Business Times of Edmond, Oklahoma March 2020 - Page 26

BUSINESS MATTERS MIKE CRANDALL P rofessional G rowth S olutions What Zone are You In? T hink about the words — comfort, panic, dead, and growth. Which sounds most appealing to you. Which would you prefer to work towards? Now add the work Zone to each — comfort zone, panic zone, dead zone, and growth zone. Now, which sounds most appealing to you? Which do you want to work towards? The most common of these is obviously the Comfort Zone. We talk about it all of the time. And we are quick to point out when we see others stuck in their Comfort Zone. However, it is not common for us to recognize our own Comfort Zone, let alone the other zones we can be in. Each of these is easy to see in other people, however difficult to see in ourselves. Not only do these zones impact and affect us, but also they do so with those around us. Family, friends, employees, co-workers, teammates, board members, volunteers, etc. All of the people around us are in zones that impact things in their lives, and the lives of those close to them. Top Leaders know that great things are only achieved when we get people (ourselves and others) into a Growth Zone. This sounds easy, however is not. The vast majority of us gravitate towards our 26 March 2020 | The Business Times Comfort Zone, then slip into our Panic Zone or our Dead Zone without us even realizing it. A key to Growth is to recognize that the natural resting spot for more people is the Comfort Zone. Then we need to pay close attention to the fact it is a really small step to get to your Panic Zone or Dead Zone. The good news is that the step to your Growth Zone is also really small. The best part is we all have 100% control of this — we can make simple choices each day to stretch and challenge the Zone we are in. We must remember, however, that the small steps could be in the right direction, or the wrong direction. These choices could be as simple as starting with parking in a different place or walking a different route. Each of these little choices pushes us to see things differently and experience new things that allow us to grow. Which is exactly how we work into our Growth Zone. The Growth Zone is where great things happen — both in our professional and our personal lives — however, it is almost guaranteed to be uncomfortable. Like most things the discomfort is only temporary. Once we get far enough along, we end up with a new comfort level. If you truly want things you have never had, you must recognize you don’t have them because they are outside your Comfort Zone. If they were inside your Comfort Zone you would already have them. Now let me ask — what zone are you in? What zone do you get stuck in most? What zone are those around you (employees, team members, family, friends, etc.) stuck in? How much do you think/feel that is costing you? If you don’t know or don’t like the answers — find a Business Growth Consultant who can help. MIKE CRANDALL lives in Edmond, Okla. He is a consultant, coach, trainer, speaker and author focused on the Subconscious Psychology of Human Interaction and Motivation. His firm specializes in sales, management and leadership development for Proactive Business Growth. Mike is based in Oklahoma and serves visionary clients across the United States. He can be reached at Mike. [email protected] or at 405-844-1700. For more information, go online to www. customgrowth.sandler.com.