Be a leader, not a business owner!

Leadership I believe is one of the critical links to business success, yet often as small business owners we can struggle to see ourselves as a leader. We see ourselves as a business owner, as a doer in our business, as a motivator of staff (if we have any). It is something that needs to be focused on.

 

Leadership is about developing a vision, about developing your personal vision of success for you both professionally and personally.

I want to share with you four questions that I have used frequently over the past 10 years with my clients. These are very simple questions that I heard from a keynote speaker at a conference I attended years ago. These questions will help you to build your personal framework around being a leader.

1 . How do you see yourself as a leader?

Ask yourself: What is your leadership point of view?
How would you describe your leadership style?
What matters to you in terms of your leadership?
Do you see yourself as a leader?

2. How do others see you?

Ask yourself: Do you know?
Do you care?
Are you right? (i.e. is your information accurate?)
How do you assess this every day of the week?

Note: Some of the best leaders are extremely conscious of how people see them. They ask for feedback frequently and evaluate it. They think about it daily and ask themselves:
“Is what I mean being perceived the way I intended”? “ If not, how do I need to change my message?”

3. How do you want to be seen?

This involves needs and values. If we don’t know the needs and values we are driven by, they can wreak havoc in our environment. The best leaders are in pursuit of respect first and popularity second.

4. How must and should you be seen to be effective?

If you don’t know this, then working with a mentor can help you look at the gaps and help you to see what you need to do tomorrow to be seen as more effective.

 

Once you've answered the questions above, and if you're ready for it, I'd like to share with you an exercise that I do each year around December time. 

It's an exercise that one of my Lecturer's recommended we do, when I was studying for my Masters Degree, and it's again a tool that has always stuck with me.

 

It's interesting because it's an exercise I would always use with my corporate clients, and these where in some cases jaded Senior Executives and CEO's who didn't feel as if they had much control over their lives.  At times they would resist this exercise, but the ones who took the time out and completed it, always feed back how profound they found it.

 

When I moved my focus back to small business owners for some reason I stopped asking my clients to look at this exercise.  I'm not sure why?  But after my recent realisation that I had stopped leading my business, I looked at my current letter to the future, and it helped me regain my balance, and now I would like you to try it out...

 

Here's how it works:

Writing Your Letter To The Future

Find a quiet space to begin, and have your journal (or a piece of paper) in hand.  

• Write the date that is into the future.  I normally do 31st December, speaking about what has happened in the year.
• Write a salutation (greeting) to yourself.
• Start of with your first paragraph explaining the reason you are writing the letter to yourself.
• Then go into what has happened for you in the past twelve months - be specific!  For each part of your life, create a new paragraph.  The more specific you are, the more real it is.  Take time to develop this letter.  Once you feel that your letter is complete...
• Sign off on your letter.

 

Place your letter in a safe place, ready to be read at that time in the future.

 

As always, please feel free to share with me your experience in writing your letter to the future.

 

Want to use this Article?

I would be honoured if you did, just be sure to use it in full and include the following information:

Deb Pilgrim helps you start, grow and lead your business, so that you can create the life you want. When you work with Deb, you get the results you always knew you could!  To find out more about how you can work with Deb visit her website, and whilst you are there download her latest report that will show you how to be one of the Top 5% of Entrepreneurs who succeed.

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Ever wondered where your next customer is coming from?  You’ve a great track record with your customers, they love what you do, but it seems that no-one other than your existing customers know about you. And you’re on a constant cycle of trying to bring more customers into your business. It’s often a frustration that I hear when I begin working with my students.

Over the past few months we’ve been sharing with you some of the strategies you can put into place to visually ‘get out there’, and today I’ve asked Kim Larochelle from Dennis Rutzou Public Relations to share with you some strategies about how to identify a news angle for your business.

As Kim explains, “It has been proven time and time again that media coverage (i.e. editorial published or broadcasted by media outlets) is much more credible and effective than advertising. The general public has become desensitised to advertising, understanding that the organisation behind it paid to have control of the content.”

What’s important to remember here is capturing the journalist’s attention is paramount is securing their interest in you and your story.

