Two Tools You Can Use to Get Results
Few things are more valuable than tools that increase your effectiveness, and few things are more difficult than sorting through the myriad options available. Let me share a couple of tools that I strongly recommend to help you narrow your search: For improving your effectiveness in communicating your ideas to others… THINKATURE.com – Ever wished that you had a white board available when you were trying to explain something to someone on the phone? How about a way to share ideas over the internet Read more
Lessons Gleaned
Filed under: Build Business, Get Results, Take Action, Think Strategically
Many of my recent posts have revealed the challenges of the time period we are in with the growth of Big Idea Guru, LLC. I’ve shared the consternation of being lost amid too many choices, suggested the need to think bigger, and tossed out a lot of advice and suggestions about what to do in such situations. But there has been an important gap in my writing herein of late…
Much of it has been more intended to provoke thought rather than to encourage action.
The reason is simple…I have been bogged down while learning some very powerful lessons that I felt the need to share, but I have not been ready to share them. Sometimes you just need to settle in and learn first, then teach what you have learned, and while that is almost impossible for a born educator like me that is what has been required lately.
So what are the lessons that I have gleaned (or in some cases had strongly reinforced) from these recent experiences?
1. It is sometimes too easy to convince yourself that you are on the right path, but that doesn’t mean you are…stepping back and accepting critical feedback is a challenge, but it is the most important thing you can do to make sure you are moving in the right direction.
2. Developing strong relationships are based on trust and mutual respect is a necessary condition for success…without people who can help you to see both the potentials and the pitfalls of your plan, you will never achieve maximum results.
3. Revealing the true potential of your ideas takes a great deal of time and a lot of effort, regardless of how simple it may seem at first…valuable lessons will be gained from false starts and missteps, with progress sometimes coming when you least expect it.
I will stop there. I could add more to the list, but the key points have been made and redundancy might well emerge if I attempted to go further. My hope is that you will find these lessons helpful as you build your business, and that you will remain focused on creating results and keep moving forward…instead of getting bogged down in thinking too much, which can be detrimental to progress in any endeavor.
Thinking too Small?
Filed under: Generate Ideas, Take Action, Think Strategically
Let’s face it. Sometimes now matter how hard you try, your mind will not allow you to expand the possibilities and consider the really big opportunities.
Maybe its fear…fear of the risks you will face, fear of the success that might come about, or just the fear of leaving your comfort zone.
Maybe its inexperience…inexperience in thinking outside the box, inexperience in going beyond where you have always been, or inexperience in whatever it is that you are not allowing yourself to explore on a larger scale.
Or, just maybe, its that you are simply not interacting with the right people, not reading the right books, or not watching and listening to the right information (whether it be from the radio, the television, or various other information and learning sources).
Whatever the cause, let me assure you of one thing: Thinking too small will limit your results, reduce your impacts, and keep you from achieving your true potential. Period. End of story.
From where I sit there is no greater sin than that of not discovering and achieving your true potential, not just for what you will achieve, but for what you will become in the process.
So what can you do?
1. Expand your network…make commitment to connect with at least one new person each week whom will help you to expand your thinking, or perhaps teach you about something you don’t know. Don’t make it difficult, just look around and find a person in your community or your industry and ask them for a few minutes of their time. Let them know you want to learn more about what they do, set an appointment, and make the connection. Listen, learn, and expand your mind!
2. Read more mind expanding content…few things are more abundant than information and the ways to access it seem to expand every day. Books, magazines, websites, blogs, and newspapers all provide content that you can read to expand your mind. If you really want to expand your mind, make a commitment to read publications you would not normally read, and learn to skim to capture the highlights so that you can access a broad array of information quickly. The process will open your mind and the magnitude of the information will bring forth new thoughts, new ideas, and new insights!
3. Watch and listen to more powerful messages…books on tape, podcasts, online videos, and tele-seminars are powerful tools for accessing information, many of wich can be consumed on the go. Search online for programs that fit your areas of interest, or better yet, that intrigue you because you don’t know as much about them as you would like to know…download them for watching and listening at your convenience, and reap the benefits of a broadened perspective!
