Hi There – Brian Here
A few years ago, the consulting business was hard going, and I decided to pay a business coach to take my performance to the next level.
The coach is a successful American consultant, author and communicator. He had done the things I wanted to do.
I baulked a little at his fees as times were tough. His response was that the value I got would translate into a multiple of his fees.
I dived into it, and he was right. The almost US20k I paid in fees was returned more than 10-fold within a year. And the year after proved even better.
What was the secret?
It was surprisingly simple - he took me back to basics and made sure I was concentrating on the few things that generated 80 percent of business results.
He sharpened my definition of an ‘ideal client’ and my value proposition.
I had lost the laser focus required for higher performance in a changed market and didn’t realize it.
I have found that it is a common problem for all types of organizations. With businesses, you get a nudge when profits and sales flatten or start to dip.
With member organizations, you see membership renewals and revenues fall.
Something else happens with larger businesses, industries and institutions.
You see a rise in internal activism. For example, listed companies see shareholder activists and industries can see splinter groups emerge.
Activists can be like the proverbial canary in the coal mine. An early warning that something is wrong. They challenge the status quo.
For that reason, I’m always curious to hear the concerns of these groups. They may not be right about the solution, but they often detect that something is not right.
A current example is the emerging trend with concerns about the performance of companies, programs and funds that are prioritizing ESG and social outcomes ahead of commercial results.
The resulting weaker performance has paved the way for so-called ‘anti-woke activists’ to gain traction in the US and other markets.
Whether a large corporation, a small consulting business, a government funded trade program or an industry association, the fundamentals still remain.
Generating fresh value for customers is the foundation and basis for generating benefits for all the stakeholders.
Not the other way around.
Organizational survival demands that all the forces and resources available must single-mindedly support the creation of customers.
When you do that, many things become possible. When you lose focus and try to please everybody, expect to pay the price.
I have seen it with my own business and with my best clients.
The most potent solutions to lift performance are more often about taking simple steps to get the foundations right as your operating context changes.
Don’t overthink it.
Simple does not mean easy. Getting back on track is a whole lot faster when you have an adviser who has done what you strive to do.
Hit reply if you’d like to talk about how to achieve a step change with your focus and results.
Until next week
Insights from others….
“The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.” ― Peter Drucker
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” ― Bill Gates
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” ― Aristotle Onassis
"Never forget that absolutely everything you do is for your customers. Make every decision — even decisions about whether to expand the business, raise money, or promote someone — according to what's best for your customers.” ― Derek Sivers