What if you simply did MORE of what what’s already working for you?
1. More Powerful Mindset and Goals
2. More Planning and Organization
3. More Lead Generation and Marketing
4. New Levels of Presentation and Conversion
5. New Levels of Enabling Business Systems
What if?
Why not?
Reflecting this morning and giving myself some grace… appropriate for the month of Easter. Sharing my personal coaching notes:
I’ve been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster: transitioning from a group of staff, agents, and B2B partners that I respect and love dearly; to moving full-time into the investments I had with a business partner; and orchestrating a cross-state move all while trying to keep the balance of faith, family, fitness, and finances.
As a type A, I’m not getting the results I want, both personally and professionally. Nothing happens fast enough! (Any testimonials?) Yet in my daily journal, there is one powerful question:
“As a high-performance coach, looking at my business and life from a high level, I would tell myself…”
And this was my note to self this morning:
With all the plans, strategies, goals, innovations, business practices, and culture that make up your life and business, you are getting exactly the results your systems and processes are currently capable of producing – nothing less, nothing more!
Said another way – a system will produce what a system will produce, nothing less, nothing more. Don’t like the result? Be HARD on the system and soft on the people.
Looking to be more outcome-focused? To get better results, you must improve the design and execution of your systems and processes—at the daily detailed checklist level.
The law of cause and effect governs all outcomes. To change an effect or result, you have to change the cause.
There ya go, my testimonial for today.
The top 1% have learned to “learn” outside their personal experience. That is bigger than thinking outside the box! Outside the box thinking, four ways, do you have a preferred way?
A. Think how to invent your way out of the box
B. Think about what you can do with the box
C. Think like there is no box
D. Think like the box has directions, follow them, and be on time and on budget
Leaders make one thing more than any other: decisions.
Every environment has constraints, and the decisions about how time and resources are allocated – about what to do next – drive all outcomes.
How do leaders decide what’s next? Is it based on urgency, proximity, or values?
The top 1% know the first in + first out approach is not an effective strategy; it’s an excuse. Even worse: the squeaky wheel strategy. They minimize the whirlwind.
The top 1% understand that work always expands to fill the amount of time you make available to complete it.
In 1955, Northcote Parkinson came up with the theory that the demand for an economic good expands to match its supply. In economics, this is called “induced demands.” It’s why, for example, expanding roads rarely reduces traffic congestion because more drivers show up to fill those extra lanes.
The same is true for work, hobbies, and school.
Work always expands to fill the amount of time you make available to complete it. For example, if there are six months available to complete a project, you’ll spend six months working on it. Give yourself only one month, however, and you’ll get the same amount of work done in one-sixth of the time.
Some of my top-performing clients and associates have:
The “To-Don’t” List:
Stop doing
Less of
Then the traditional “to-do:”
Start doing
More of
Bonus, I know a few characteristics of successful leaders: a vision that resonates; active vs. passive communication; collaboration with stakeholders; ability to assemble a team that is active vs. passive, effective, and collaborative; level-headed in a crisis; demonstrates integrity and character.
There are two ways to teach someone how to swim:
1. Showing them YouTube videos and telling them about the concept of swimming.
2. Putting them in the pool and helping them try it.
Both have a place, yet the actual experience is critical; the challenge: You might flounder in the pool awhile or discover swimming isn’t your thing and try running.
The bottom line, the top 1% know to scale, you have to let your team members swim and show you what they are capable of.
Leadership
Integrity and character
Integrity – Dependability, Honesty, Trust, Fairness, Responsibility.
Character – Trustworthiness, Respect, Fairness, Citizenship, Courage.
My observation of the top 1%? There is a distinct difference: Character has a range of values whereas integrity is uncompromising.
Open Loops?
An “open loop” can be a message to respond to, a decision you must make, or anything that is pending.
By keeping these “open”, you drain your energy, willpower and limit your ability to focus.
The top 1% make it a habit to close open loops daily. The result? Clarity, focus, and consistent decision-making.
Run the tape at the end of the day and give an account of your outcomes. The top 1% ask, “What was the best outcome I achieved today” and share it with a significant other on a consistent basis.