I can guarantee that anyone who is there got there with formal goals, strategies and hard work. Seat-of-the-pants success is a myth. With a plan we get to where we want to be; without a plan we get to a random place that may or may not be desirable. The seat-of-the-pants myth is powerful because some people end up in wonderful random places. We’d rather see that as the rule even though the adage “fail to plan; plan to fail” is proven over and over again.

Here’s why we need to plan: We make decisions and take actions every day. The accumulation of daily decisions and actions over months and years determines where we will be at a future point in time. Without a plan, our daily decisions are guided by the demands of the moment. With a plan our decisions and actions are guided by our goals. It’s that simple.

We all know about the importance of long term and short term goals (well-defined steps leading to our dreams), business plans (roadmaps for reaching our goals efficiently) and strategies (how we will move our business along the road, avoid potholes, avoid bad drivers, and compete with other drivers going to the same place). So why do so many fail to plan?

As entrepreneurs, we have the freedom to do what we think is right. We are free from bureaucracy, able to follow our instincts and implement our ideas at will. Having a plan can feel bureaucratic. Worse, it can feel like putting on a straightjacket. Many of us left the corporate world to get out of a straightjacket so why on earth would we willingly put one on again?

If a plan feels that way it is a bad plan. A plan is merely the formal, organized expression of our instincts and ideas. Plans communicate our instincts and ideas to employees and other stakeholders. Plans verify to stakeholders that we know what we are doing.

Plans do not bind us to an irrevocable course. They show us the course we are on and give us the ability to change course wisely as needed. Plans can change at any time. Large organizations are like ocean liners that take great distances to change direction or stop. They need long planning horizons. Entrepreneurial organizations are like cruisers that can change direction on a dime. Whereas the liner is committed to a port and can change it only with considerable planning and effort, a cruiser can change ports easily. A cruiser can venture even into uncharted waters provided it has the skill to navigate through them.

Having a plan for our business simply means we are focusing our skills, knowledge, wisdom and instincts on the steps necessary to achieve our dreams. A plan is not a straightjacket, it’s a framework from which we can unleash our instincts and ideas for maximum benefit.

Imagine the life of early settlers. Survival required the completion of daily chores like chopping wood for the fire and carrying water to the kitchen. In winter there was no forgiveness of these chores. They couldn’t be put off until the next day or next week. People couldn’t call in sick or take a mental health day. Nobody had the option of finding a better job. Do and live or don’t and die.

Goals were clear. Chop enough wood to stay warm and cook meals. Carry enough water to quench thirst, cook and bathe. There was no question about whether they liked chopping wood. They just chopped.

Today most of us still need to chop wood. We call it working. There are innumerable types of jobs that we do. They are all the equivalent of chopping wood and carrying water. Few of us have a choice about whether to work or not. Some of us have no choice about the type of work we do. We all have a choice about our attitude towards work.

The choices we have nowadays complicate our thinking. If we don’t like a job we can find another one. Some fall victim to the grass is always greener syndrome and trudge unhappily from job to job. Others think the job is making them unhappy when really it is about working. They try other jobs but work is still there. None of us can escape chopping wood of one sort or another.

Back when there were no options, we could chop wood with a smile, we could be content with having wood to chop, or we could chop wood angrily. We can easily conclude by looking at such a situation that one might as well choose to be happy or content.

In today’s context, we choose to be happy from where we are at. If we don’t like our job we can change our attitude by admitting that we must chop wood whether we like it or not and that, for better or worse, that’s the wood we have to chop for now. We can be content with what we have rather than craving what we don’t have. We can accept our lives as they are now rather than living in the future when our lives might be something else. We can make our own grass greener by tending to it rather than wishing for our neighbor’s grass.

Choosing to be happy with our work as I’ve described it is not the same as choosing to settle. Instead, happiness will increase our drive to improve our lives and the lives of those around us and it will increase our ability to do so successfully.

What is your situation? Are you unhappy because of your job? Happy because of your job? Happy despite your job? Please leave a comment.

My early years of networking were a disaster. My approach turned off more people than it turned on. The harder I tried the more stressed I got and the more I failed.

Networking is a learnable skill. I was able to turn things around when I worked on listening more and talking less. I came to see networking as an opportunity to help others rather than only to sell myself. Funny thing how we become more interesting to others when we are more interested in others.

Here are ten tips to help you with your networking technique:

•    Dress appropriately for the occasion but dress well. Wearing something offbeat doesn’t say you are a nonconformist; it says you are vain enough to think you can get away with it. Few can pull it off so don’t take the chance.

•    If you don’t know anybody walk up to someone who is alone and introduce yourself. I find it much easier to approach someone in the same boat as me. Breaking into a group of strangers having a discussion can be awkward.

•    Draw in other singles. Create a group of your own. You can then politely slip away when it’s time to move on.

•    Once you’re warmed up it’ll be easier to work the room. Be careful of the temptation to settle in with someone because you are comfortable with them. You are there to make new contacts.

•    Don’t tell others what you do until they ask. How do you feel when someone walks up to you and introduces themselves with a sales pitch about themselves or their business?