Below are Kim’s strategies for finding your news angle that will increase the likelihood of your story being newsworthy:

New is news

The release of new products or services is significant and this ‘newness’ gives your organisation a promotional advantage - this news value should be capitalised on while it is still current.

Timely

An angle that ties in with a hot topic, trend or current affair.

Human interest

People are interested in people! Show the ‘human’ element behind your business - challenges you have overcome, charity or local school you support, an interesting employee program, or corporate social responsibility.

News catalyst research

“According to a recent survey by…” - The media goes nuts for statistics and trends! One way to gain these is to undertake some research either via an existing database, via your website or through a research company.

A list

“The top 20 trends…” or “Ten tips for…” are headlines that appear on a daily basis in the media. Review trends that are happening in your industry or look at tips that your customers would benefit from, and format these into a media release.

Industry case study

Successful case studies of your clients using your services or products are particularly effective and interesting to media outlets in your industry. In addition, case studies carry an implied endorsement from your clients, showing you off as the organisation behind their success.

Launch a competition or organise a giveaway

The ‘Best job in the world’ competition by Queensland Tourism is the optimum example of a successful competition launch. But on a smaller scale, many media outlets run giveaways for their readers or viewers. 

Create or take advantage of an existing national ‘something’ day, week or month

Does your organisation have any relevant association with events like ‘Movember’, ‘World Environment Day’ or ‘International Women’s Day’? You might be able to come up with an angle that ties in with these events or even create your own!

Let me know how you go with creating your own news angles! 

If you would like to learn more about how publicity can impact the bottom line of your business, then you will want to listen to Kim as she presents at this month’s Business Building Blocks Inner Circle – Tuesday 12^th April at 8pm (Sydney Time)!

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I always find the time immediately after a holiday, as an exciting time in business.  Your thinking is clearer and more creative, and you are open to possibilities that you may not have been just prior to your break.  I know this has been the case for my VIP mentor clients and myself!  There is a buzz in the air around business, and it’s as if everyone has their mojo back!  Do you feel the same?

If so, you’re ready to do things differently……

You want to know what are the core foundations you have to put in place for your success in 2011.  You know that 2010 doesn’t count anymore, as this is the New Year!

So, here are two key foundations that you will want to put in place for your success in 2011… 

1.  Taking action, without any excuses!

Taking action and being persistent is the difference between the successful and the not so successful.  It’s something that I learnt many years ago in my very first business!  After studying successful business people and then being mentored by some of these individuals, I realised that the difference between them and myself, was that they took action.  They made their decisions and acted upon them almost immediately!  They believed in themselves and they trusted the vision they held for themselves. 

Unlike myself, who at that time, would…make a decision, think about it, research it a little more, maybe do a course about it, think about it a little more, second guess myself…. (I know, you get the drift here now)…and then wonder why I was still running around chasing my tail while making limited profits!  Sound familiar?

It wasn’t until one of these mentors stopped me in my tracks one day, and said: “Deb, it’s time for you to stop thinking about it, stop learning about it, and just start doing it.  You spend too much time ruminating and not enough time taking action.  It’s time for you to take action, especially if you want to be a successful entrepreneur!  Otherwise you might as well close shop and go home.” 

Ouch!!!! Closing shop and going home, just wasn’t an option, so it was time to take action and be persistent.  It was time to stop thinking and start doing.  Time to believe in the vision that I held for myself and my business.

I want you to ask yourself:  “What do I need to do today?”  Once you are clear on the exact tasks you need to do, make a commitment to do them!

Sounds straightforward? That is until the self-sabotaging behaviours begin to rear their ugly heads, which leads nicely into the next foundation for your success…

2.  Removing Those Limiting Beliefs that are Holding You Back.

These are the stories that you tell, to keep yourself ‘safe’, to keep yourself where you are currently.  To stop you from focusing on the real action you need to take.

Removing your limiting beliefs, can be as difficult as culling your wardrobe!  You know you should get rid of some of your things, but even through much of it is totally out of fashion, not very flattering and you’ve not worn it for years, you insist on hanging on to it all.  Every time you open the wardrobe, staring back at you, is that white jacket with gold buttons and big shoulder pads!  It gets in the way of all the other great clothes that you could be wearing, if only you could see them.