There you have it. Three simple, easy action steps that can help you expand your thinking and lead you to explore new possibilities as you take the next steps along your journey to unlock your true potential…why not get started today?
A Matter of Congruity
Filed under: Communicate Clearly, Lead People, Take Action, Think Strategically
Words like character, honor, integrity, honesty, and trust are used to describe it. But no matter how you refer to it, you no doubt realize its importance: If people cannot count on you to do the things you say you will do, to live up to your promises, and to interact with them in an honest and forthright manner, they will quickly move away; and they will seldom be silent.
That is the essence of congruity. It is not found in the words you say, but it is demonstrated in the actions you take. Because as Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
Across the past few weeks the subject of congruity has surfaced in my observations, conversations, and interactions in a way that has illustrated the sharp contrasts between those who are congruent and those who aren’t.
Let me briefly illustrate.
Recently I was watching a speaker at a conference and sensing that the message didn’t match the man. It was more than a gut feel, it was something almost tangible…gaps in the stories that didn’t ring true when taken as a whole, an insincerity and lack of respect for the audience that was almost palpable, and an obvious mismatch of actions off-stage versus actions on-stage.
I should note that though this speaker is not a personal acquaintance, his work is very familiar to me…it is often held up as an example of success in his industry, and chances are that if I shared his name you would recognize it. But without any prompting on my part in the weeks since hearing him speak, no fewer than six people have mentioned his name to me, and in every case it has been to share something that confirms my impression and heightens my concern.
One person strongly cautioned me about engaging in any type of business relationship with him. Two others shared their observations regarding the lack of congruity between the person he is off-stage and the person he is on-stage. The next noted his obvious lack of respect for the people he serves, and the last two identified specific personal experiences where his business dealings have been less than honest.
In stark contrast, during this same time period, there is another person with whom I have interacted who is clearly at the opposite end of the spectrum with regard to congruity. He is one who walks his talk, who is the same person on-stage that he is off-stage, and who is spoken highly of by everyone who mentions his name.
Which one of these men do you think will achieve more success and have more impact in the long term? And more important, which one are you becoming more like each day?
Simplicity in Threes
Filed under: Get Results, Take Action, Think Strategically
We’ve talked before about the power and importance of simplicity. Now let’s take it one step further by incorporating the power of threes…
So as you look to simplify your business and increase both effectiveness and efficiency, apply these simple rules…
1. When evaluating alternatives for any decision, consider three alternatives, no more, no less. If you have more, eliminate and consolidate to focus attention on the three most important relative to the decision you are making.
2. When creating action plans, define three steps that you will take to create a clear pathway to success. With a limited number of action steps you increase the chance of them being achieved, and you increase the level of engagement of everyone because the objectives are clear and specific.
3. When examining problems, identify three possible causes or three specific symptoms, and develop solutions for each before making your final decision. You’ll make better decisions, and you’ll deepen your understanding of the problem which will help you prevent future problems.
Bottom Line: Try this for a month and see what happens…chances are when you leverage the power of threes and simplify everything, you’ll see a definite improvement in results at all levels!
A WORD OF WARNING: Don’t use this concept artificially to simply organize longer lists into subsets of threes…force yourself to simplify and focus in on ONLY three options!
Great Web Applications for Business
Filed under: Build Business, Generate Ideas, Take Action, Think Strategically
One of my promises to the readers of this blog is to share information that you can use. I came across this great list of applications you can use to grow your business. I encourage you to take a look at see which ones would work best for you!
Even if you are not yet in a position to utilize some of these tools, the simple exercise of looking them over will be enlightening, mind expanding, and interesting…so block out a few minutes and start looking!
Here’s the link:
http://www.avivadirectory.com/entrepreneur-apps/
Please take a moment to share your insights, reactions, and thoughts in the comment section!
Read these Magazines–Every Month!
Over the years one of the most powerful ways that I have found to come up with new ideas is to read a wide variety of magazines on a broad array of topics. The positive impacts on my creativity are powerful and I thoroughly enjoy the process.
