that are not just successful but also great places to work. Part of that comes down to the people we bring on board – their skills, attitudes, and the way they work with others. “Cultural fit” is a term you’ve...

Building a business is a lot like building a house. Both need vision, loads of hard yakka, and a fair bit of grit. No builder would pour a slab without a detailed plan, yet plenty of business owners start their ventures without a long-term, practical blueprint....

It won’t come as a shock to business owners and executives across Australia: in today’s fast-paced working world, many hard-working team members are either already burned out or getting dangerously close. Too many projects, long hours, constant connectivity, and not...

Identify and Align High-Performance Leadership Teams to Ensure Lasting Success A company’s success is not solely determined by its products, services, or even the vision of its founder—it is driven by the strength of its leadership team. The ability of senior leaders...

Every business owner knows that success isn't achieved alone. Whether you're running a tradie business in Brisbane or a marketing agency in Melbourne, your ability to plan for the future depends heavily on your people—the very ones working day-to-day to bring your...

In today’s fast-moving economic environment, Australian businesses are facing growing pressure from rising interest rates, energy costs, and wage demands. These challenges are testing profitability and forcing many leaders to rethink how they operate. But there are...

As businesses across Australia face increasing competition for qualified candidates, many are focusing on what resonates most with different generations of workers. Among the most actively recruited are members of Generation Z — but there’s no “one-size-fits-all”...

One of the most fundamental principles of effective leadership is this: avoid micromanaging your team. Micromanagement is a leadership style characterised by excessively supervising employees, offering them little to no autonomy in how they complete their work. Aside...

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Australia is facing a significant shortage of skilled tradespeople. Across industries—from construction and manufacturing to automotive and electrical—businesses are struggling to attract, train, and retain the skilled workers...

As a business owner, crafting the vision for your organisation often feels second nature. You likely have an intuitive grasp of the legacy you wish to build—for your customers, your team, your community, and your industry. This vision helps shape your decisions,...