•    When they do ask, give them a business card and have a short and compelling answer that leaves them asking for more.  Don’t say “I am VP of sales for XYZ Company.” That’s already on your card. Say something like “I help businesses improve their productivity.”

•    If they don’t ask then ask them what they do. People almost always reciprocate. If they don’t ask it is likely that they are not interested. Be cheerful but look for an opportunity to politely slip away.

•    Look for opportunities to help. Offering good leads is excellent but only if they really are good.  Introduce them to someone you know. If apropos, offer connections. If nothing else, be a good listener.

•    If there is interest expressed to meet afterward, set a firm date for the meeting or the follow-up phone call.

•     Have fun. Networking is about making business connections but it is also about meeting new, interesting people.

To learn more, I recommend “The Frog And Prince” by Darcy Rezac. It is an excellent instruction manual for networking. It is available through the Vancouver Board of Trade at www.boardoftrade.com.

Doug Edgar is an executive coach and advisor to small and medium sized business owners and managers.  He can be reached at doug@compass-strategies.ca, www.compass-strategies.ca.

May 27, 2009

Business coaching is an emerging profession.  If you haven’t heard about coaching, you will.  Fortune 500 corporations have used coaches for many years.  Small and medium sized businesses are now discovering the value of coaching.

In its early days, coaches were most often given remedial assignments.  They were called in to address a specific performance problem, perhaps to turn around a valued employee who was going through a rough patch.  Today, coaching is also a proactive tool for grooming future leaders, developing existing leaders, enhancing personal and team performance and improving the work-life balance.

An independent study of the benefits of coaching was conducted in 2008/09 by Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP for the International Coaching Federation, the leading professional coach association.  Coaching clients were surveyed and they indicated that the primary positive impacts of coaching included improved self-confidence (80%), improved relationships (73%), improved communication skills (72%), improved work performance (70%) and improved work-life balance (67%).

The same study presented the financial benefits of coaching as determined by clients. The study states “The median company return is 700% indicating that typically a company can expect a return of 7 times the initial investment.”

A coaching program typically involves initial research and development of a customized program followed by a weekly telephone session of up to an hour where issues are discussed, progress is reviewed and short term goals are set. In-person sessions are available but most clients prefer the telephone.  The duration of the coaching program is usually 3 to 6 months though some coaching relationships can last indefinitely.

There are many different approaches to coaching.  My personal preference (and training) is behavioural coaching. The behavioural coach focuses on finding a solution rather than a cause for negative behaviours.  The cause of behaviours is best left to professional therapists. Coaches are not therapists.

The cost of coaching varies widely depending on the nature of the assignment and the experience of the coach.  You can expect fees of $500 to $1000 per month.

Doug Edgar is president of Compass Strategies, an executive coaching and business advisory firm.  He can be reached at doug@compass-strategies.ca or www.compass-strategies.ca.

What is your customer service policy for dealing with complaints?  Do you make your customers jump through hoops to register a complaint (think cable and telephone companies)?  Do you treat each complaint as an attempt by your customer to get something for nothing? Or do you welcome complaints as an opportunity to improve your business and solidify your customer relationships?

In our roles as consumers, we have expectations of the companies and people with whom we do business.  We expect them to treat us fairly, live up to their promises, and stand behind their products if there are problems. Since the customer is always right, we expect to be given the benefit of the doubt if there are any grey areas.  In short, once the matter is settled, we expect to be satisfied to the point where we have enough confidence to continue doing business with those companies in future.

In business-to-business roles we have the same expectations when we are the customer.  Of course, that means our customers have the same expectations of us.

An entrepreneur I worked with had a simple customer complaint policy: act now – think later.  His employees were expected to treat complaints with sincerity and a sense of urgency.  Whatever the problem or whoever may be at fault, even if it is the customer, apologize and do whatever is needed to solve the problem and satisfy the customer.  Figure out later what went wrong or who may be at fault.  His company’s reputation for exceptional customer service increased its profitability even after allowing for the occasional customer who took advantage of the act now – think later policy.  (Such customers were usually removed from the company’s customer list.)

The act now phase is focused wholly on the customer. Resolve the complaint and satisfy the customer. Act now does not mean act without thinking.  It is a state of mind where thinking is focused on resolving the problem rather than looking for what went wrong or who is to blame.

The think later phase is the review process, an opportunity to explore thoroughly the root cause of the complaint in a calm, unhurried manner.  Lessons are learned and appropriate remedial action is determined.

An act now – think later policy can be applied beyond customer complaints. Delivery delays, equipment breakdowns and shipping errors are examples of where employees should be trained to focus fully on what needs to be done immediately to resolve the problem and satisfy the customer and not be distracted by the who and the why.

Doug Edgar is president of Compass Strategies, an executive coaching and business advisory firm and can be reached at doug@compass-strategies.ca, www.compass-strategies.ca.

I was speaking with a local, successful, small business entrepreneur at an event last night. He was sharing that his business is so slow he may need to find a new line of work. Only recently, his award winning, prestigious company had bookings far into the future but those bookings had evaporated overnight. After years of picking and choosing only the best, fun, and most profitable projects he was now willing to quote on anything.