At the same time, there are a few core magazines that I do my best to read all of the time because they stimulate me within the areas that I work, namely growing businesses and leadership. Here are two that I strongly recommend and urge you to add to your regular reading:
Business 2.0. The strong theme used in each issue of this magazine makes it a powerful tool for learning and staying abreast of new developments in business. The February issue bordered on brilliant in its treatment of the hows and whys of businesses going green. To say that the information was enlightening is an understatement…find a copy and read it! Better yet, subscribe so you don’t miss an issue.
Fast Company. If you enjoy the business of growing a business and want to keep abreast of current developments, this is a magazine you need to read. Its consistent focus on ‘what’s next’ will pump up your creative energy and give you some new perspectives. This is a must read, need I say more?
If you have any magazines that you strongly recommend for entrepreneurs, growing business leaders, and independent professionals, please post them as a comment…I always welcome the chance to find new ways to create better ideas!!
Why is Everybody so Paranoid?
The title of this post might seem bit odd, but it is the only phrase that describes the phenomenon that I am seeing as I work with businesses in various industries today. Here’s where it comes from.
Frequently at some point during the facilitation of a strategic planning effort, we will conduct a survey of employees. The goal of these surveys is to gain employee insights regarding the current culture within the company, the openness of communication channels within the company, and their perspectives regarding where the company should be headed in the future.
At the outset we structure the surveys so that they can be delivered to the employees anonymously, so that employees can respond anonymously, and so that we can gain some insights into how operations differ across locations within the business. Of course, that last objective tends to create concerns regarding whether the anonymity will really be protected when the results are shared, and that’s where the paranoia emerges.
Invariably when the e-mail announcing the survey is sent, someone responds to me almost immediately asking if we are truly serious about protecting the identities of the respondents. My response is that we have sent the survey anonymously, but we have no way to track who has received it, and that we have no desire to track the respondents. I confirm that the goal of the planning team is simply to gain the insight of those who work on the front lines in the business so their perspectives are considered in developing the vision for the future of the business.
And here’s where the irony really begins. Some of the employees who doubt that their anonymity will be protected opt to print out the form, then mail me their completed survey with a signed note and a return address label that includes their name. Other concerned employees will call me and ask me a series of questions, sometimes intended to trip me up and make me reveal that we are not actually protecting their identities, and in the process they often will share specific comments that make it impossible for me to not know who said what in the survey.
So what’s my point?
First, when employees are as concerned as they seem to be about protecting the anonymity of their input regarding organization, it tells me loud and clear there are serious problems within the organization. Most often these are tied to communication, and more often than not to specific individuals who are simply not trusted.
Second, not how clearly you state your intentions and how many times you give assurances to people, they are likely to doubt what you are saying until they receive some sort of proof. In these types of situations, the proof usually occurs in surveys conducted in future years…the questions disappear and the candor increases after people have seen firsthand that their input was indeed heard and considered.
Third, if you are not asking people on a regular basis what they think, they will tend to wonder why you suddenly want to know, and that creates uncertainty that can be uncomfortable for them. This may in fact be one of the real issues that we are seeing with the kinds of surveys that I am discussing here. Because the questions have not been asked before, the employees wonder what follows the inquiry.
Fourth, no matter how you set up the process, it is imperative that you provide people with a way to share their thoughts, opinions, and ideas in a way that does not feel threatening to them. It is even more important that you make sure they can see that the things they have said were in fact considered, and that you keep the lines of communication open along the way.
Finally, if you have not experienced such a process, let me encourage you to secure input from your team in some systemmatic way on a regular basis. If you hve a small organization, simply conduct a series of one on one meetings. If you are large enough to do a survey, hire a consultant who is familiar with the process and conduct one each year, or more often if you can. It is a great way to open up the lines of communication and to learn what people are thinking…which allows you to lead them more effectively.
One Important Caveat: While I am proponent of asking and listening, I urge caution in how you respond to what you hear. All of the feedback will not be good, and some of it may even be divisive. The key is how you handle what you hear and what you do to protect the messengers. It is also important to make sure that what you learn goes beyond individual biases and concerns…you want to tackle the stuff that gets in the way of productivity, not the stuff that is just grumbling and noise.
