Life is a book. Every day is a new page, every month is a new chapter and every year is a new series. How are you writing your book? Is it the same old story, or are you breaking new creative ground?Life is a book. Every day is a new page, every month is a new chapter and every year is a new series. How are you writing your book? Is it the same old story, or are you breaking new creative ground?
One thing is certain: You won’t write the Great American Novel for your own life and business by staying in your comfort zone. The following deceptively simple ideas will require you to get uncomfortable by changing your routine. The result? BIG growth – both personally and professionally.
Hopefully by now you have incorporated some (or all!) of my first 10 Think Big strategies (link) into your daily routine to get “unstuck” and rebuild your business muscle memory.
Ready to dig deeper? Here are the final 11 strategies from my CEO Playbook.
11. Limit the Drama
Implement a “no lingering” policy within your company. This will decrease the drama and allow you to confront people who are not getting along. Give them up to 24 hours to work it out, figure it out and let it go so it doesn’t infect the company and/or waste time in the form of gossip.
12. Have Integrity
Always do what you say you are going to do. Don’t be the wizard behind the curtain. Be a person of your word. Your company knows if you are a doer or someone who just says they will executive, but never does. You run the risk of ruining your company when our team sees you as wishy-washy.
13. Be Like McDonald’s
Have a system, process and solid operations in every aspect of your business. Be a well-oiled machine. When this is done, everyone knows what to do, how to do it and what is expected of them.
14. Leave Them Alone
Don’t micromanage. Let others know what your expectations are and let them fly. Nothing kills creativity faster than micromanaging your team. Encourage making mistakes. Let your team know what a mistake looks like, and then let them soar. If they don’t make mistakes, they can’t grow and you won’t see them stretching themselves.
15. In vs. On
Delegate. Many executives are wearing too many hats. They are working too much “in” their business and not enough “on” their business. Get in the habit of delegating authority and projects to your team and executive assistant. You should be doing the one or two things that are specifically focused on growing the company.
16. Treat Your Clients Like Gold
Have a list of 30 VIPs. We all have clients we have not stayed in touch with enough. Connect with your VIP30 on a monthly basis and have custom quarterly and annual marketing plans for these clients. Always communicate how special they are to you. Create raving fans and your biggest cheerleaders out of these clients. In not, they will become cheerleaders for someone else.
17. Meet, Meet and Meet Again
Have weekly meetings with your team to review the past week, set a course for the upcoming week, review each deal, and discuss all roles and responsibilities. Keep these meetings under 40 minutes. If you can do them in less than 30 minutes, that’s even better.
18. Innovate
Be committed to learning about technology, innovation and change. Ask yourself these questions on a quarterly or monthly basis:
- What will my industry look like in three years and how am I adjusting my business to keep up with these changes?
- How will technology change my business and how am I adjusting my business to keep up with these changes?
- Do I have the right people in the right seats to grow?
- Do I have the right executive assistant to whom I can delegate authority?
- Have I asked the people in my company, my clients and my friends for feedback on how I can grow and improve?
19. That’s the Idea!
Keep an Idea Journal. How many times have you said to yourself and others: “I had that idea x number of years ago!” or “I have been thinking about that for years!” Keep an Idea Journal of all your thoughts and ideas and they will begin to morph together to create the ultimate idea that will create a paradigm shift in your organization. Have fun with this one!
20. Please, Be Quiet
Make it a habit not to interrupt people. As a veteran businessperson, you may think you’re always going to know what others will say or want to fast-track a conversation. When this happens, many start interrupting their team. Nothing ruins creativity and makes someone feel like they don’t matter than constantly interrupting them. This will prevent the expression of creative new ideas. Keep a pad of paper in front of you and always write down your thoughts, comments and next questions – and let people have the floor.
21. Get the Scoop
Always have an “undercover spy” as a business owner or someone running your organization. You always need that one person who is the secret eyes and ears of the organization. This person gives you the inside scoop on all the drama, all the issues and all the real feedback you need without ever breaking their cover. If you don’t have this person, get one. If you have it, this is your secret weapon for keeping, refining and growing your company and culture.
What makes sense for you and your business right now? Implement the strategies that will move you forward and experiencing the growth you’ve been looking for. Or, pick one strategy each day and make it happen. These are far more than tips or tricks – these will increase your sales, grow your bottom line, and enhance your relationships with both your employees and your clients.
Remember: Everything you want is closer than you think. Don’t look back in hindsight and wish you had done more. Instead, take action with these strategies and Think Big!
Think Big!
Jon
