Are You Better Off Today Than You Were Four Years Ago

Does it really matter? …the health of your business will only be influenced by… your attitude, beliefs, and actions.

With a hard fought Presidential election just behind us, we still hear the ringing of and will continue to hear the question, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” I have a better question… and it has nothing to do with politics. Will you be better off four years from now than you are today? If you just answered, “I certainly hope so” or something less committed than “YES” – what influenced your response? Your attitude, your belief, or your actions?

Certainly, the health of our economy will be influenced by our leader in the White House. However, the health of your business will only be influenced by you…your attitude, beliefs, and actions. Will the economy expand or contract? Will interest rates rise or fall? Will it be large companies or small companies that thrive in the next four years? Do you know? Should you really care?

Expanding, contracting; rising, falling; large, small…it doesn’t matter. Those are generalizations based on a national composite in a global economy. These classifications don’t dictate growth or stagnation for you. Frankly, only you dictate growth or stagnation. Opportunities for YOUR business are almost limitless. When times are good (and you can define good any way you’d like to), companies are looking for increased efficiency. They want to reap as much as they can as quickly as they can…while the pickings are good. When times aren’t so good (again, you can define that any way you’d like to), companies are looking for increased effectiveness. They want to get a bigger piece of a smaller pie.

Let me qualify my previous statement: Opportunities for business growth are almost limitless…if you are prepared. Your ability to effectively respond to change—whether you see that change as good or not so good—is primarily determined by your level of preparedness. Joe Paterno said, “the will to win is important. The will to prepare is vital.”

So, how do you prepare for change and (continue to) grow? Objectively examine what you are doing and how well you are doing it. Are your selling, communication, and deliverable skills as well honed as they could be? How about your planning skills? What about your ability and discipline to follow up and follow through? Do you practice what you preach? How good of a role model are you for your sales staff and clients?

Here are some steps you can take. First, analyze your present situation. What are you really good at? At what do you excel? What are your real strengths? What are your unique skills, talents, and abilities? Knowing “what you have in inventory” is necessary for determining the most appropriate course of action when faced with change.

Next, determine what are you not so good at? What would you rather not do? What activities do you continually put off or avoid altogether? In other words, what are your limitations or weaknesses? When you’ve identified these “areas for improvement,” prioritize them from the perspective of which can enhance your strengths and which, if improved, can make the greatest positive impact on the accomplishment of your goals. Now you have prepared your inventory – how do you execute the change? Personal and corporate training is an effective avenue to learn how to leverage your strengths and re-work your weaknesses.

Another way to prepare is to learn to be flexible. Take the blinders off. Just because you’ve always done something one way—and it worked—doesn’t mean you’ll always be doing it that way. It takes a very close inspection to decide whether what got you here will get you there. A great place to start is by expanding your realm of influence to help you grow and prepare for change. It’s been said that in the business world, success is determined by whom you know. I suggest that it’s not whom you know, but who knows you. Are you “plugged in” to your business community? Do you contribute your time, energy, effort, and expertise to civic and business associations in your community?

If you find an organization whose goals and objectives are consistent with your goals and values, then get involved. Participate and add value to the relationship. Besides the personal growth, you’ll likely be rubbing elbows with the movers and shakers of your business community who share your goals and values.

Another way to prepare for the future is to examine what you have and where you are today. How many important business relationships do you have? How can you make them stronger? How many influential business contacts do you have? How can you make them more plentiful? Which of your current clients or contacts can introduce you to other influential people? And, when are you going to ask them to do so?

Will you be better off four years from now than you are today? If you are prepared for change and you are continuing to grow, the answer will certainly be yes.