Get a clear picture of what you want during this transitional time.
By Kevin D. Crone
For a year, I've been talking to business people through the Monday Morning Mentor about growing their business during uncertain times.
· How to find new customers
· How to keep the ones you have happy
· How to refurbish your offering
· How to engage and connect their people
· Find and manage talent
· How to create a climate of focused action!
· Be a more effective leader
The sad truth is, few are able to afford spending any real serious time improving when their time is being pulled daily towards bailing out the boat to stay afloat.
Those companies who haven't been affected severely by the meltdown probably have a plan to keep things going as usual and you can see why. They feel good and they ride it out. They don't change too much. The leaders are thinking, "Keep my job" and focusing on having balance, vacation a little more, whatever, since they don't have to bail the boat out, they don't want to rock it.
But that's probably 23 to 26% of companies and business people - good times can mask problems.
The rest are at a point where they are beginning to see the problems and realize what needs to be changed but were lulled to sleep (like the aforementioned 23 to 26% group could be now) in the good times. Now they are either depressed with the thought of so many changes needed or are getting fighting mad and want to transition their business toward the upswing.
I hope you are fighting mad and you are ready to do something. I've always been impressed by Dale Carnegie's assertion that people lose fear, shed their shackles of conservation and passivity when they get fighting mad. The passion comes out. No more! Let's fix this place now, you say!
There are too many stories of blood, sweat and tears from over worried, exhausted business owners and managers who have excelled at survival and bailing competencies.
The fear of negative consequences hold more people back from realizing their careers or total businesses potential and success than any one thing. This concept can freeze our minds.
Your success, and mine, will always be determined by the actions we take to figure out what needs to be done and t do it, to act on using predictable, repeatable, simple methods that make sense. And to not get bluffed out thinking everything is too complicated or too much work or too many hassles to handle. Why begin when you hear many gurus, writers, consultants spout out their theories and academic knowledge it does sound too complicated. Too often they are just creating the pain which results in their success - not necessarily yours.
The daily dance to keep bailing or to stay on plan will bog us down, no question. It's up to us to say enough is enough.
We need to take a deep breath, take a hard look into the proverbial mirror and check our guts.
It's not enough to help run an efficient business, we need to craft a simple transition plan - and find a way to get people around you focused on what needs to be done.
Get a clear picture of what you want during this transitional time. I'll bet this picture will be more simple and practical and fundamental than a year ago.
For example, number of clients you want to talk to, a compelling story to old clients, a more engaged team, more current receivables, changing up your team, a way to keep old prospects warm, keeping your talent, finding new talent, cash management or a better sales process.
Then take a walk down the reality side like never before. Check your opinions, all your old views and strategies that control your ability to see reality - yes, and even your ego. Oh my gosh, yes, your ego!
Look long enough so that you have a baseline of how it is now ie. what is your present sales process, how do you keep your old customers happy, what receivables now, what is your unique proposition and story to your market that matches the markets motivations, how do you reach the market now, how many old customers do you reach, what is the customer feedback, how competent is your management team, how do you engage your team now, what is your cash management like?
Now if you're fighting mad, you'll actually listen to facts, data and will push aside any natural instincts for awhile, long enough to really see what's going on so that you know what actions you need to focus on to move forward toward what you want.
Don't listen to a laundry list of what everyone around you says is what needs to change. Start with what you want - then take the trip down reality and then create the list of focused actions. You'll never get to a lot of items anyway.
Then it's time to refocus on a few priorities, sequential steps that will take you from where you are at to where you want to go.
Actions:
1) If you are a C-Level executive, department head or business owner, get at this. Make sure it is aligned with the company's business strategy, then proceed.
What are the 3 or 4 strategies and subsequent actions? Write them down on one piece of paper.
What are the goals/targets for each strategy? Maybe your overall business strategy should be reviewed later, but right now you are transitioning from bailing the boat out every day to making it stable for awhile.
2) If you can delegate one initiative to each of your key people, do it, then make sure they report on activities weekly and results monthly. Make sure they get an "A" adequate or "I" inadequate on results every month.
3) Have each manager set new target goals for the following quarter by holding a huddle by way of a progress report on hitting the goal for each strategy. Again, an "A" or "I" is given (you may tie in some bonuses here). All the discussions and dialogues on your quarterly huddle is around capturing defining possible issues, learning’s and barriers, determining how to overcome them and to determine new outcomes for the next quarter. This is a learning as well as a planning meeting. Don't become a "Hitler" momentum killer and subsequently cause little learning, enthusiasm and creativity. It will work on its own. At the end of each huddle, everyone gives their goals, reports on their learning’s and what they are going to do next to achieve them.
You don't have enough resources right now to be grabbing at straws. Grab 4-5 hours now and get Action #1 going - on your own or in a team. There are people to guide you through much of this. The benefit is they are objective, aren't caught up with internal issues and can help bring up truths and reality.
If you aren't moving forward, find someone to help you.
You are either going to be a "wussy", feeling sorry for yourself, a little depressed and disengaged or a fearless, focused business person in action with a clear plan, energized getting ready for the upswing.
Which are you? Let's hope your hockey team has a good season and there are no "wussies" on it!
Kevin D. Crone
CEO
Dale Carnegie Business Group
BusinessNext Inc.
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Precision Recruiting
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