We do the same with our beliefs:  we keep them when we don’t need them any more, when we have outgrown them.  Some of them have been with us for years.  Despite the fact they’re not really relevant anymore, we find them comfortable and familiar and insist on keeping them.  It’s worth acknowledging that limiting beliefs sometimes hold us back as a form of protection against the very success we are striving for.  So if you want success rather than to be a wannabe, you’ve got to get rid of these beliefs.  Make room for something new.  If they won’t go, change them so that they work for you more positively.

It’s time to put away those beliefs that are holding you back, away once and for all!  Take a moment to think about what your future will be like, what it will feel like with your old beliefs put away where they belong.  Notice again how this looks, feels and sounds for you. 

So, here are two key foundation pieces that you will want to put in place for 2011 - TAKING ACTION and removing your LIMITING BELIEFS.  If you have been thinking about doing something different, now is the time for you ACTUALLY do something different.  Step out of the sea of sameness and make it happen in 2011.

I can’t wait to support you further and hear about what you are doing different in 2011.  If you have your 'must-does', why not take a moment and share them with us here.

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We're all on the same playing field....right?

If that’s so, then what makes one business owner more successful than another? I was thinking about this today,  after speaking with one of my mentor clients – let's call her Liz.  During our call today, she was reflecting on the difference that our work together had made on her business the past three months.  For me, it was very humbling to be there on the other end of the phone, listening to her reflect on what our working relationship meant to her.

Liz had asked me to work with her at a time when her sense of hope was failing.  Her business had hit rock bottom, she had sold her family home, and taken on two more jobs to pay back creditors, just so she could keep her family fed.

After listening to her story, I agreed to work with her.  At our first face-to-face meeting, we spoke about how we would work together, and established our guidelines for success. Our expectations were that she would do everything she committed to in our calls, and I would do everything I could to support her. We agreed that if nothing had changed by the end of 2010, she would close the doors and walk away. Liz left that meeting with the first of her action steps….

I remember going home that night and sitting at my desk thinking:  “Can this turn-around happen?”.  “By agreeing to work with her, am I giving her false hope?".  There have been times previously, when after having my first meeting with new clients, I have decided not to move ahead and work with them.

However, there was something about Liz that made me believe she could turn her business around. 

Was it tenacity, was it belief, or was it a desire to succeed, and change the tide?  I think it was all of these things and more, but I also think it was having someone who believed in her and the legacy she wanted to create. Someone who would hold the space for her, and give her honest feedback in the process.

Liz was the one who took the very first step to change and grow her business by engaging a mentor.  After each call, she walked away with, and committed to her action list.  Step by step, things began to change. 

Some of the areas that we focused on included re-establishing monthly financial targets for the business to meet, identifying referral partners, and organising one-on-one meetings. A step-by-step marketing plan was developed that included both on-line and off-line strategies.  A communication plan was developed and implemented.  Everything was tracked and if something wasn’t working, then changes were made.

Liz was totally committed, and put everything into making sure that the turnaround occurred.  Everything we spoke about was implemented, and action was taken straight away.  At times there was a sense of being overwhelmed, there was exhaustion, but still there was hope.  As each call progressed, I began to hear the difference in her voice, her language had changed and a lightness began to appear.  Things were beginning to turnaround.

As things stand now, Liz is not out of the woods completely, but three months on, she is now working in her business.  She’s paid off all outstanding debts, and has started taking a wage from her business again.  She’s there in the morning to get her kids ready for school, and in the evenings to have dinner with them all. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m going to let you in on a secret:  What we did wasn’t rocket science; in fact it was an easy, step-by-step, practical, results driven process.  It’s what we all need to do to have successful businesses.  I often hear other business owners who aren’t running successful businesses say, “Yeah, I know this stuff already.".

But do you want to know the difference between them and my mentor client?

She implemented it all, she took action and she believed in what she was doing.  She didn't sit back and say, "I know this stuff already.". Liz took it all on board and now has a proven process that she can continue to use.  2011 is going to be her year for building a stronger, more successful business - mark my word on this!

