Success Built To Last

An excellent book that I have just finished reading is Success Built to Last – Creating a Life that Matters, by Jerry Porras, Stewart Emery and Mark Thompson.

The authors argue that “meaning making” is the primary element, together with thought and action, that produces “success built to last,” both in our lives and in our business.

Here’s a taste of what they have to say:

"Listen up – here's some really bad news: It's dangerous not to do what you love. The harsh truth is that if you do not love what you are doing you will lose to someone who does."

Further, they say that believing in and loving what you do is a primary determining factor in building the successful life.

This is a book that is going to sit on my bedside table for a while so that I can browse.

I recommend that you get yourself a copy and visit their website at Success Built to Last. It’s worth the time.

Holding Myself Accountable To My Purpose

Having a sense of meaning and purpose in my own life is the starting point for the journey of managing, leading and owning a successful business.

This is not a one-off learning experience, but a never-ending process by which we live a life that is examined, renewed and enacted on a daily basis.

The late, great Peter Drucker referred to three key areas of effectiveness for top executives:

1. They understand and attend to the culture of the business.
2. They develop the people around them.
3. They get results.
   

These areas of effectiveness also apply to the successful business person.

Reminding ourselves daily of what really matters to us keeps us accountable in these three essential areas of our business.

We must continually bind ourselves to our Mission, Vision and Values, and by so doing, define our purpose. Next, we must think strategically, and by so doing, formulate the plan that will fulfill our purpose. Finally, we must commit to doing what it takes to make it all happen.

How sure are you about your purpose?

What do you do to hold yourself accountable to it in your business?

Good questions for thought.

Running a Successful Small Business

This week, I was talking to an anxious small shop owner who is really struggling to understand why he is not attracting more customers.

He believes in what he is doing, works very hard and puts in long hours. Despite his efforts, his results are disappointing. Obviously, something is not working for him.

I shared the following advice with him. I told him that in my experience running a successful small business is dependent on having all three of the following key elements firmly in place.

First, you must have the energy that comes from doing the thing you really love and that you really excel at. This strength and passion of yours must be clearly articulated and spelled out in your Mission and Vision statements.

Yet business cannot be run on passion alone. While passion is clearly a key ingredient, just because you love what you are doing and believe that you are offering value for money does not, in and of itself, guarantee that you will be successful.

You must ensure that you add the following two elements to your passion.

Next, you must always be learning. You must have an open mind and develop deep knowledge about every part of yourself and your business. This is a never ending process.

This depth of knowledge must be folded into your own continuing cycles of personal and business development. This ongoing development then informs effective business decisions, your business plan and all of your actions.

And finally, you must have access to sound financial advice. You will not be successful if you do not have someone in your business, or associated with your business, who is a good financial manager or adviser.

Holding Ourselves Accountable

In business, there is nowhere to hide. The successful business person holds himself or herself responsible and accountable for achieving the vision of the business.

This way of thinking and acting moves us beyond seeing ourselves as a victim of circumstances.

Developing this mindset builds confidence and resilience.

There is a wonderful story in a book that I am reading at the moment. The book is Success Built to Last – Creating a Life That Matters, by Jerry Porras, Stewart Emery and Mark Thompson.

In a chapter entitled "Wounds to Wisdom," the authors recount the story of Joe Nichols, a highly successful businessman who has dedicated his life to building a successful business for himself, his family, and his community, despite his quadriplegia.

It is an inspirational account of a man who, against the odds, held himself accountable to his vision and took responsibility for his life.

Success in business means holding ourselves accountable to our mission, vision and values.

Your Most Valuable Asset

There has been a lot written since the 1960’s, in a wide range of business books, about the most valuable asset of a business being measured not purely in financial terms, nor in capital resources, but in the skill, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of the people that are employed in the business.

Jim Collins, in his recent book From Good to Great, makes the observation that it is not people, per se, that are the most valuable assets of a business, but having the RIGHT people.

How do we determine who the right people are for our business?

We must employ people who are able to do the job in the right way. The right way is determined by their fulfilling the Mission and Vision of the business and always acting in keeping with the values of our business.

Their own personal sense of Mission, Vision and Values must be compatible with those of the business.

These fundamental elements shape the employment contract for the effective business person.

You Are Not Alone

In business, we can wrongly assume that we are all on our own. We often hear it said that being the leader can engender feelings of isolation. This is popularly expressed in phrases like, "It's lonely at the top" or "He or she is self made."

However, the highly successful business person knows through experience that this is not necessarily the case.

In his work, Napoleon Hill talks about what he calls a 'mastermind' group. This mastermind group is made up of like-minded people who meet to talk about business concerns and find their way through in achieving business outcomes.

In this way, the most successful business people always have people around them. They have trustworthy people around them who enable them to think through the problems that they face and help them hone their business ideas.

You do not have to be alone in business.

Get the right people around you that you need to succeed. Get yourself a business coach and a range of mentors who will help you with your business success.