Man-o-man, did my twitter feeds, Facebook and email explode lately! Shortly after the Supreme Court issued its ruling on the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare), the flood gates were opened. According to the comments, the Supreme Court is either awesome or awful. Today they made either the best decision or the worst decision in the history of decision making. (Ok, I have large diverse group of friends and followers). There were no middle of the road comments; they were heavily weighted to one side or the other. Everyone will be saved or the world is coming to an end. I suspect that many of you probably experienced similar situations.
So how much time did you spend listening, watching and having conversations about the Supreme Court’s decision today? How much time do you think your employees spent discussing the same issue? Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, not much is going to change immediately. Matter of fact, it will probably be 2014 or later before you see any impact from it. A lot can change between now and then. This is what I refer to as FUD’S; or Fears, Uncertainties, Doubts and Suspicions. You get distracted and lose focus on your business and spend time worrying about what “could” happen in the future. Don't let your fears and emotions get the best of you. Stay focused and stay in touch with your customers. They may be experiencing their own set of FUD’s at this time as well. If they see you paying attention to them and their needs and not sweating the things that you can’t control at this point, they may be more relaxed and less stressed about it.
Spend the next 30 days focusing on what you do best! Spend time planning, setting new goals and focusing on what is important for you and your business. If you do just that, at the end of these 30 days, you will be so impressed with what you accomplished, your FUD’s will have an entirely different look about them.
Don't dwell on the Supreme Court decision; focus on your mental state. You can't control their decision, you can control your mindset!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Why Keep Doing What You Don’t Like Doing... and Don't Do Well
Business owner, as your virtual business coach, I formally give you permission to stop doing tasks you dislike doing... and probably stink at doing. Most people wouldn't think this was necessary but both of us know better. Entrepreneurs around the world are caught in a vicious, habitual cycle of doing tasks and roles they dislike and that annoy them, frustrate them, and drain them.
Instead of focusing on their strengths and unique talents (which they do well and which energizes them), most owners persistent in handling the stuff they stink at doing. Why? They don't know better options and because nobody in their world provides them with tough-love coaching and challenges them on the insanity of doing tasks they dislike and don't do well. We'll change that here and now!
So here comes some in-your-face coaching. As a business owner, what do you stink at doing? That's right, let's get a bit negative and real honest to make some progress in your focus, effectiveness and results. What roles or tasks do you truly stink at? What are the things you don't do well? That you dislike doing? What activities drain your energy? What tasks do you routinely tackle at your company that go against your natural talents and abilities? Make a quick list of what you stink at doing. Got it? Good.
If you are like most of my business clients when they first come to me, you probably have dozens of low-value tasks and clutter you painfully and/or incompetently handle each and every day. You just tough it out. Why? Again, because of your habits and limiting beliefs, you know of no other way. Many of these low-value tasks you did at the start of your company and you simply failed to pass them on to others or stop doing them as your company grew. Put simply, your business evolved but your tasks and roles did not.
Odds are, like most owners, you seldom question the importance of the tasks you routinely do and seldom evaluate how wisely you spend your valuable time. Most likely, you just instinctively dive in and start doing. Therefore, you rarely reflect on, prioritize and make adjustments to the countless tasks you handle each and every day...most of them by the way are a true waste of your time, talents and energy. Sadly, you continue to do the wrong type of work. Stop the insanity!
Look carefully at the answers your wrote down on your "Tasks I Stink at Doing" list. If you aren't good at doing these tasks and don't like doing these tasks, why on earth do them? Seriously, are you nuts? Aren't you the owner? Why put up with this approach?
If you have no employees, why not finally hire someone to delegate to or at least outsource some of these tasks to third parties. If you have employees already, aren't there others in the company who could do these tasks better than you, who would enjoy them more than you, and who can do them at cheaper hourly rates than you? Most likely yes! Then give those tasks up. Let go. Dare to change your ways and challenge your habits and assumptions.
Do me a favor. For each task you wrote down on your list, write next to it YOUR COMMITMENT going forward to either drastically DIMINISH, DELETE, DELEGATE or DELAY that task. I know "delay" is a cop out, but if you delay long enough, odds are you will realize that certain tasks are not even necessary or important.
A key part of business coaching is to get owners to do what they do best and shed the rest. To focus on those tasks and roles (unique strengths and abilities) that energize you, excite you, and that you do extremely well, almost effortlessly. Unless you stop focusing on your weaknesses, you can't leverage your strengths.
As the owner, it's time to stop doing the wrong type of work and start doing the right kind of work. Instead of being so eager to do lots of things, be just as eager to drastically DIMINISH, DELETE, DELEGATE, or DELAY those tasks and roles you stink at doing. That will be a great start for better productivity, focus, results, and sanity.
Instead of focusing on their strengths and unique talents (which they do well and which energizes them), most owners persistent in handling the stuff they stink at doing. Why? They don't know better options and because nobody in their world provides them with tough-love coaching and challenges them on the insanity of doing tasks they dislike and don't do well. We'll change that here and now!
So here comes some in-your-face coaching. As a business owner, what do you stink at doing? That's right, let's get a bit negative and real honest to make some progress in your focus, effectiveness and results. What roles or tasks do you truly stink at? What are the things you don't do well? That you dislike doing? What activities drain your energy? What tasks do you routinely tackle at your company that go against your natural talents and abilities? Make a quick list of what you stink at doing. Got it? Good.
If you are like most of my business clients when they first come to me, you probably have dozens of low-value tasks and clutter you painfully and/or incompetently handle each and every day. You just tough it out. Why? Again, because of your habits and limiting beliefs, you know of no other way. Many of these low-value tasks you did at the start of your company and you simply failed to pass them on to others or stop doing them as your company grew. Put simply, your business evolved but your tasks and roles did not.
Odds are, like most owners, you seldom question the importance of the tasks you routinely do and seldom evaluate how wisely you spend your valuable time. Most likely, you just instinctively dive in and start doing. Therefore, you rarely reflect on, prioritize and make adjustments to the countless tasks you handle each and every day...most of them by the way are a true waste of your time, talents and energy. Sadly, you continue to do the wrong type of work. Stop the insanity!
Look carefully at the answers your wrote down on your "Tasks I Stink at Doing" list. If you aren't good at doing these tasks and don't like doing these tasks, why on earth do them? Seriously, are you nuts? Aren't you the owner? Why put up with this approach?
If you have no employees, why not finally hire someone to delegate to or at least outsource some of these tasks to third parties. If you have employees already, aren't there others in the company who could do these tasks better than you, who would enjoy them more than you, and who can do them at cheaper hourly rates than you? Most likely yes! Then give those tasks up. Let go. Dare to change your ways and challenge your habits and assumptions.
Do me a favor. For each task you wrote down on your list, write next to it YOUR COMMITMENT going forward to either drastically DIMINISH, DELETE, DELEGATE or DELAY that task. I know "delay" is a cop out, but if you delay long enough, odds are you will realize that certain tasks are not even necessary or important.
A key part of business coaching is to get owners to do what they do best and shed the rest. To focus on those tasks and roles (unique strengths and abilities) that energize you, excite you, and that you do extremely well, almost effortlessly. Unless you stop focusing on your weaknesses, you can't leverage your strengths.
As the owner, it's time to stop doing the wrong type of work and start doing the right kind of work. Instead of being so eager to do lots of things, be just as eager to drastically DIMINISH, DELETE, DELEGATE, or DELAY those tasks and roles you stink at doing. That will be a great start for better productivity, focus, results, and sanity.
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