Formula for Extreme Success
The formula for extreme, over the top, success:
(T + DD + TAM) x C = ES
(Talent + Daily Discipline + Trusted Advisor Mindset) x Culture = Extreme Success
I guess it’s true, you can turn virtually anything into an acronym. And this formula packs quite a punch. IF/when you master the various components of this one, you will find significant, sustainable success with greatly reduced stress! So, if you are into that sort of thing (significant, sustainable success plus reduced stress, or… SSS + RS for short), then stick with me as I unpack this thing:
Talent — Attract the best talent you can afford. Then continue to develop them further. People will stay with you when they are valued AND growing. Turnover is rarely the result of compensation exclusively. Investing in your people acts as an insulator from the competition pulling your better people away. But, you ask, “What if I invest in my people and they leave me”? My response, “What if you don’t develop your people and they stay with you”. Ouch!
Remember, good/great talent will always have options…poor talent won’t.
Daily Disciplines — Everyday, there are certain things that must be done that will point to your future level of success. Do you have a key set of metrics that you can measure?
Everyday? I’m not talking about a scoreboard that shows what took place in the past (lagging indicators). I’m talking about knowing that when certain activities are done, positive results are ALWAYS on the way (leading indicators). There are usually specific activities that can act as a trigger to positive results. Do you know what those activities are for yourself &/or your organization? When you know what those are AND measure them to make sure they are done on a daily basis, it literally allows you to predict the level of success in the upcoming month(s). Here is an exercise I often initiate with those I work with:
Execute the Key Performance Activity (KPA) exercise.
To implement the KPA exercise, all you do is write down ALL of the activities being done by yourself and/or your team (break it out by department if needed). Then go back over that list and assign a numerical value based on its ability to drive value (revenue, service, etc.). You may find that an inordinate amount of time is being spent on activities that derive very little value towards your expectation of extreme success. Do the right things, establish measurement and accountability and do them everyday to reap the results.
Trusted Advisor Mindset — Regardless of your industry, you need others to view you as a trusted advisor! This actually starts with how you view those that do business with you. Do you treat them as a customer or a client? Everyone always tells me “a client”, but after my review, they agree that their actions say otherwise.
Websters defines a client as “one that is under the protection of another”. This means you take a fiduciary role for them. You will not let them buy more than they need…AND you won’t let them buy less than they need…AND you won’t let them buy from a competitor because the competitor will not treat them as well as you.
This has nothing to do with you making a sale, commissions or recognition. It has everything to do with you knowing NO ONE else will look after this person like you will. Do those doing business with you feel they are under your care and protection? Don’t you think they can tell if you view them as a number or if you’re providing care and protection? When you are their trusted advisor, they will seek you out for far more than just your industry expertise…and they’ll stay with you far longer than a customer will.
Culture — This is the great multiplier. It’s said that culture eats processes for breakfast (and lunch and dinner). I’m a huge proponent of processes. Processes play a significant role in all those I view as successful. Processes also play large when you have the inevitable turnover…it’s almost like a plug & play.
However, the best processes in the world cannot overcome an unhealthy culture. Culture is contagious and typically starts at the top butcan be championed at any level. Interestingly, more and more you will be hearing about a new C-Suite title in the marketplace. It’s the CCO…Chief Culture Officer.
Culture is sooo important, major corporations are bringing in a specific person to take the lead on developing a healthier, high-performance culture. Further, it’s a healthy culture that leads to sustained success AND reduced stress as a leader or business owner.
Final note, the determination on whether you have a healthy culture or not does NOT fall to you. There are a growing number of resources available to help determine the health of your culture as well as ways to strengthen it if necessary…and it all starts with you!
Extreme Success — Really? Do you really need my help with this definition?But seriously, in reviewing the variables on the left side of the equal sign, which area needs the most work for you/or your organization? Again, pay special attention to your culture because it acts as a multiplier to everything else. If you complain, your team will. If you settle, your team will. If you aren’t investing in your growth, it’s unlikely they’ll invest in themselves. But, if you have someone hungry to grow, you better feedthem if you want them to stay with you. If you’d like additional insights, resources or support, just reach out…it’s what I’m here for.
