Secrets to Success
John-Paul Micek
Are you taking
the long way to higher
performance and profits?If you're established in business, take a moment to look hard at the last year. Ask yourself, Could you have:
>> Better systems in your company or department? Systems that help run the business whether you're there or not?If you're honest with yourself, I would expect there was at least one area in which you could have done better.>> Spent more time leading and growing your business, and less time letting your business run you and your life?
>> Done a better job identifying your resources and optimizing the top profit centers already in your company?
>> Attracted more clients who were exactly your type of client rather than just taking any client who walked through the door?
>> Done a better job turning your new clients into raving fans -- for life?
>> Hired or motivated your team a little better?
So... why didn't you do better in those areas?
I know it's not for lack of trying. And it's not necessarily that you didn't know the best way to get maximized results. Most small business owners who've made costly mistakes state they "should've known better." And in fact, most do. The reason for sub-par results is insidious.
During the time I've spent mentoring and coaching small business owners, I've found the No. 1 cause is not too much going on (that's the No. 2). It's not hiring the wrong people and motivating the right people the wrong way (that's No. 3). The No. 1 cause for making costly mistakes and getting poor performance returns is being too close to the situation.
As helpful as my own mentors have been, they didn't follow any set program or have a systemized approach. Things would have to reach a critical point before I'd recognize the need to dedicate some serious time to the long range goals of my businesses. If I had the advantage of a structured coaching program, I could have achieved more in my businesses, with less stress and disruption to my life.
One of the big differences between having a mentor and having your own business coach is structure. When I partnered with my first business coach, he helped me with that structure in three specific areas that my mentors had not.
1. My business coach helped me set a schedule. He had me focus 20 percent of my time on my business. This allowed me to leapfrog past competitors.If you're not satisfied with your answers to the questions at the beginning of this article, now may be the time for you to find a business coach.2. With my business coach I had a structure of accountability. Not only was it my hard-earned money invested with my coach that motivated me to get results, he would hold my feet to the fire and make sure I followed through on actions I committed to every week.
3. My business coach helped me save hours of trial and error.
If you want to find the right coach, and want a tool to help you make the best decision, visit the Resource Center at www.RPMsuccess.com or email info@RPMsuccess.com and ask for the "Coach-Matching Interview Questionnaire." You can use this form to interview coaches as you narrow your search from the plethora of coaches in the marketplace to the ones truly equipped to bring you accelerated knowledge.
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.