Simplicity Works!
Filed under: Build Business, Expand Market, Get Results, Lead People, Take Action
We hear about it in business all of the time. Simplify. Focus. Do what you do best and leave the rest to others. Or, as Peter Drucker put it, “Stick to your knitting.”
Indeed one of the toughest decisions any business owner faces is deciding what the business is not going to do. It is easy to add products and services, to consider pursuing additional customers in markets where you are not currently operating, and to expand the scope of everything you do. But it is very difficult to say no, particularly when you are first starting out.
Yet time after time we see businesses that made that tough decision and said “No” succeeding on a major scale. Last week I encountered one in a little place called Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
This business is the definition of simplicity…
The menu is simple…they offer burgers, hot dogs, fries, and drinks. There are several condiments and add-ons that you can put on your burger or your hot dog, and there are large and small sizes, but that’s it. There are no chicken sandwiches, no salads, no other choices…just burgers, fries, hot dogs, and drinks.
The staffing is simple…there are five people working in the business. One takes orders and gives you a drink cup for the self-service beverage area, one makes up the burgers and puts them on the grill, one manages the cooking of the burgers, another takes the burgers off the grill and wraps them, and the fifth one cooks the fries and takes the completed orders to the counter. They manage to work the hot dogs into the process along the way and periodically one makes a sweep through the dining room to keep things clean.
The layout is simple…you walk in the front door and follow a direct path to the order area. After placing your order you move to the beverage station and fill your cup, then you find your table and wait for your number to be called. When your order is ready it is passed to you over the counter. When you finish there are convenient garbage containers in two locations for you to bus your table.
Even the name is simple…there is something to be said for being able to depict your entire business in the name of your business, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries pretty much says it all for this business. It not only tells you what they serve, but also how many of them are involved in preparing it for you and serving it to you.
Enough said. Your action step should be obvious…take a look at everything you do and ask how you can simplify it by narrowing the choices, how you can assign tasks based on stages in the service process, and how you can keep the process simple for both employees and customers. There is magic to be found in the right combination–have you found yours yet?
Thanks Tom, You Made My Day!
If you had the chance to my post about my hotel experience in California last week, you probably cannot imagine that it could have gotten any worse. You would, however, have been wrong, I am sad to say.
But don’t worry. I’m not going to bore you with the details–we have already learned the lessons from that experience, and at this point it is time for me to share my complaints with people who can do something about them.
I do however, want to continue to discuss ideas related to service by sharing an experience on the trip home that was the polar opposite of the hotel debacle, and this time I am naming names and giving credit to the company.
Believe it or not, this is a story of service on an airline…US Airways to be specific. It is a story of how one person tranformed my day simply by doing one simple thing that turned a routine flight into satisfying experience.
For comfort when flying from coast to coast I use my frequent flier miles to upgrade to first class whenever possible so that I can get some work done during the long flight. On my way home from California, that put me in seat 2B on a flight from Oakland to Phoenix.
When I boarded the plane and took my seat, I was immediately greeted by a smiling gentleman who soon came to my seat, addressed me as Mr. Hudson, introduced himself as Tom, and indicated that it would be his pleasure to serve me today.
The odd thing is, though I know this was a scripted response, it was so genuine that it literally turned my day around.
And within this story are two quick lessons for any business:
1. There is power in using your customer’s name. If you have a way of knowing their name in advance and can use it when you first make contact you will distance yourself from just about every competitor out there. And the deferential use of a salutation like Mr., Ms., or Mrs. adds an extra level of specialness to the experience for the customer.
2. It is important to create scripts and prescribe processes to ensure consistency of service delivery. Perhaps even more important is to train people to be genuine in delivering the scripted message. Tom made a difference because I had no doubt that he meant what he was saying, not because he used the words he had been told to use.
Action Step: Review your initial points of contact and look for ways to increase your impact in connecting with your customers. Use their names and make them feel special, show them you genuinely appreciate their business and that you want to serve them, and you will see results in the form of customer satisfaction, customer referrals, and customer loyalty!
