Friday's Think BIG! Business Success Tip

"You Are Responsible for You!"

Once upon a time there was a seemingly successful business executive who was responsible for a large corporation division.  This executive worked very hard to make the division a leader within the corporate hierarchy.  All seemed right in the executive’s world.  The division was moving along and most goals were being reached in whole or large part.  However, the reality of the matter was quite different.  

The business executive was working so many hours that it was virtually impossible to have any quality personal life.  It wasn’t uncommon for this executive to gobble down food after reaching home and then either rush back to the office to complete work or to retire to a quiet area and read email until late hours. Unfortunately each day produced more and more business “land mines” which the executive felt compiled to personally handle.  It became a reality of being pulled from one “land mine” to another.  The executive’s people and even others outside the division were shifting many decisions and unnecessary actions to the executive’s attention either to address or to refer to the proper personnel due to the reputation which was built that this individual was the sole “go to person”. With all this extra work the “To Do” list was increasing not decreasing.  What was this executive to do?  The beautiful world was becoming a “thorny patch” of wasteland.  Stressed to the point of exhaustion and feeling victimized, the executive finally collapsed under the weight of a world that had been unfortunately self created.  

Does this story sound somewhat familiar? Hopefully this does not reflect anyone but if it does, please take note:  There is hope!  Yes, hope in the form of holding yourself accountable for what really matters and then learning to say “no” effectively.  This week, we will talk about the accountability you must place on yourself for actions.

As a business owner, leader or manager, it is imperative to get things done.  However just as the executive in our story found, there will be times that things do pop out which must be addressed. At the end of the day or perhaps the week, how do you really know if you got the “right” things accomplished?  Below is a simple 4 question accountability question process that has brought many people just like our friend the executive back to the realm of reality.  It has enabled business principles just like our example to get more right things done and lessen their stress levels.  It demands “tough love” for yourself to make this a success.  Remember, it CAN be done and from a personal standpoint, it works!

Here is the simple questions to ask yourself.  Its energy comes for the book by Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If you have or haven’t read this book, perhaps it would be a great one to read or even re-read as it has many principles that come into play in this process.  Ask yourself the following:

1. Are the things I am doing today or this week of high value?  If yes, how do I know?  If no, what is getting in the way?
2. What things that I did were low risk and high return?  What things were high risk and low return?  Based on this, where am I spending more of my time?
3. What are the few things I should have done today or this week, which would have resulted in the biggest impact for my goals or company needs?
4. Did I find myself invoked with urgent not important activities with too much focus on immaterial details?  If yes, what caused this?  If no, what did I do?

Just as our busy executive found, business success is demanding.  It demands us to be on top of our game day in and day out.  That reality requires us to maintain our focus on as many things as possible that are critical to the success of the business.  Not that Bob’s question should not be answered or that Sally’s email should be responded to but as the great book proclaims, “…don’t sweat the small stuff…”.  You know, more than you think may really be “small stuff” when you stop and analyze the situation.

Hold yourself accountable for getting things done.  Those “things” must be actions, activities, etc, that move you and your business closer to the goals that have been set.  By doing so, you eliminate lots of stress. You may also find yourself able to fall into an easy chair after dinner and don’t even have to take that laptop home because all the important work has been done.  How does that feel? 

Give this simple process a try.  It can lead you to a more successful pathway.  It will be tough to begin, so don’t get discouraged.  Hang in there and you will soon begin to see positive results.  It will work if you will work it effectively. 

Next week, we will explore some unique ways to effectively say “no” and yet get results in your business that matter.  As has been said, “Life happens!”  Make that simple fact a great reality for you and one you control!  

For more information about Herman and his practice, visit our website:

www.thinkbigcoachingandtraining.com