By the time that you read this, the GM Chamber’s renowned Quarterly Economic Survey results will have been announced and I hope that they make much more cheerful reading than their other reports during 2023! Like many assessments, how do we react when we are told the business climate is poor, or when we learn that the manufacturing sector or the service sector is facing significant headwinds?
Do we behave the same as when we are told our personality is a certain colour shade or if we have as business leaders a tendency to be authoritative? Do we adjust our business approach to meet the forecast that we are being presented with, or do we continue to plough our own furrow, confident in our personal beliefs as to how well our business is doing and how well it is going to be doing in the coming year?
Ploughing your own furrow can be exhilarating and daunting, liberating and challenging – how do you behave? The first thing is to remember – there’s no such thing as “should”!
As leaders, we shouldn’t be doing what others are doing; our businesses are not like theirs. Our challenges are different, our customers are different, our supply chain is different and therefore we have to be confident in our own analysis of where we are now and where we need to be and what it is going to take to achieve the goals that we have set.
Of course, we can learn from others about best practices and how we might adopt and adapt them to suit our circumstances. The best of the best – and that’s who we aim to be isn’t it – will aim to be different, will aim to create clear blue water between ourselves and the rest of our sector, because differentiation and uniqueness are key attributes that we need to espouse.
What are some of the other critical characteristics of the successful business owner?
- Do we make our own “luck” or is our luck thrust upon us?
- Do we lead in our own inimitable style, or have we collected along the way a set of behaviours that should stand us in great stead? Our Leadership assessment considers your approach to Achievement Orientation, Impact and Influence, Innovation, Leading People, Strategic Thinking, Communication, Energising People, Learning Agility, Problem Solving and Resilience and Perseverance – how well would you do?
- Have we made a conscious effort to hire the very best people we can for each role and team, or have we reluctantly fallen into the trap to hire “somebody” because we keep being told that it’s impossible to find that sort of person in this area? When you do hire, do we understand what we really want the successful candidate to deliver and whether they have the attitudes and suitability for the role, or are we focused just on their skills and experience?
- Do we on-board our new people with a clear and shared expectation of what they will need to do to be successful in their role, or as we have seen many times, do what you can and learn on the job! And is that “onboarding process” a 1-day wonder or a month long/year-long joint approach to checking in, staying on track, learning while doing, constructive feedback and partnership?
- Is our culture founded upon growth mindset principles, with all our people always striving to learn new skills and new approaches to overcome our challenges; or are we stuck in the mode of change resistance because it didn’t work the last time we tried it?
- Do we breathe the fire of resilience, bouncing back after each apparent knockdown; or do we subside into the “now what are we going to do” melancholia that seems to afflict so many of us? If you bounce back more than you are knocked down (and we are all knocked down sometime during our business careers), you will overcome!
- Do we focus and commit to our priorities, “measuring what matters” (John Doerr, 2017) or do we wander the halls of prevarication, wondering why nothing gets done around here?
“Inspire me, lead me, drive me; give me purpose; support my being fulfilled”; these are the 2023-24 rallying calls.
Are you embodying them?
If you need help to develop, grow and exceed expectations, get in touch!
maxpotenti was established by Sim Goldblum, an experienced businessman, trainer and educator, to help businesses make the most of their people and exceed their potential.
Find out more! – The ACT Pathway to Sustainable Business Growth
email info@maxpotenti.co.uk
Alternatively, please call: 0161 464 6156 / 07515 507 337
maxpotenti.co.uk
