What’s Growth?

In the last couple of months I’ve attended multiple Peer Groups, business meetings, and seminars. With these terrific experiences comes the opportunity to have powerful conversations with highly intelligent business owners, managers and front-line team members. From these interactions we’re able to learn a great deal about other people’s perspectives as well as explore, understand, and challenge our own.

Many companies have experienced some top-line sales pullbacks, while others have been enjoying tremendous growth despite the current economic environment. I know that the bulk of companies in our industry have had more challenges than celebrations in recent months. This can be both good and/or bad, but it all depends on how you view the situation, what responsibility you take for it, and the actions and systems you implement because of it. Some of the companies that are currently having “better” than average months are doing so because of changes they implemented several months ago. 

“Better” months in the future are created by decisions and actions you’re taking today, regardless of last month’s results. Thriving companies make powerful and sometimes “difficult” daily decisions in order to improve themselves and their organizations. We often think that positive outcomes are only created based on the weather or having a few big, profitable jobs. This can be true short-term, and we all love the perfect dispatch board, but ultimately success is ALWAYS the product of focused leadership.

As a leader, you must constantly challenge yourself and your perspective regarding what future growth means to you. What does your vision and mission look like? Do you need to revise your business plan because you have developed different goals or plans for your life? Are you still making business decisions based on a climate that is no longer your current reality? Let me be clear: I’m not advocating changing your goals every time you experience resistance, but I see many owners and top leaders get stuck in a mindset that no longer serves themselves or the organization.

If you’ve been in business or a leadership position for any period of time, you can probably identify some actions that could be taken in order to move your company forward. However, a clearly defined growth strategy determines what actions you’ll be willing to take in order to achieve your objectives. Challenge yourself today. Ask some pointed questions. What does growth mean to you? Why aren’t you taking some massive actions in areas that you know deep down you could be?

We owe it to ourselves, our families, and our teams to continue to “grow” as leaders. As you are thinking about growth, consider two words that are included in every textbook definition: gradual increase. Effective growth is created by gradual increases. This concept is often ignored, yet crucial for efficient growth planning, regardless of the platform.

As you work through the growth process, remember that the success or failure you are feeling today has to do with actions you took weeks, months, and years ago. Growth is a process, my friends. I’m not enjoying the economic downturn any more than the next person, but I’m choosing to learn everything I can about myself, my team, and my clients in the process. I know that how I respond today may not show up in tangible results for many days to come, but this is the power of gradual increase. You are either moving closer to what you truly desire, or further away…gradually.

Where’s Your Mojo?

I was playing golf the other day and had an interesting experience. I had somehow become a much better player in the three weeks since my last game. I was completely relaxed, had no tension, and just “felt” that I was doing the right things at the right time. Able to hit most shots right where I wanted, putt with correct speed and alignment, and score better than ever before, I had something special happening. Why? I hadn’t practiced at all since my last round, I hadn’t changed anything with my swing (that I was consciously aware of), but for some reason I was in a different state of mind, and my performance showed it. What I had found and was executing is what I call “Mojo.”

You’ve seen evidence of it in individuals, teams, markets, and have probably experienced it for yourself at one time or another. Mojo. What is it? How can you get it? How can you keep and increase it once you’ve got it? These are questions we should all be asking in our leadership roles today. We can’t possibly expect our team or company to develop Mojo if we don’t understand and cultivate it for ourselves first.

In Marshall Goldsmith’s book entitled MOJO, he defines it as “That positive spirit toward what we are doing now that starts from the inside and radiates to the outside.” The most powerful part of his definition to me is: “…that starts from the inside and radiates to the outside.” We often look at our lives, leadership, and companies, seeking something external to help us gain clarity, direction, focus, or desire.

We must create our own Mojo! Think about your own situation for a moment. What are the areas that you know you’re not consistently bringing enough positive spirit to the table? What are some actions you could take now that will put you in a better state of mind to handle the current challenges/opportunities you are facing? As we all know, the business environment has changed tremendously, so our actions must follow accordingly.

Mojo is about creating new, positive habits to replace existing, negative habits that no longer serve you. I completely agree with the words of Warren Buffet: “Habits are like chains that are too light to feel, until they are too heavy to be broken.” Habits become stronger over time whether they serve you or not. It all begins with self-awareness. The only way to know if you’ve got Mojo or not, is to be conscious of what your actions and feelings are in the moment. When I was golfing, I “felt that I was doing the right things at the right time.” In order to increase Mojo, you must be aware of fluctuations in your feelings and energy as you move throughout your daily activities. Are you consistent, or do you let certain tasks bring you down and squash your Mojo? If you’re not mentally where you want to be, simply take responsibility to change your thoughts and actions. 

If you want to increase Mojo, positive behavior, and results, you must realize and believe that it begins and ends with you. You are “radiating” thoughts, feelings, and actions to your team members, clients, and peers all the time. The question becomes, are you radiating the positive spirit and energy that you want to? Challenge your perspective, and know that you have the tremendous power to create your desired path and destiny. 

You have chosen leadership, you have chosen to be a member of a team, and you have chosen your current situation, whether you believe it or not. Now is the time to make the positive changes you want. Get to it! Increase your Mojo and positive spirit to create the new results you desire!