We all stay busy from the moment our feet hit the floor until we tuck them under the covers at night. But have you ever taken account of what it is that you do all day? You’d probably be surprised. I highly encourage you to get with one to four other people and do this as a small group exercise. But before you invite others into this experience, let me paint a little better picture on why this is sooo important.
I know a lot of folks have a variety of acronyms for doing those things that ultimately drive revenue. However, there is more to life than only focusing on the activities that impact my income (although, I’m all in favor of massive amounts of action on things driving revenue).
Instead, let’s first expand those areas of focus to three key areas and then get crystal clear on each one of those. My coach calls this The Three-R’s: 1) What’s required of me?; 2) What gives me my greatest return?; and 3) What brings me my greatest reward. While it’s true that there may be a lot of overlap on these categories. You may have something show up on all three lists — there may be something that is required of you TODAY that also brings a great return on your time AND also brings you tremendous joy. But usually your activities will fall clearly into one of these three areas. Let me briefly explain more about each one these below:
The Three-R’s — Required — Return — Reward
What’s required of me? Not everything you’re doing will fall into the “it’s required of me” list…but they still must be done. One of the more non-joy related ones for me is paying bills but absolutely required. Since I have a place to call home (and it’s not paid off…yet), I have the requirement to pay the mortgage/rent. The same goes with vehicles, utilities and any other bill in your name.
You may even feel that cleaning your house, doing laundry, mowing the lawn and other similar items fall onto the “required of me” list. Some may even consider their current job to be required. The bottom line is that there are things you do that do not bring you a great return nor a great reward…but must still be done.
What brings me my greatest return? As you look to grow your business, there are obviously some things you do that bring a much better return on your resources (your time, energy, focus or money) than others. These activities may include one-on-one meetings, outbound calls, community events, etc. As important as these things are, not all are driving the same value — I assume you know this, right?
Have you taken account of which of these activities drive the greatest return for YOU? Some activities will provide a greater return for you than they do for other people and vice versa. The only way to know which is best is to list them out…ALL of them. Once you have identified all of your activities, figure out how you can do more of it, less of it, delegate it to your staff or stop it altogether.
What brings me my greatest reward? There are some things you do simply for the joy it brings to you and/or others. These things may seem like a lot of effort to others but they literally energize you to your core. Do you intentionally make time to include these activities in your schedule with enough frequency to make sure you stay at your best? What are these activities? What breathes life back into you? How do you energize yourself so that you can consistently bring your A-game?
Below I share an exercise to help you better answer these three questions. But before I lay it out for you, let me offer this caution: Not everything you are currently doing will fit into one of these three areas. When you come across them, ask yourself “Why am I doing this?”
I have completely lost count of how many times I get push back on this with clients. More often than not, I’m left scratching my head wondering why they refuse to remove these time-wasters from their schedule. Listen, if you want extreme success, you must put massive action into the right things and either delegate or eliminate those things that don’t fit into one of these three categories.
Finally, as you work through this, I’m hopeful you’ll also notice there are currently some things within your “required of me” category that will be better off hired out to someone else than for you to continue doing it yourself. As an example, I employ help with my lawn. My wife employs help with the house. While these things are required, they aren’t necessarily required of US! What are some things you could shift off of your plate to allow you more time in the activities that bring you a great return or great reward?
Identification precedes Execution
First, list out ALL (and I do mean ALL) of the various activities you do throughout any given day. This should include absolutely everything. This may include, cooking, cleaning, laundry, lawn care, car care, reading (work; pleasure), games (phone, ipad, time with the kids, etc.), time on the phone (answering/making/returning), e-mail (inbound/outbound), Facebook (break this out into intentional vs waste-book)…and the list goes on and on. Then go back over this list and categorize them into one of the three R’s.
You’re in charge of categorizing your activities…it’s an honor system. IF you cheat, who pays the price for that? Take games for example. Games with the kids may fit into Return/or Reward. But, Candy Crush, Bejeweled, Sudoku and other game apps we keep on our phone for “downtime”, not so much. Instead of playing games, review your affirmations. Review your hot list, cold list, new prospects, and potential prospects lists. Watch or listen to a podcast or a book on audible. Review and elaborate on your why. Do anything that will further strengthen your vision of where you’re targeting to go. Now, gather your team and implement this simple, difficult, yet incredibly powerful exercise.