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My 'Sunday Night Question' last week was about change, and if you find it easy to change.  I wanted to find out from others how they handle change in their own lives, and I enjoyed reading the many emails from readers sharing with me what they do.  What I love about this subject is how individual, change is for each person.  There are those who absolutely love change, they go head first into making the changes they need, there are those who are resistant, they dig their feet in and make it harder than what it needs to be.  Whilst there are others who sit in the middle of the continuum, sometimes finding it easy, other times find it hard.  Where do you sit, and how does this relate to your business?

If you are someone who ‘digs in’ or sits on the fence, but would love to experience the exhilaration of change, than it’s time to change what you are doing.  As you know “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.  So ask yourself, do you resist change even when you know it would be good for your business, because you're not sure what you need to change? Or, is it because you are not clear around exactly what needs to be changed to reap the most reward? Or is it because you are too stubborn or proud to change what isn’t working?  I’m often amazed when I come across some business owners, who allow their negative beliefs to stop them from trying something different or stop them from working with someone who thinks differently to them. Sometimes 'different' is exactly what you need to do to blast forward from a low six figure business to a high six figure business in a matter of months!

I’m going to make a presumption here – you’re in business to make money, right?

Then, if your business hasn’t grown in the past year, wouldn’t it make sense to make changes around what you are currently doing?

Let’s acknowledge that the internal conflict we have around change is real, it is also normal and it can be very scary.  The fear of not knowing can hold you where you are.  But is that where you really want to stay, doing the same thing over and over, and all that is really changing are the days…

Probably not!  It’s time to dip your toes into the water of change. 

Block out time this week and commit to really looking at the way you do business. Ask yourself:

“Is my current way of thinking serving me?”.

“Am I achieving the results I really want?”. 

If not, than it’s time to make some changes. My guess is that you already  know what you need to be doing differently.  Make a list of the things you want to change, and then be willing to move further along the left of the continuum of change.  In fact, challenge yourself to do something different within your business, your life or the way you think in 2011.  Just be willing to make changes, open your mind to the possibilities that when put into action, blast your business forward out of stagnation.

What really do you have to lose? 

A thought to consider: By letting go, you actually gain! 

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That’s right I did – I came kicking and screaming to the whole social media platform.  Even after 12months of working from this platform – I feel as if I am still learning.  I often wonder if one will ever not stop learning when it comes to Social Media – it moves so quickly, that at times I feel like I’m just not keeping up.

But, Twitter has begun to make an impact on my business!  Over the past few months I have been having some great conversations with others on Twitter. In fact, I’ve also meant a few amazing people for coffee that I would never have met if I wasn’t tweeting away. 

One in particular is Janna Fikh from Fletcher Tax (@fletchertax) and as an accountant, I believe through her tweets, Janna’s followers have benefited greatly from her.  She provides great accounting tips, updates on financial and tax information as well engaging in conversations with those that follow her. Janna says, “Twitter has been an incredible tool for my business growth and development. It has allowed me to keep up to date with things in my industry but more importantly with issues my prospects and clients face in their daily lives. I highly recommend for all businesses to at least check if it is a useful medium for their business.”

I asked Alexandra Popovic from VIP Virtual Solutions (@VIPVirtualSols) to guest present to members of my Business Building Blocks Club around the impact that Social Media and in particular Twitter can have on your business.  Alex herself has had great success on Twitter and so has the growth of her business.  Alex says, "Twitter is a part of the current online communication revolution which is social media, and not to be overlooked. Over the past 2.5 years I've watched it evolve into such a powerful and easy way of networking and marketing, providing so many benefits to its users both on a personal and professional level. It's such a simple and fun platform, that it has become an essential tool in your marketing toolbox.”

Here are some of the main points from Alex’s presentation:

1. Build your presence – be consistent with your Tweeting.

There is so much ‘white noise’ on Twitter that a single tweet every now and then couple of days is not going to get you noticed, create a loyal following or develop a community.  To build your presence, you want to be consistent, but you don’t have to be tied to your Twitter account all day.  Choose a time of the day that suits you to regularly tweet for five minutes.  Maybe every morning once you’ve done your emails or three evenings a week, and stick to it. You only have 140 characters to get your message across, so be articulate, conversational and listen.  This will ensure you give a great impression with every tweet, and will also bring in more followers.

