Mobilise Resources
Main goal: Gather and manage the resources you need
- Material Resources
- Non-material resources
- Digital resources
Material resources are things like offices, computers, mobile phones and any other material you might need to get your business off the ground or growing. Most of us love this kind of stuff and we often spend far too much money on those things, just because it’s nice to have them. By the way, money is also a material resource that needs to be managed well.
Non-material resources are employees, business partners, and clients. But also knowledge, experience, and expertise belong to this. This type is often the most difficult to master. We all might understand that we need clients and maybe business partners, but we often forget the knowledge and expertise you need to make it a success. The question we forget to ask is: “What do I need to know and what expertise do I need, to work with this client or business partner?” Like money in material resources, time is a major factor in non-material resources. Time needs management as well.
Digital resources relate to software and online presence. For most businesses, this is a must-have.
When we’re talking about mobilizing resources, we mean gathering, assessing and activating the resources we need at every stage of the business. I see this done wrong all the time. Many spent too much time and money on the wrong things at the wrong time. This is like discussing the layout of a book without ever having written a single line of text.
The first step in mobilizing resources is about knowing what is needed and where to get it from. The next step is about putting it to work and adding some milestones to measure success. Depending on the resources needed, you might need more or fewer milestones on the way, but you will need them.
The second step is to get the resources into action and watch the progress based on the milestones. This is where the action is and where success is created.
In short, managing resources is about:
- Getting and managing the material, non-material and digital resources needed to turn ideas into action
- Making the most of limited resources
- Getting and managing the competencies needed at any stage, including technical, legal, tax and digital competences
Let’s look at each skill and see what each level will bring you:
Manage Resources (material and nonmaterial)
| Level | Ability |
| 1 | I recognise that resources are not unlimited. |
| 2 | I can appreciate the importance of sharing resources with others. |
| 3 | I can experiment with different combinations of resources to turn my ideas into action. |
| 4 | I can get and manage the necessary resources to turn my idea into action. |
| 5 | I can develop a plan for dealing with limited resources when setting up my value-creating activity. |
| 6 | I can get together the necessary resources to develop my value-creating activity. |
| 7 | I can allocate enough resources to each step of my (or my team’s) action plan and for the value-creating activity (for example, time, finances, and my team’s skills, knowledge and experience). |
| 8 | I can judge the key resources needed to support an innovative idea or opportunity to develop an existing business, launch a new venture, or initiate a social enterprise. |
Use Resources Responsibly
| Level | Ability |
| 1 | I value my possessions and use them responsibly. |
| 2 | I can describe how resources last longer through reuse, repair and recycling. |
| 3 | I can discuss the principles of circular economy and resource efficiency. |
| 4 | I use resources responsibly and efficiently (for example, energy, materials in the supply chain or manufacturing process, and public spaces). |
| 5 | I take into account the non-material cost of using resources when making decisions about my value-creating activities. |
| 6 | I can choose and put in place effective resource management procedures (for example, life cycle analysis, and solid waste). |
| 7 | I can identify the opportunities that use resources efficiently and that the circular economy brings to my organisation. |
| 8 | I can design and put in place innovative ways to lower the overall impact of my value-creating activity on the environment, the community and society, and measure the improvement. |
Make The Most Of Your Time
| Level | Ability |
| 1 | I can recognise different uses for my time (for example, studying, playing, resting). |
| 2 | I value my time as a scarce resource. |
| 3 | I can discuss the need for investing time in different value-creating activities. |
| 4 | I can use my time effectively to achieve my goals. |
| 5 | I can manage my time effectively, using techniques and tools that help make me (or my team) productive. |
| 6 | I can help others manage their time effectively. |
| 7 | I can put in place effective time management procedures. |
| 8 | I can develop effective time management procedures that meet the specific needs of my value-creating activity. |
Get Support
| Level | Ability |
| 1 | I can look for help when I am having difficulty achieving what I have decided to do. |
| 2 | I can identify sources of help for my value-creating activity (for example, teachers, peers, and mentors). |
| 3 | I can describe the concepts of division of labour and job specialisation. |
| 4 | I can find and list public and private services to support my value-creating activity (for example, incubator, social enterprise advisors, start-up angels, chamber of commerce). |
| 5 | I can find digital solutions (for example, free, paid for, or open-source) that can help me manage my value-creating activities efficiently. |
| 6 | I can find support to help me take advantage of an opportunity to create value (for example, advisor or consultancy services, peer or mentor support). |
| 7 | I can effectively delegate tasks within and outside my organisation to make the most value (for example, outsourcing, partnering, acquisitions, and crowdsourcing). |
| 8 | I can develop a network of flexible and responsive providers from outside the organisation who support my value-creating activity. |