I was struck by two thoughts: 1) that the economic downturn had so profoundly affected a prominent, respected entrepreneur and 2) that he had no plan to do anything about it. This captain of small industry was willing to abandon ship if a lifeboat happened by.

This is a story I’m hearing repeated every day. Small and medium sized businesses are sinking and owners aren’t taking any action. It’s the deer in the headlights syndrome – they know bad news is coming but they can’t seem to do anything about it. They are floating helplessly down the whitewater rapids hoping they don’t hit the rocks or get caught in an eddy but they don’t put an oar in the water. They fear making a mistake that will make the situation even worse.

The diagnosis in many of these cases is fear. Fear has frozen the entrepreneur into inaction. The same applies to the high performer marketing real estate or insurance or other products affected by the economy. The small business operator doesn’t have the team of experienced, educated professionals around him/her bringing ideas and recommendations to the management meeting every day.

Chances are the entrepreneur already knows what must be done but is procrastinating. Help is needed to move him/her into action. Having a trusted advisor(s) in such a scenario is golden if your advisor is willing to give you the nudges you need to take action. Belonging to a peer board is often of priceless value in these situations. Having an experienced business executive as a coach is also priceless. A coach can also take the edge of that lonely feeling that comes from being the boss.

If you are in a situation like this, DO SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Inertia is your number one enemy. Action, even wrong action, limbers up you and your staff so that when you figure out the right action you will be able to take it right away.

Doug

How far could you go in your business or career if you were able to bring you’re “A” game to work every day?

We’ve all had those days when everything clicks.  We are able to think well and keep cool under pressure, we speak with confidence, we see problems as exciting challenges rather than burdens, people are attracted to us, our ideas go over well in meetings, and customers want to buy from us.  Nothing can derail our sense of high competence and satisfaction.

Such days are not a gift from the universe. They are the result of good preparation and a confident state of mind.  Where the average performer shows up for work every day and wings it, the high performer shows up ready to play.

I use Tiger Woods often as an example of self-management. Every time he walks onto the first tee on Thursday he has already figured out how he is going to win the tournament. He has determined what parts of his game are strong and what parts are suspect that week.  His game plan is designed to maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. Even if Tiger doesn’t have his “A” swing he has his “A” game.

To bring your “A” game to work every day, you need to get into the zone where your confidence, sense of competence and energy are high. You know your priorities.  You have anticipated the challenges that may arise and you are ready to tackle them.  You are ready for meetings and presentations.  Your mind is alert.  You know that no matter what may happen you will be able to deal with it.

Getting into the zone is not a matter of will power or positive thinking. It isn’t a special talent. (Indeed, many talented people never do anything special with their talents or their life. Wonder why?) Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. Getting into the zone means you figured out what you need to be really good at and then you got really good at it.

Brain surgeons do not have off days. Nobody wants to go under the knife of a neurosurgeon in a bad mood. They show up ready to perform at the top of their game every time. They have supreme confidence in their abilities. Brain surgeons are not necessarily smarter than other types of surgeons but imagine the confidence they must have to operate on someone’s brain where the slightest error could cost that someone dearly. Their confidence is not ego. They are likely to have big egos but their confidence is the result of hour after hour, month after month and year after year of training. Before they lift a scalpel they have imagined every minute of the upcoming procedure, anticipating problems and surprises and what they will do about them. They have gathered every scrap of information about their patient and the diagnosis. They have reviewed case studies for similar operations. When they make that first incision they are ready to perform, just as Tiger is ready when he hits his first drive.

If you want to bring your “A” game to work every day you must first have an “A” game. What are the skills needed for your job? Have you mastered them? Are you supremely confident in your abilities – not because you have a big ego but because you know you have prepared well and practiced often? Only after you have game can you work on getting into the zone.

When you are in the zone you are acutely focused on the process rather than the result.  Where positive thinking is about imagining the end result, high performers think about the next thing they need to do to fulfil their game plan. They leave as little as possible to chance. When Tiger is on the golf course, he thinks about the shot he needs to hit right now, not about what score he needs to win. He may have a score in mind but he has control only over the next shot. And his choice of shot is calculated based on the situation he is in. By focusing on that shot he eliminates distractions and puts everything he has into it.  If you focus on what you need to do next rather than the eventual outcome, you can put everything you’ve got into that particular step.  If you wing it and make up the plan as you go along your energy and skills are diluted.

Of course, there are times when something unanticipated comes up and you will find yourself winging it.  Even Tiger hits it in the trees once in awhile.  That’s life.  Part of your confidence is in your ability to recover if something goes wrong.  You can recover from mistakes because through your hard work you’ve become so good at what you do you are able to think on your feet and get through it. You’ll pull of the miracle shot knowing that it wasn’t at all a miracle but skill.

These are some of the basics for bringing your “A” game to work every day. The final thought I will leave you with for now is the value of a coach.  Tiger is the best golfer in the world but he has a coach.  A coach helps you see things you can’t see for yourself.  A coach has tools to help you over the bumps and slumps that occur even with the highest of high performers. And good coaches are great sparring partners. They tell you like it is and help you get better no matter how good you are today.

Doug

Your comments are welcome.