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Secrets to Success John-Paul Micek |
Strategy vs. tactics
The use of strategy vs. tactics could be the single most important foundational distinction you develop as a small business owner. Most entrepreneurs I've worked with were so tactical when we first started coaching, they didn't realize the immense, directional power of a solid strategy and its importance to accelerating their success in business. When you understand this important distinction it will allow you to exponentially multiply your efforts in growing your business by simplifying succession planning, focusing your energy and avoiding pitfalls.
Strategy
Your strategy is related to the overall position you'd like your company to achieve over the long haul. It's the mind set that forms the guide for your mission statement, strategic objectives and overall business plan.In our coaching with entrepreneurs around the globe we've discovered that the alignment of a small business owner's natural style with the strategy of his/her organization is critical for accelerated success. Eliminating any misalignment between these two areas has proven to be an extremely effective way to assure long-term success and fulfillment. Your natural style is your own unique combination of life experiences, education, passions, behavioral/communication styles and motivational values.
Tactics
Tactics are the things you do to achieve your strategic objectives. For example, in marketing you could employ a magazine ad, a direct mail piece, or a trade show to attract new clients. These are all tactics. But how you leverage them and maximize your results must be related to your strategy. When you have a well defined strategy, choosing the right tactics in areas like systems development, sales and your hiring/team-building is a relative breeze.Let me share a brief example with you. Here's a great strategic objective: "To be the most trusted, customer-centric company in our target market, and to turn our existing clients into a literal army of sales people gladly recommending our services to every qualified prospect they meet."
If that's your overall strategic objective, than you have to ask if your tactics contribute to achieving this goal. If your service technicians in the field are simply trying to get the repairs on their route completed as quickly as possible, then they are operating tactically no matter how well the work is done. If they are doing their work in the mind set that says, the client needs to be listened to, reassured that "no matter what, we're here to make things right," and subsequently have the freedom from the owner to go above and beyond expectations while on-site -- that's operating strategically.
Coaching corner
Don't worry if you haven't fully grasped the concept yet, it takes some time. Here's a tip to get you started.Once every 12 weeks, sit down for 90-minutes (alone or with your team) and take a look at your tactics and compare them against your strategy.
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John-Paul Micek is a small-business strategist
and chief operating officer at RPM Success Group.
Reach him at JPM@RPMsuccess.com
or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer
of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach
and life strategist. Reach her at DCM@RPMsuccess.com
or (888) 334-8151.