Whether you have a vivid lifelong Vision or a keen interest in accomplishing something important during the next few months, know what you want. Write down what you want in as simple and clear terms as possible. Napoleon Hill used the terms ‘Definite Purpose’ and ‘Definite Chief Aim’ to describe ‘what you want’. He stressed the importance of definiteness of purpose. To get through the toughest times, which you will no doubt encounter…you must make a habit of stoking the flame of your Chief Desire.

 

Key Resources:

• Napoleon Hill, ‘Think and Grow Rich’
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshops #1 & #2

 

 

Some activities invigorate you so much you shine and time flies when you perform them. You perform at your best when you do these activities. These signal your strengths and your personal strengths are your key to business development success.

 

Key Resources:

• Tom Rath – ‘StrengthsFinder 2.0’
• Spirited Leaders Workshop on Strengths

 

 

You find some activities grating. They drain your enthusiasm. Even if you perform them well you will never excel at them and they will never cause business development excellence. Learn how to manage your work so your weaknesses have minimal impact.

 

Key Resources:

• Marcus Buckingham, ‘GO Put Your Strengths To Work’
• Spirited Leaders Workshop on Strengths

 

 

Business is about PEOPLE. To do business you must connect with people. Your good reputation is an essential ingredient. If you are a natural connector then you have a tremendous advantage. If you are not a natural connector then you will need help from ‘matchmakers’ who illustrate strength in making valuable, timely business connections.

 

Key Resources:

• Malcolm Gladwell, ‘The Tipping Point’
• Spirited Leaders Workshop on Connecting

 

 

You must learn how to obtain what you desire while satisfying the needs of other people or, at the very least, not violating the needs of other people. Excellence happens under an environment of aligned, harmonious effort. Work on expanding your pleasing personality. Ask great questions. That’s so important it must be repeated: Ask great questions!

 

Key Resources:

• Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman, ‘Click’
• Spirited Leaders Workshop on Connecting

 

 

People only do 3 things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things. And, ‘Constructive Criticism’ is an oxymoron. Remember those two simple facts when you work to cause Clients to feel good about having a long term relationship with you…and remember those two simple facts when you want to help other people to become your Clients.

 

Key Resources:

• Dr. Jonathan Haidt, ‘Happiness Hypothesis’
• Chip Heath and Dan Heath, ‘Made to Stick’ & ‘Switch’
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop #2

 

 

 

Stand out! Work at a business that can provide simple clear answers to tough questions like:

• What do you excel at doing?
• How are you different from your competitors?
• How are your products & services different from your competitors’?
• Why should I buy from you?

Key Resources:

• Jim Collins, ‘Good To Great’ [Hedgehog Concept]
• Competing – using a low-Price strategy
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop #3

 

 

Do not limit your target market thinking to demographics. That just scratches the surface. Always remember people place the orders. Always remember people’s buying habits are heavily influenced by emotions and justified [later] with logic. Watch what they do. Observe with a clear and open mind. Seek the roots of behaviour patterns.

 

Key Resources:

• Jeffrey Gitomer, ‘Sales Bible’
• Guy Kawasaki, ‘Reality Check’
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop #3

 

 

Today, your business development must be supported by several marketing & sales pillars. You need a pillar of social media presence. You need at least one pillar of promotion. You need a pillar of cold calling. You need more than that. And, all your pillars must be pointed in the same direction…your marketing & sales actions must be integrated…your marketing & sales pillars must complement and enhance each other.

 

Key Resources:

• Jay Abraham, ‘The Mastermind Marketing System’
• The Marketing & Sales Picture
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop #3

 

 

4 strategic things set the stage for your ‘Master Rules’. Those 4 things are your business’ shared Values, Vivid Vision, key success factors, and key failure factors. ‘Master Rules’ are the link that bonds your strategic thoughts to your practical actions. So, ‘Master Rules’ must be clear and simple. And, ‘Master Rules’ must be repeated. ‘Master Rules’ must also be few in number…this ensures boundaries are set on actions without stifling creativity.

 

Key Resources:

• Not Key Success Factors – Key Success Rules
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshops #1, #2, & #4

 

 

S.M.A.R.T. Goals worked well in prior generations ago and they worked well a decade or two ago. Now, Goals must be more textured. When you set goals, it is essential to anticipate people reactions…specifically, you must understand in advance the emotional reactions your goals are likely trigger. This applies to the emotional reactions of your people, your clients, your suppliers, etc. You can do this by adding an ACRE of considerations when you set SMART goals:

 

A Action
C Conversion
R Repercussion
E Emotions

 

Key Resources:

• SMARTACRE Goals
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop #5

 

 

Performance Tracking & Key Performance Indicators: these are pure gold when you have the discipline to establish them and make them Good Habits. This is one area in business where zero tolerance is the best policy: if it’s worth doing then it’s worth measuring. Conversely, if it isn’t worth measuring then why would you bother doing it?