Power Choices 

Sarah was a great team member. She was always reliable, consistently on time, and really cared about our organization and clients. Sarah had been a manager of ours for over ten years. She was “loyal,” and we felt that we should have that same loyalty to her. However, her performance was becoming an issue. She wasn’t growing in her position or adapting to the company’s changing needs.

My General Manager brought this subject to my attention a few months ago, and I did what most company leaders would have done. I addressed the easiest aspects of her performance first – the positive ones.   The problem with this approach, however, is that it failed to acknowledge the real issue at hand – her overall contribution.

As we discussed Sarah’s performance, I thought, “maybe she needs more training, maybe she’ll come around, maybe we haven’t given her enough”.  I focused the questions that I was asking my GM around those thoughts, failing to ask the sometimes “difficult” questions that would have led to a timely, efficient power choice.  Even though deep down we knew what needed to happen, we held on to a team member that needed to move in a different professional direction in her life.  When you’re not afraid to ask the tough questions, it becomes clear what actions need to be taken in order to propel your business forward.

Power choices lead to powerful results.  After more time and deliberation, we finally made a power choice and asked Sarah to leave our company. Immediately, things began to change and people took notice. At a heightened level, team members were realizing how committed we are to the health and growth of our organization. We restructured some responsibilities in the office and began to recognize previously unnoticed talents in our team members. The real cream began rising to the top.

As leaders and managers, our team members will only be as good as we encourage and allow them to be, but we cannot take action for them. They’ve got to want it. They’ve got to have a burning passion to be the best they possibly can, and this will only happen if we lead them by example. Once we set the desired example, they need to have the initiative to take the corresponding actions. Sometimes their internal desire to remain in a certain position wanes and they don’t even realize that it happened. This is a fairly normal occurrence, since people and organizations both change over time. Hasn’t your organization changed a lot over the last several years? It’s up to the leader to recognize fluctuations, address them, make power choices, and take the necessary corrective actions.

We have the opportunity to make power choices every day. We often think that today’s small actions won’t matter much, and we can make big changes in the future. This is a complete fallacy. What we do today matters, even if it seems insignificant in the greater scheme of things. The questions we ask ourselves and our team today help us make informed decisions and necessary adaptations in the future. If you haven’t noticed, the game has changed, and is continuing to change.

During the period that Einstein was an active professor, one of his students came to him in disbelief and said: "The questions on this year's exam are the same as last year’s!" "True," Einstein said, "but this year all answers are different." As leaders, this principle applies to us and the daily power choices that we make. If the answers have changed, then our choices need to reflect these changes. Once we embrace the constant evolution of our companies, instead of resisting it as I did with Sarah’s situation, we see tremendous improvements in culture, productivity, and profit.  Not only did our company benefit from a power choice, but Sarah is much happier now that she’s no longer in a role that doesn’t fit her.

What an amazing opportunity we have to positively impact our companies and enhance people’s lives each and every day.

Leadership Momentum 

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak for one of the most successful PHC companies in the United States. This is an organization that is experiencing incredible growth in the middle of widespread economic challenge. This is also a company that is continuing to train, profit, and increase market share in spite of what’s happening in the world around them. Spending some time with their team, I noticed a distinct type of energy. Not the typical kind of energy that is always present, but rather a deeper, more focused energy that tells you something bigger is at work, helping to move things forward. This company’s situation is not as unique as you might think. There are similar organizations in varying industries all over the world that thrive regardless of conditions, while the majority struggle to make payroll.

As a student of prosperity and results, I asked myself, “What makes these consistently successful companies different?” They compete in the same markets, experience the same challenges, and offer the same or similar products as their competition, but for some reason they are able to succeed. Many factors help these companies flourish, but the thing they all have in common is positive momentum.

Momentum is one of the most powerful laws in the universe. Positive momentum can be used to our benefit, but negative momentum can also be at work, pushing us farther away from our goals. Merriam-Webster defines momentum as “strength or force gained by motion or through the development of events.” Most of us do not recognize the presence of momentum right now because leads are down, call counts have dwindled, and the game might have changed. Guess what? These things are also a result of momentum working in a less desirable direction.

I want to focus on positive momentum, which begins with an organization’s leadership. It is up to us as leaders to set the productive, energetic tone for our people and keep it alive until it is able to build upon itself and move forward independently. Momentum takes tremendous commitment and discipline. It is a daily choice to create a positive environment based on deliberate actions and proactive decisions.  When leaders do what is necessary and remain committed to their forward-moving actions, positive momentum will begin to take hold and grow.  The results are not always instantaneous, but the eventual benefits are extraordinary.

Anthony Robbins said, “The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum.” Our companies are in different places with varying challenges, but we do share one common denominator. We are in the people business. As leaders, we’re looking at statistics, KPI’s, analytics, and doing everything we think that we can in order to achieve a better result. When we become immersed in our daily duties and routines, sometimes we lose sight of the bigger vision, which is centered around people.

Once again, I would like you to think about the larger vision you hold for your organization. Why do you go to the office every day? Why do your people come to your company for employment?

Next, clarify how your vision helps others. Concentrating on helping others to succeed can inspire you to take action and stay focused on your goals. Recognizing your vision as a noble cause will help you increase your energy and passion to get the momentum going – and keep it going in the positive, productive direction that you desire.