The number one and most important attribute for business success can be argued countless times over. Many factors contribute to starting, maintaining, and growing prosperous businesses. If you are a business owner or manager that plans to be in it for the long haul, one quality is undeniable, and that is flexibility. Now, as much as I’d like to be able to touch my toes straight out of bed, I’m not talking about how limber one may be.
The ability to deal with change in the workplace is paramount. Nothing in business is ever linear. Markets change, clients change, inflation happens, and the cost of doing business changes along with it. Think of some of the biggest brands in existence that weren’t flexible to change or didn’t see the headwinds: Blockbuster, Sears, Kodak etc. These companies are either completely obsolete or were forced to change against their will.
Many coaches are resistant to change as they believe it is counterproductive to consistency. In training, everything works, but nothing works forever!
Clarity and focus create structure, and structure creates freedom. It’s never going to be simple, but the ability for business leaders and people managers to be flexible within the given core values of that business are imperative for long term success.
Here are four ways to ensure that you are limber enough to stand the test of time with your business:
1. Stop comparing your current business to “the good old days” with new employees and clients. Nobody wants to hear it and it’s counterproductive to reaching NEW goals.
2. Don’t be afraid to change your schedule in a way that will be beneficial to YOU and your family. Keep a daily planner and hold true to the schedule. The tempo of business is set by the owners, managers, and directors. If these people seem disheveled, unorganized, over-worked, and un-happy that’s the type of morale that will be felt throughout the company. This is a recipe for disaster.
3. It’s okay to, “be wrong”. You WILL be wrong on many occasions. The inability to move on past a loss creates resentment amongst a team. We abide by the 24-hour rule taken from my days of playing football. Celebrating a win lasts for 24 hours. The same goes for a loss. No pointing fingers keep moving forward, as a unit!
4. Don’t be afraid to charge what you are worth. Joe and I were asked a very important question by a business coach at a seminar who asked about our resistance with price increases, “Are you good at what you do?” After clearing my throat a few times to defend the hours, certifications, and our client’s success stories my response was, “OF COURSE WE ARE!” Day’s later we made a long overdue change.
– Dan Goodman
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