My client greeted me today with his “Issues at hand” document. He handed me a sheet of paper where he had listed his top 9 issues. Actually he had his top 9 bullets but each bullet had sub-bullets. When you added up his “issues at hand” the total was actually 22.
His first issue at hand was how to deal with a HUGE loss of revenue. Ten percent of his revenue disappeared OVERNIGHT, or so it seemed. His next issue was around people. This one is HUGE. There are ALWAYS issues with people. Every team has people issues more than any other. Why is it we all seem to think we have more? Moving on…
His eyes were tired. He told me he felt “overwhelmed,” he “had so many priorities he didn’t know what to focus on,” and that he felt like he was “stuck in mud.” I tried to remind him that he sounded like just about every one of my clients…at least at some point. He smiled. At least he’s not ALONE.
My client is getting better. My client and his team are getting stronger. His progress is NOT linear. Neither is mine and neither is yours. We all experience dips in our performance. We all have insane expectations of how easy this journey SHOULD be. He and I have a long way to go.
Don’t we all?
We got to work and he got some energy. We began to focus our ATTENTION on the most important part of his system. He talked and I wrote. I asked a bunch of questions, encouraged him, and challenged him at the same time. We agreed to a round of golf next week too. Very cool.
Turns out that this client has some work to do on their sales system. It’s not broken, it’s just NOT built for sustainability. It will be.
We ended our session, after a good lunch with my client agreeing to a couple VERY productive actions. His “done so’s” are right on the money. He does NOT really have 22 issues at hand. He has a couple. As he builds his strong CORE he’ll begin to see his entire system more clearly and ACT accordingly. He’s doing fine as it is. He’ll do even better.
One “done so” at a time.
What are your issues at hand?
What are you doing to “done so” the most important one?
What gets your ATTENTION?
Do you know why?
What truth tellers give you courage, ask you the best questions, and challenge your thinking?
Why do you only respond to system breaks that cost you MONEY?
Try remembering this…Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it is getting. I can’t remember where I first heard this, but it’s stinkin’ brilliant. If you don’t like the results your getting, study the system causes and CHANGE ’em. Better yet, while the revenue is flowing and growing build your system even stronger and BREAK it yourself. Stop waiting for someone else to do it for you.
It is much less painful to build your heart stronger before you have the HEART attack.
“Never despair.” Harry Vardon
BUILT TO LEAD 