2.  Tweet quality – add value to those who take the time to follow you and be appreciative. 

Take time each day to think about what is the message about yourself and your business that you want to send out into the ‘twitterverse’. How can you make yourself stand out, and add great value to those who follow you?  What can you share with them around your particular area of expertise?  Speak with them, rather than at them.

If someone has a challenge or problem and you can help them, take the time to reply.  Contribute to conversations that you find interesting, as people are there to engage with others.

3.  RT ~ Retweet content that you find valuable.

If you read something either on twitter itself from someone you are following or an article from a blog, news site, YouTube or wherever you may find it – retweet it if you feel it is of value.  When constructing your own tweets, try to keep them to 120 characters, as this will allow others to retweet to their followers, leveraging the tweet more effectively with the possibility that it may go viral. And above all else:  Be YOU.  Don’t try to be someone you’re not.  Give your thoughts, give your opinions, and talk about your interest.  Be respectful and have fun while you are tweeting.

Above all else:  Be YOU and have fun!  Don’t try to be someone you’re not.  Express your thoughts, opinions & tweet about your interests.  Try to be positive, informative but don't make it all about marketing or business. It's about crafting your own community, so it really is what you make it!

Let me know how you go.  In fact why not join in my conversation at @debpilgrim1.  See you there!

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When you first started your business, did you make the same mistake that I made?  Did you feel you   had to take on every new client who approached you?  I did!  When I started, one of the strategies I thought would build a successful business was to see everyone as a potential client.  I would chase them until I became exhausted.  It didn't guarantee me new clients, my bottom line didn't grow, and my business wasn't successful.  Something had to change. 

I knew what I wanted to create, but at that time I didn’t really know or understand how to create it successfully. It took me time, and a high level of commitment, but after reading, studying, and being mentored, I knew I had the skills and knowledge to build a business that I would be proud of.  A business that would be successful! I realised that it took focus and persistence, because building a business is a marathon, it’s not a sprint.

Over a period of time, I developed a formula that worked for me. I called it my Success Formula.  It goes like this:

Make a Decision + Stay Focused + Be Persistent = Success

So how does this look in reality?

Make A Decision

So, you’ve blocked out your 2011 planning time, begun to thrash out your goals and intentions for creating the best business year yet.  Research has been completed. You’ve worked with your business mentor or advisors around how to stretch yourself further, and achieve these goals.  Now it’s time to make a decision! 

Ask yourself:   Are you excited by the goals and intentions you have set?  If yes: 

Have you stretched yourself?  If yes: 

After intensive research, are you willing to back yourself?  If yes:

Are you willing to make the decision that these are your goals for 2011?  If yes:

It’s time for you to commit to this decision.

Now if we go back to the very first question around being excited by your goals – if you answered ‘no’ to this question, than its back to the drawing board for you.  Keep working on your goals and intentions, until you feel the excitement, until you know internally that the goals you are setting will set you on fire.

Okay, now you’ve made the decision, what’s next?

Stay focused & be persistent!

As mentioned earlier, building your successful business is not a sprint, you want to treat it as a marathon.  Don’t make it hard.  If you read anything about successful entrepreneurs, you know that in most cases they persist when others give up.  Now that doesn’t mean at times you may need to change or modify your decision, but what you want to do is make the necessary changes, get back on track, and continue to be focused and persistent.

When working with my mentoring clients, and step up their marketing efforts – by doing research, developing extraordinary products and services, and focusing in on their target market.  Often what I will begin hearing from them is “Deb, you are relentless, and this is a lot of work.”  And they're right, but this is business, and this is the legacy they are creating. 

When you put the right work in, focus and stay persistent, results will happen.  If you’re not sure what the next step is for you and your business, why not check out my Marketing Blueprint Workshops.  What’s the worst thing that could happen?  You could come away with your 2011 marketing plan.  Remember all it takes is making that decision.

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I always believed that being a member of the Royal Australian Air Force gave me a great foundation for my life, both professionally and personally.  The things I learnt from my time in the military have been invaluable to my business success.  The expansive skill set of strategic planning, competitive intelligence, decision making, leadership development, high standard enforcement, and innovation in execution are just a few of the skills that I walked away with.