 

Key Resources:

• Douglas W. Hubbard, ‘How To Measure Anything’
• Brent Peterson and Gaylan Nielson, ‘Fake Work’
• http://www.activestor.ca/post/2010/01/19/CHANGING-FOR-THE-BETTER-Good-Habits-Bad-Habits-New-Things.aspx
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop #6

 

 

There are 3 Steps:

• Ensure role clarity…role descriptions, etc
• Ensure reward clarity…goals, performance, & rewards
• Perform an iterative process: test Your Role against every one of the first 12 Things You Better Know. Do this step now. And do this step at least once per year.

Key Resources:

• Roles in Business…what Gerber & Covey have taught
• Spirited Leaders Academy Workshop Series

Spirited Leaders conducts a series of 6 workshops, designed to share our key thoughts about 6 areas where Leadership skill results in ‘big ROI’.

 

The 6 areas are:

1. Leader’s Values
2. Leader’s Vision
3. Ideal Clients
4. Key Success Rules [formerly, Key Success Factors or Critical Success Factors]
5. Goals
6. Performance Measurement

As we revisited our plan for Workshop #4, we decided to replace the words ‘Key Success Factors’ with the words ‘Key Success Rules’.

 

Some might view this as a small change, ie, a slight tweaking of the wording.

 

Others might view this as a major alteration of the thrust and requirements of strategic planning.

 

We understand both viewpoints.

 

Here is why we made the change to ‘Key Success Rules’ it and why this change warrants some attention:

• The word ‘factor’ is nebulous. The word ‘rule’ is not...or, at least, it is much less nebulous. We do better when we use clear words during the strategic planning process. Clear words lead to better communication. Clear words lead to more interest in communication.
• ‘Rules’ are needed in business. We do not need to mince words about rules. We need to state rules clearly. The sports and games we enjoy so much teach us important lessons about rules. For example, if we can accept and maybe even enjoy the rules of the sports and games we play then we can certainly be comfortable accepting rules when we go to work. Rules set boundaries for fair play. Rules give direction to accurate thinking.
• In the business planning process, Key Success Rules [formerly called Key Success Factors] connect strategy to action. Here, we mean the Leader’s Vision, Values, and most-desired Clients are the main pieces of strategic thought. Something is required to serve as the bridge from those strategic thoughts to the actions needed to bring about the desired outcomes/results. Key Success Rules are that bridge.

Summing this up…

 

When we view Key Success Rules as the bridge between strategic thought and practical action we construct a clear connection. Key action-tests are clear. And the planning process is a quicker and more-enjoyable experience. In addition, Key Success Rules promote accurate thinking about the important operational details to follow.

After attending Daniel Pink’s recent presentation, as I walked across the parking lot to my car that phrase found its way into my thoughts – no carrots, no sticks…no donkeys.

 

That was one of two major ‘take-aways’ I received from spending a half a morning with Dan Pink.

 

Why no carrots, no sticks…no donkeys?

 

Dan Pink made a compelling argument: we must alter how we deal with people if we want them to be motivated at work. In times gone by people were motivated to work under a combination of carrots & sticks…much as carrots & sticks had succeeded with donkeys.

 

As Dan Pink stated at one point…people are not donkeys.

 

Today, our people no longer perform much rudimentary work. Our people perform an increasing amount of conceptual work. And – this trend will continue to grow.

 

Now that conceptualwork is the norm:

• To ensure future success, we must alter our approach to motivation.
• We must pay people enough to remove money from the table. Actually, we should pay people a little more than enough. People must feel they are being treated fairly. After that, money generates at best a diminishing return.
• After money is off the table, our people we will be motivated by 3 things:
  • Autonomy
  • Mastery
  • Purpose

Here’s a link to learn more about Autonomy, Mastery, & Purpose.

 

I mentioned above, for me, Dan Pink provided 2 major ‘take-aways’.

 

Here’s the 2nd one…

 

Throughout but particularly near the end of his presentation, Daniel Pink engaged the audience in discussion. He asked and he answered questions. At one point, after answering a question he paused for a moment, looked at the fellow who had asked the question, and said “talk to me…you look sceptical…talk to me more”. The fellow did talk more and he and Dan Pink shared more thoughts.

 

I was really taken by “talk to me…you look sceptical…talk to me more”.

 

Dan Pink is an excellent public speaker. It is clear he truly cares about the people in his audience. And, he wants to help them.

 

What a great example of how to deliver value to your audience.

 

P.S.: Communitech deserves a big round of applause for bringing Daniel Pink to our community.