610-793-6609 michael@achievable.com

The Primary Driver of Success

May 28, 2019 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Goal Setting, Productivity, Uncategorized

As business owners and CEOs, we are focused on increasing the bottom line. We establish goals to increase revenues, bring in new clients, and decrease unnecessary spending. We commit ourselves to understanding our organization and our industry, we are focused on our company’s vision, and we work with our teams to craft a clear strategic plan. We know the importance of hiring top performers and employee development, but we often neglect, or push aside, personal growth as leaders.

D. Wayne Calloway, former CEO of PepsiCo, once said, “I’ll bet most of the companies that are in life-or-death battles got into that kind of trouble because they didn’t pay enough attention to developing their leaders.”

Business leaders must consistently strive toward personal development for two primary reasons: They cannot improve or even maintain their results while staying the same, and they set the standard for their teams.

Leaders within organizations can be guided through this process by internal and contracted programs, but at the top of the hierarchy, business owners and CEOs are responsible to pave their own path. If they do not, the consequences are often devastating both to the individual and the organization.

Self-reflection and intentionality are foundational to personal growth. In his article, “Reflection Critical for Self-Improvement,” Allen R. McConnell explains how change requires two things: a goal and an understanding of where one is in relation to that goal.

In the pursuit of personal enhancement, leaders must identify who they desire to be and what they desire to accomplish both personally and professionally. Then, they must analyze where they are and what they need to do to reach their goals. This should be a life-long process that evolves as goals are accomplished and new ones are created.

Leaders who practice self-reflection are also more likely to behave ethically and morally. May Rollo, known as the father of existential psychology, said (man’s) capacity for ethical judgment … is based upon his consciousness of himself. Organizational leaders throughout history have caused substantial harm to not only themselves, their families, and their businesses, but contributed to severe ruin in the world economy and natural environment. The leaders with the most power have the highest potential for abuse. Leaders must consistently assess their personal motivations and seek advisement when necessary to avoid being overcome by the destructive nature of power.

If you want to begin or sustain your journey toward personal growth as a business owner or CEO, please join us at my next workshop, “6 Down, 6 to Go: A Mid-Year Tune-Up” on June 11. Click here for more information.

If you want to begin right now, you can download the Wheel of Well Being to assess your current ability to maintain balance in your life.

Mid-Year is Approaching, Are You Ready?

May 21, 2019 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Goal Setting, Leadership, Leadership Development, Productivity

Over the past few weeks, we really hammered down the importance of goal-setting and planning and how it is essential to success both personally and professionally. This is something I know to be true from first-hand experience and working with clients. Equally important is reflection on these goals and the progress made toward achieving them.

The process of reflection gives business leaders necessary insight to make strategic decisions. It creates opportunities for celebrating successes and examining weaknesses. The current environment we live in is fast-paced, ever-changing, and global. Regular reflection and realignment of goals is a requirement to stay on track and ahead of the competition. I recommend taking the time to do this regularly but especially at mid-year.

Here are five questions to consider:

What are the major successes so far this year?

Take a look at what you and your company are doing right and have a party! When successes are celebrated, it increases motivation and engagement, resulting in higher productivity. You also need to know what is working because these are the high-payoff activities that you should focus the majority of your time doing.

What were the biggest challenges?

Review the areas where you and your organization are struggling. What goals have you made the least progress toward? Was there an unexpected catastrophe that could have been prevented? Did the original SWOT analysis underestimate your competition? If you want continued success, you need to be proactive in identifying obstacles and plan for them. When you fall short, you want to understand why and avoid repeating the same scenario in the future.

What have you learned?

This is self-explanatory. Look back at the past six months and think about what you know now that you did not know before. Apply what you have learned to your future goals and plans.

What are your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) saying?

Look at the numbers, analyze and interpret them, and then make necessary changes. Measuring KPIs is worthless if you do not utilize the insight they offer.

How can you improve results?

Once you answer the first four questions here, this should be clear. What can you do to increase revenue, bring in new clients, grow your business?

Automobiles start breaking down without regular oil changes and maintenance. Computers and electronic devices need to be updated and restarted regularly or they will fail to operate. Businesses (and business leaders) need the same attention. Take some time at mid-year to refresh, refocus, and recharge.