Your Paradox

G.K. Chesterton said: "There are two kinds of paradoxes. They are not so much the good and the bad, nor even the true and the false. Rather they are the fruitful and the barren; the paradoxes which produce life and the paradoxes that merely announce death. Nearly all modern paradoxes merely announce death." (ILN 3-11-11)

Nicholas Falletta said that paradox is “truth standing on its head to get attention.”

What paradoxes in your life are trying to get your attention?

A sense of urgency is missing – a “so what?” attitude prevails. One voice in our heads tells us we have to get this done. It’s important! And while we intellectually know that voice is right, we just don’t do it. This can be frustrating because we know this was our choice. It becomes even more frustrating when our employees are also missing a sense of urgency. Have you ever had the experience of giving feedback to an employee, only to receive either a blank stare or shrugged shoulders? Have you asked yourself, “Why don’t they just do it? Why won’t anyone take responsibility?”

In addition to missing our target goals, what are other costs of missing a sense of urgency?

• Lost opportunities
• Complacency
• Lack of innovation
• Things falling through the cracks because no one is watching
• Avoidable errors that escalate into crises

What can you do to increase a sense of urgency?

• Discover your success formulas. When in the past have you or your employees felt a sense of urgency?
• Describe the circumstances and look for parallels in the current situation. What was happening just before you noticed the sense of urgency? Can you recreate the environment that elicited a sense of urgency?
• Create a “pull” forward for yourself or your employees. What is a compelling vision of the future that will jump start a sense of urgency?
• Contact me for additional coaching around this topic.
  

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"Business as usual" isn't working anymore. “I’ve been following the same success formula for years, and it worked just fine for a long time, but something’s changed. I feel like I’m struggling more just to stay even. I don’t think about growth anymore. It’s all about surviving than thriving.”

Does this sound familiar to you?

It’s very easy to hang on to a success formula longer than its shelf life. It’s comfortable; we know it works; and, it doesn’t involve much risk. Life and business, though, are all about change. We change, our customers change, the people close to us change, the environment changes – nothing stays the same. What are the costs of hanging on to a “business as usual” philosophy?

• We don’t grow.
• We lose our adaptability.
• Our customers go elsewhere.
• Changes in the marketplace can devastate our businesses.
• Life changes can devastate us.
  

What is the antidote to “business as usual?”

• Accept that change is a way of life, for you and for your business.
• Identify your core strengths and hold them loosely. By this I mean to know what you are good at and at the same time be willing to do something else if the situation calls for it.
• Focus on flexibility and responsiveness. It isn’t enough to identify what your customers (or your environment) wants. You also have to be able to deliver quickly and efficiently.
• Contact me for a complimentary coaching session for additional ideas.

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I want to be more proactive in creating the future. There are two mental shifts that accompany this goal. One is moving from being reactive to being proactive. The other is allowing the future to happen vs. creating the future you want. What are some skills or attitudes needed to become more proactive? A team in one of my client companies developed this list:

• Foresight: the ability to “see” the future, anticipate changes and needs
• Awareness: being fully present at all times; observing without judgment; ability to spot trends
• Self-confidence: believing you can do it
• Curiosity: wanting to answer the question “why;” experimenting; believing there is a better way and wanting to discover it
• Knowledge: having the information you need to make decisions and to solve problems

I am certain there are many other skills. What would you add to the list?

Now that you know the skills and attitudes needed, how do you make the shift from letting the future happen to you, to creating what you want?

1. Clearly establish your vision of the future.
2. Make a commitment to this vision. This includes knowing why you want this vision and focusing on it as the end point.
3. Develop an action plan, with the emphasis on “action.”
4. Implement the plan.
5. Monitor the actions you are taking in relation to where you want to go.
6. Do course corrections as needed

The most important steps for me have been the first two: knowing what you want and why you want it. This is a great place for a coaching discussion, to help you become very clear before proceeding. Please contact me for a complimentary session.

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Same staff + untapped potential = better results. It has been said that most people operate at 65% of their capacity. If that is true (and I believe it is), you have a wealth of talent that is sitting there, waiting to be discovered.

In a business, there are benefits associated with using all of the talent available to you.

• By tapping into everyone’s talents, you can eliminate redundant jobs.
• "Silos” give way to cross-functional teams, that support growing infrastructures.
• A strong bench can increase the success of major business initiatives.
• A fully developed workforce increases agility in the marketplace.
  

And what are the benefits to the individual?

• Increased satisfaction with work and with life.
• Increased self-confidence and decision-making ability.
• Problems are solved quicker and more completely.
• Additional career paths.

How do you begin to tap into these hidden talents?

• For yourself, ask “What do I do easily, with almost no effort?”
• Set higher standards for yourself and for others.
• When working with others, give them the end result you desire and let them find ways to get there.
• Contact me for a complimentary coaching consultation on this topic.

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Revenue targets aren't being met. This may not be a paradox, but it is certainly something that is begging for your attention. And the sooner you address this situation, the better for you and your company. When looking at lagging revenues, it’s easy to look for someone or something to blame. This is usually a fairly non-productive activity, though, because it tends to keep you stuck in the problem: revenue still isn’t coming is as expected.

Instead of looking for the culprit, try a more proactive approach, one that helps you focus on what you can control.

First, what is the state of your sales force? Are they engaged? Do they have the tools they need to do the job? Do they know what’s expected of them? Have they become too comfortable and are holding back?

Second, your customers. Do you know who your profitable customers are? Do you have an ideal customer profile? Are you meeting the needs of your customers? Do you have the products or services they are interested in purchasing?

Third, yourself. Are your expectations reasonable? Are you spending more than you have coming in, and that is the need for increased revenues? Is your market willing to pay your price? Are you concerned with the short-term picture and losing sight of the long-term picture?

Please contact me for a complimentary consultation to examine these areas more closely.

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Minimal to zero growth is the norm. It's time for a new direction. You and/or your company have reached an intersection. The road behind you is flat: no significant growth in a long time. You can continue along the same road, but you already know you will get more of the same, or worse. You might begin to lose ground. And the killers of innovation are accompanying you: complacency, risk-aversion, hesitancy, and indecisiveness. It’s time for a new direction.

In my experience, the most important place to start is at the end. Crafting a vision of where you want to be in 6 months or one year or five years is the first step. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you know what your end point is?
• What is the motivation that is driving this vision?
• How specifically can you define it?
• Is it measurable?
• How will you know when you are there?
  

The next step is to look at where you are now, and see the gap that exists between the present and the future. Now we’re ready to map out the path to your vision. Please contact me for a complimentary session.

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Please contact me for a complimentary session to review your answers to these and other questions about achieving goals.