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Make a Decision and Take Action!
How are you progressing with the goals you set yourself this year?
Have you made a start? Or are you still thinking about it or caught the very popular "I'm too busy" epidemic?
Mary's Story
Mary runs her own publishing company employing...
Six Components Of A Good E-Commerce Site
Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing business on the Internet, should think seriously about their position! If you are one of them, chances are there, that you have to pay dearly for your indecision as you might lose...
Staying Sane For Small Business Owners
Your lunchtime thoughts are comprised of brilliant marketing strategies and anxiety over bill payments. You’re the CEO, human resources director, janitor, and administrative assistant all wrapped up into one. You open the doors at dawn and lockup...
The Care and Feeding of Your Small Business
While I was hard at work last week, an everyday drama was
playing out in a hospital room in the next town. My niece was
working on presenting me with a new great nephew. Tyler James
came into the world Thursday afternoon, mother and child...
What Happened? Troubleshooting Poor Response from Ad Campaigns
Too many small business owners today run ad campaigns that get little to no results, and they have no idea why. When you have the knowledge to troubleshoot the poor responses, you also have the knowledge to make the needed changes so that - next...
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Sustaining Growth in Your Business
Sustaining Growth in Your Business
What gets measured gets done.
How do you keep your business growing? How do you ensure the health of your business and your personal income against threats from competition, market cycles, commission payout changes, regulation of all kinds, and the human threat of complacency?
The answer isn’t to run faster on the same treadmill. The laws of physics say you can maintain a steady speed and still accelerate by changing direction. Since you’re already traveling at top speed in your business and personal life, you can get the acceleration you need by making small changes in the direction you’re taking. It’s hard to foresee what those changes will be, but they will reveal themselves if you regularly devote some time to thinking and working on your business, not just in your business. A professional is constantly learning and improving through reading, professional education (an annual requirement in some professions), research etc. Coaching is a very personal and effective means of keeping a perspective on what’s happening and “noodling” with someone else what your growth options are. Without a second perspective you sometimes “can’t see the forest for the trees.” The top professionals in sports and business have a coach or mentor they trust to help them improve their game.
I use a simple set of questions with my clients. These questions focus attention on the gap between what clients know and what they do. Whether my coaching is only once a month or as often as once a week, these
questions apply. Try them yourself -- or with a coach -- to see their power.
Self-Coaching Questions
Begin by writing the completion of these “Sustainment Statements” every week. I recommend a weekly period to give them urgency and to help maintain your momentum. Feedback on a weekly basis is more effective than it is over a longer period of time.
Sustainment Statements
For the next week I will …… (Be very specific)
So that ….. (What is the outcome and benefit?)
The results will look like this ….. (If you can’t describe it, how will you know it happened?)
After the first week you ask, “What have I done to make progress in …”
How well or how much did I do (rate yourself 1-5)
What will I do next? __________ (pick your next step toward a certain goal or direction)
So that …
The results will look like this …
Next, find someone to “check your homework.” Who is going to keep you on track? I began offering a tickler service to clients who want to do self-coaching in addition to using my regular coaching services. Repeating this questioning process weekly will make weekly improvements to your business. If you want to make regular progress, get someone or something you are accountable to weekly.
About the Author
Bob Lodie is a speaker, business strategy coach and consultant to financial advisors. He is author of Three Steps to Million Dollar Production and Personal Success from the Inside Out. He can be reached at bob@boblodie.com or direct at 310-552-6064
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