I recently had the opportunity to be a part of the PBCA Master Coach Retreat. While I was there, I had a chance to interview several of the other business coaches. I asked all of them the same question: “What is the number one piece of advice you have for business owners and leaders?” Here are their responses:
“Work strategically on your business” – Jon Denney
Business owners need to keep in mind…
- Where they are going
- How they’re going to get there
- What the next step is
This is working strategically on your business and not just letting every day be a continuation of the same old story.
Get clarity around the most important things that you need to focus on in your business. Then figure out the best strategy. Get clarity on everything that needs to happen to implement that strategy. Then get accountability.
Working strategically on your business is how you get from where you are to where you want to be.
“Put people first.” – Jeff Rogers
Business leaders are often hyper-focused on results. But results will happen when you put people first. Consistently putting people first will get you the results you are looking for. Your people will naturally go the extra mile for you because they feel appreciated. And you will find that they will do this willingly, not because they feel obligated.
“Think like a head coach.” – George Hadley
A head coach isn’t on the field. He or she isn’t running the plays. He has a team around him of assistant coaches who run the offense and defense. They have a scoreboard and statistics.
They have a playbook, they practice, they train. They have Monday morning QB meetings when the coaches and players talk about the last game–what was good, what was bad, and how they can improve for the next game. Everyone has a clear job description. And they know exactly what they are accountable for.
As a business leader, think like a head coach.
“Invest in your people.” – Michael Beach
A business is a conglomeration of the talents, skills, and experiences of everyone on the team. If you have a very diverse team with a variety of skills, experiences, and backgrounds, and everybody is pulling in the same direction, then everything is going to be great. If your people aren’t all aligned, it is going to be very tough to get where you are going.
“Create a robust vision, mission, and core values statement.” – Cindy Piva
They are the rudder of your ship. If you put your ship in the ocean without a rudder, it could end up in Miami, or it could end up in Japan if it gets caught up in storms. The day-to-day business operations can get your company caught up in the tide. But when you have a vision of where you want to go, then your direction is clear. And your whole company has a rudder that keeps your ship guided along the way.
“Work on your leadership skills.” – Tony Malik
Treat your leadership like a golf swing–never stop working on it. Here are a few essential skills to work on:
- Learn to attract good people.
- Get good at training them.
- Get good at motivating and developing them.
“Align the management team.” – Bernie Heine
Does the management team trust each other? Can they admit their weaknesses? Admit the mistakes they’ve made? Can they ask for help when they need it? If everyone in the room can get aligned with one another, you can avoid all of the bickering and issues that occur in a disjointed team.