Transformational Change

The beginning of creating the right kind of culture for my business starts inside of me. My mission, my vision and my values create the character of my business.

We must continually keep ourselves aligned with the value base that we have created and make sure that we hold ourselves accountable and responsible to it. All of our actions then set the tone of what we expect from others around us.

Transformational change in our business must begin with first making the desired transformational change in ourselves.

Yet, it is often hard to change. It can be costly. It can also be painful. It invariably requires hard work and commitment on our part. It requires holding ourselves to high standards and an even higher level of achievement.

However, this kind of commitment and dedication at the personal level is crucial if we are to pursue excellence in everything that we do at the business level.

Mediocrity is easy. Excellence is tough.

Operating at a higher level for long periods of time can wear you down, particularly when you seem to be standing still. The thing you must realize is that you are not standing still. Positive changes are happening. They may be indiscernible at first, but they are happening.

It can often be helpful to glance back, momentarily, to remind ourselves of where we have come from and recognize the progress that movement indicates.

Going forward then, the key question that must be addressed daily to deliver the transformation that I strive for in my business is:

“What are the critical shifts that I must make in my own life to deliver the results that I want in my business?”

Success in Business is About the Quality of Our Relationships

One of the frustrations we frequently encounter in business is the sense that things are moving more slowly than we would like.

Lead generation is time consuming and ineffective; sales numbers are not as robust as expected; customers are not paying their accounts on time.

We just can’t seem to achieve the results that we have targeted in our business plan.

The speed at which we are able to accomplish our goals relies on sustaining our own motivation at a high pitch. This means looking after ourselves physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. It means maintaining the quality of the relationships we have with the people around us.

It takes time and effort to build credibility and trust with other people. Trust is based in a genuine exchange of value for value. It is always a two-way street. We do what we say we will do, we show that we care about the other person, and these actions are then reciprocated. We must talk to each other constantly.

The power and quality generated by our relationships, affiliations and friendships will deliver momentum and lasting, ongoing results in our business.

Therefore, we are best served by spending our time and energy on those relationships where there is mutual trust and benefit.

By staying focused and centered on our own values and being single-minded in our relentless pursuit of our mission, our critical objectives will ultimately be achieved.

The Power of Vision

In order to succeed, the business person must have a clear sense of Vision.

Ken Blanchard in his book, Leading at a Higher Level, devotes an entire chapter to the power of Vision in a business.

He poses the question, "Why is it important for leaders to have a clear vision?"

The answer, "because leadership is about going somewhere."

Too often in life, as well as in business, people do not know where they are heading or they do not pay enough attention to where they want to end up.

They lose their way or end up in a place that they do not want to be.

Vision is critical. We must know where we are headed and what we want to achieve.

Sometimes business ventures fail because the people in them failed to understand their own personal Mission, Vision and Values. They failed to live it themselves. They did not instill it into their own business. They did not tell the people around them what it was.

Vision sets us on the right path and constantly reminds everyone in our business about the things that matter most to us. Vision is the sign post that keeps our business on the path to high performance. Never underestimate the power of Vision.

Do You Have A Business Coach?

We all look at the world through the lens of our own experience, our own knowledge and our own values.

These naturally become the filters through which we make decisions. In business, it is important to understand these filters, as they color what we say and do.

In order to improve our own performance and decision making, we must thoroughly test and analyze the assumptions that we make about our business, as well as understand the impact of our personal filters.

One of the great benefits of having a business coach and other business mentors is that they enable us to evaluate our actions in light of our own assumptions. By offering a fresh perspective, they help us recognize any bias or limitation that may be the result of our personal filters.

A good business coach listens to us, has our best interests at heart and gives us honest feedback.

A business coach is someone we trust, someone we can discuss ideas with, someone who questions us, and by so doing, sharpens our own insight and allows us to build our own inner strength.

Do you have a business coach?

If you want to be at your best in your business and thereby achieve excellence in your life, it is essential that you do.