Perserverance

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"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance."
-- H. Jackson Brown, Author



Perseverance, or what I call follow through, is the key ingredient to the success of people and businesses and is lacking in most of the companies I have worked for, or with, over the last 35 years.

It trumps all the issues that hold businesses and their employees back. Money, Time and People are issues that we have solutions for, but tend to start and stop in our attempt to get them implemented.

It is all about habits, clarity, focus, and execution, and a process and rhythm to ensure we follow through and implement the solutions. In short, it is about adopting some new habits.

We tend to develop bad habits that have us reacting all day long. This gets in the way of leading and making the changes necessary to building a profitable, successful business that works for the owner/leader vs. one that relies on her to work.

Albert Einstein, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
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All the best,
Rick W. Wallace

Leadership - Expectations vs. Agreements

According to Jim Collins the author of Good to Great, one of the best business books ever written, to have a great company you have to answer these 3 questions with a yes.

Do we have the right people, doing the right things, right?

Well my coach Steve Chandler has always stressed that you can't get people to do things right through setting Expectations. He believes only in Agreements.

Having trouble managing and leading people - read on - it works!

Human beings were not put on this planet to live up to the expectations of others. They weren't put here for that. They know that deep down. They have a rebellious, free spirit in them that knows it was not put here to live up to another mortal human being's expectations.

Therefore, whenever you use the "expectation" word, you create rebellion, and you create less likelihood that what you expect will happen. Less likelihood by expecting it!!!! So by expecting something, you make it go away--you don't draw it to you. You chase it away because it's toxic, it's cowardly, it's radio-active, it is cancerous. Expectation is.

I can't stress it enough. I've never seen expectations work as sound self-programming. Any kind of positive benefit in any relationship (personal or otherwise) -- I've never seen it work. I've never seen it bring people closer together. I've never seen it make one partner more faithful. I've never seen it do anything, but damage. Terrible damage. Every time it is used inside the human system.

Now what I have seen work beautifully on the other hand, in the other way, is agreements. So the person's late for a meeting. I meet with him and say, "Let's you and I create an agreement and I'll tell you why I'm requesting we create an agreement. I would like to have you at the meeting…the whole meeting from beginning to end every time. You are that valuable to me. You're that important to me. You're that important to the rest of the team. Your strolling in late does not work for me. It's not wrong, it's not unjustified, it simply does not work in what I'm creating. Now let's you and I talk so we can get an agreement; and an agreement is something that works for you, otherwise, I don't want you to agree to it."

So we work on an agreement together, I understand the other person's concerns, they were in another person's meeting that morning that got out late. We find a way to have that not be the case anymore. We agree. We shake hands. We now have an agreement.

If you want people to do something, create an agreement. Don't just "expect" them to do it. They won't. Or, haven't you noticed?

Rekindle that Spirit

Does it seem like everyone is depending on you? Do you get up and love going to work everyday like you did when you started the business?

It's not uncommon for the "Entrepreneurial Glow" to burn out. However, if you're not excited about your products or services, no one else is going to be. And, who wants to buy a product/service they're not enthusiastic about?

Quick tips for regaining your passion:

- Bring in a sandwich, shut the door, turn off the phone and email and write down all the reasons
you love your products or services
- Write down and then tell others the story of Why you became an entrepreneur
(POWERFUL 18 minute video from the author of "Start with Why")

http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html

- Get some Clarity write down what you want your business to look like in 5 years (even if it's
unrealistic... perhaps especially if it's unrealistic!) If you don’t know how the heck do you
expect your employees to know where you are going?
- Read inspirational books, blogs, and articles about small business ownership
- Take time to rejuvenate – yes take a few days off and really get away from the business

Think about it you became an entrepreneur for a reason. And, how you feel about your company is going to be reflected in the risks you'll take, the way you interact with your customers and employees and the amount of money you bring in!

Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald's) said, "If you work just for the money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing, and always put the customer first, success will be yours."

Be passionate! Be excited! Learn to love your business, your customers, and the simple joys of small business ownership. Pass that passion on to your employees and customers, and you'll see a phenomenal difference in the growth and success of your business!

Start with some "kindling" from my Free Recorded Webinar on "Lack of Execution – The Bain of Business" and other free information and articles at
http://www.next-level-coaching.com/

All the best,

Rick Wallace

What we can learn from Louis Oosthuizen?

Louis Oosthuizen is the Champion Golfer of the Year as they say at the British Open. A virtual unknown, but he beat the field by 7 strokes.


The press noticed he had a big red dot on his golf glove. When asked about it he said he needed, “a trigger to get back in the moment, compose…focus on the shot and forget about everything around…”
When asked about sharing this day with his 6 month old daughter one day, he glowingly replied, “I’ll probably try and get…a DVD…and show her the whole thing.”

I think we can all learn a lot from him about improving our business and family life.


Essentially he’s:
- Aware of the potential of distractions that exist and can keep him from his goal
- Has a built in “trigger” to help him focus and play within himself
- Playing for something more than himself.



Clarity, Focus and Execution = a better company. What is your "trigger" to get you focused, motivated and allows you to execute? Go to my wesbite www.next-level-coaching.com and download the free presentation on Lack Of Execution - The Bane of Business it will take this leasson and show you how to come up with your own RED DOT for your business.