08:11 am | 1 recommendation | 1 comment
The one question that all business solopreneurs want to ask themselves on a daily basis - (What action will give me the highest return?) is key to staying focused on results.
Too often I see clients get caught up in a tailspin trying to stay ahead of their schedule or to ensure that they are being productive, only to find they are missing things along the way. This is very prominent with executives and solopreneurs. Why? Because 1) they are trying to handle too much of the load to work effectively and 2) they are often working in isolation and that keeps them bound to what they say their schedule is, objective for the day is and bottom-line is. Instead they would likely benefit from drawing on the strengths of others and having a reality check frequently to ensure they are on the right track.
When working with my clients as an Executive Coach we complete 6 questions upfront to get them clear on the direction they are wanting to go, and the potential obstacles in their path. As we further co-create the plan of action they will take to achieving (x) then we begin to design language and behavior modifications that support their goal. During that process, I introduce the question on highest return, and every time I am intrigued by the pause or complacent stare that I get in return. (One of my clients has this clearing of the voice thing he does and even while coaching across the country on a phone line, I can pick up right away when he is unsure of something or stuck.) When those moments happen, it is an opportunity to dig deeper into that stopping point. More often than not the stop is around the notion that they have to pick one action. It doesn't matter that the one action is key to the rest of their day. It doesn't mean they only work one action a day. It doesn't mean they are over simplifying their day either. What it does mean is that we are staying focused together on our agreements made around goals and objectives, and for them it is often focused on the bottom-line.
What I enjoy about the coach/client relationship when it comes to this and so many more powerful questions, I get to witness the breakdown on the way to breakthrough that can be life (and business) altering. When busy, successful, stressed out, overworked, highly valued (or whatever hat they wear for the day) people come to coaching to forward their action in the world, they don't come because something is wrong, they show up because they acknowledge needing support to get to where they envision they are going. What keeps them on track when not working with their coach is in the question. When one has clarity around what they are wanting to produce and how they will have the most success getting there, the action will inevitably follow.
So, as you ponder what your schedule looks like today, as coach I encourage you to ask yourself...What action will give you the highest return? Start your day there and everything else will fall into place.
Tammy Redmon
Executive Coach and Business Growth Strategist
09:29 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment
Now that we are at the half year point for our year, it is time that we take a look at our business performa based on the goals we set at the beginning of this year. As a Business Coach unfortunately I often see this step over looked for the sake of, we have to get more customers in the door, make it bigger, and mover faster to get ‘it.’ The reality is that even if you do all of those things, if you are not completely crystal clear with how well you are tracking, you will spin your wheels in exhaustive peril trying to reach ‘it.’
So what is one to do when they are burning the candle at both ends? How do we stop spinning our wheels in an effort to get ‘it.’ Well for starters, stop. If you as business owner, manager, CEO are working all of the overtime trying to keep things together, you are likely to hit that proverbial wall real soon. It is important that you take time to recharge so that, you can look at all the necessary elements to your business success and put the right people and components in place for success. The Lone Ranger went out with Tonto and for your health and success it is important to put that in perspective. One of perhaps the most difficult things to get across is that the business will be better, the organization will be stronger and the people will likely be happier when the person at the top is balanced. Working endless hours without a strategic vision, a sustainable plan that is based on current and future reality, is futile.
To get to current reality, we must assess our performance. Take an inventory of how we are doing and what still needs to be done and (perhaps most important) alter plan if necessary. I find it to be so interesting that business leaders will be super charged when they know that they are ahead of their goals for the year and adjust up, yet they won’t be willing to redefine goals that they aren’t meeting at the halfway point and adjust accordingly. So what happens, they keep moving toward a goal that at this point is not realistic, ultimately resulting in the feeling of failure for everyone. Be willing to change your goal down just as you would be to adjust it up - that doesn’t mean you failed. It means that you know the state of your business, are realistic with what you can accomplish, and are building in steps toward sustainable success. Always, always, always, look at what you can learn from the wins and loses in your business. This helps for future planning and strategy building. It also supports your employees to feel supported and not condemned, a topic for another time.
Bottom-line
- Assess current reality and Celebrate your wins!
- Determine how we are meeting the mark
- Adjust target if necessary
- Communicate to staff how we are tracking
- Set next 6 months goals in place based on current reality
The value in being totally clear with how we are tracking cannot be gauged in dollars and cents. It is in the feeling of accomplishment, of knowing the current temperature of our company and by being clear on what we ‘need’ to get to our goals.
Enjoy a great second half to 2008!
Tammy Redmon
Business Coach and Growth Strategist
www.redmonandassociates.com
