You’re four weeks into the new year. How is your resolve to grow your business holding up?
Remember, resolve is different from resolutions. Resolve exhibits a growth mindset that sees setbacks as only temporary – not a reason to abandon the whole mission because of one failed attempt.
We began the year talking about Vision. Your vision is “out there” or “up there.” Perhaps you visualize your goal as being at the top of a mountain. As Andy Rooney says (yes, THAT Andy Rooney of CBS’s 60 Minutes fame) –
Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all of the happiness and growth occur while you’re climbing it.
Your home on the summit has a driveway that must be paved with bricks named Discipline. The pavers are held together with mortar called Good Habits. The first time you traverse the path to your mountain-top chalet, it involves rigorous work. You will be in a construction project of building your path to success and reaching your goals. Ah, but the next time…
The next time you climb that mountain, it’s a much easier and quicker ascent. The trail has been blazed, and you know the way, because you paved it with Discipline and Good Habits.
For example, we value open communication and collaboration at Be Media Savvy. We believe we do our best work when we share ideas and knowledge within our organization and with our external partners as well. In retrospect, we didn’t always operate that way. Schedules would get hectic. Deadlines would get tight. “I’ve got this” sneaked into our way of thinking, and there was less emphasis on teamwork.
Like many busy organizations, nothing really happens unless it’s scheduled on a calendar. We are working to establish the habit of Time Blocking for daily collaboration, weekly review and planning in 30/90/180 day time-frames. This is a Discipline that opens doors to productivity, achievement and prosperity.
As my first boss told me, “Plan your work and work your plan.”
The results of four weeks of emphasizing Discipline and Good Habits? You’ll actually spend less time in meetings than before! Because you have regular contact, there’s continuity from one meeting to the next. No time wasted trying to “catch up” or “get on the same page.” Meetings run more efficiently, and you accomplish more in less time. This frees everyone to get back to doing what you love, instead of holding meetings.
The first few meetings are laborious. You’re still laying the Discipline bricks and mixing the Good Habits mortar. You make great haste once the path is paved. What you learn in the process is a lesson to carry forward for a lifetime.
Time Blocking for collaboration and planning is one real-world example of the need for Discipline and Good Habits in our organization.
Think about your small business.
What new systems, strategies or tactics need to become a priority so that you can become more successful this year?