When I first started out in business, I looked at the skills I had, but then quickly realised that to be effective, I needed to translate them from a military context, into a context that would provide me with the greatest value to my business.

I am reminded of these skills whenever the end of the year is upon me, as I normally will spend the last couple of months of the year planning and preparing for the next year. 

Here are three of the skills from the military that I find most useful for my business:

Intelligence:  In the military, there is always a systematic and ongoing analysis of competitors.  Understanding and reviewing the intelligence of your competition allows you to stay alive!  So when was the last time you spent time studying your competitors?  Do you know who your top five competitors are and what can you learn from them?

Action Step: Before now and the end of the year, take time to identify your top 10 competitors.  Use the questions set out in my previous article – Competition is not a Dirty Word and diligently work through these questions, so you have a better understanding of what your competitors are doing.  Use this information to either make changes to what you are currently doing or allow it to show you that what you currently do is cutting-edge. 

Planning and Preparation:  The military are known for their comprehensive and structured planning – which they do very well.  Not only is the planning  comprehensive, but it is timely and well executed.  There are only 64 days until 2011 hits us – have you begun to put together your strategic plan for 2011?  What are your goals and targets?  Have you started to develop your 2011 Marketing Plan?  Remember that 90% of all small businesses don’t have a marketing plan in place.  Make sure you are one of the 10% that does.

Action Step:  Block out time between now and January 1st to plan for 2011.  If you're not sure what you need to do here, now is the time to identify the specific type of support you need to help you develop your plan.  Get clear on this, and 2011 will be your best year.

Leadership Development:  The value of a great military leader was more than just what they did, it was how they did it, how they made decisions, lead their teams and presented themselves overall.  Many had to learn to be great leaders, and often in very trying circumstances.  I often find that when working with SME’s, they either don’t understand or don’t see the importance of being a strong leader.  But I would like to challenge you to think about this differently, whether you are a solopreneur or have a small team, your leadership skills and development is vitally important. 

Action Step: Please don’t make the mistake of not seeing yourself as a leader.  Take time to create a vision of the leader you would like to be and see the impact this can have on your business.

I look forward to hearing how you plan to spend your next 64 days.  Feel free to let me know.

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 Marketing 101....What is the 1 thing you want to know about developing your marketing
 blueprint?

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Years ago, I used to run work/life balance workshops for many large organisations – it was something that I truly believed in. It was my soapbox for many years. I could rattle off all the statistics as to why it was important; give you worksheets to show you how to do it properly, and hound you relentlessly if you didn’t do it the way research (and I) said it should be done.

That was until I realised that work/life balance was a total crock! The notion of work/life balance and all its ramifications was designed to make us feel more guilty than we needed to.

And I have been reminded of this issue over the past few weeks when working with my mentor clients, and again during lunch today with my colleague. My clients are shocked when I tell them that work/life balance is really just a marketing tool and nothing more. My lunch date was on the same page as me, and agreed totally. So there we were having a great conversation about what the concept of work/life balance meant for each of us.

We started with this; Is there such a thing as work/life balance, and what if instead, we looked at it as simply balance – nothing more and nothing less? And that you were able to define what this meant for you and only you. How does that feel?

For me, balance is feeling contented at the end of the day, knowing that I’ve done the best I can for myself, my family, and my clients. To me , it means that it’s okay when I need to work twelve hour days to finish off a campaign. It means that the three hours I might do on a Saturday morning, is fine. And the reason it is fine, is because I will balance it out at the other end making sure I take the time out to connect with my family – this could be as simple as finishing early on some days, or heading away for a long weekend.

For Jen, it means that when she doesn’t finish a meeting with clients until after 7pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, she is able to balance this out by finishing early on Thursday or Friday and picking the kids up from school and focusing solely on them for a few hours. She has the support of her family, keeps them updated on what she is doing, and checks in regularly with how her children feel when Mum may not be there for dinner. Jen has learnt not to feel guilty about creating the life she wants for herself, because as she said: “I’m a happier wife and mother, when I'm able to create my own life balance.”

What does it mean for you? Are you able to create a balanced lifestyle based on your terms or do the well meaning people in your life make you feel guilty for doing what is right for you?

Feel free to send me through your thoughts on balance, and what it means to you. Tweet