RAINMAKERS
3 things to radically rethink in your business
By Dr . Clifford Ferguson
When was the last time you radically rethought and changed something within your business ? To be clear , we are not referring to incremental improvement , the addition of a new capability , or any other change that wouldn ’ t fit the definition of “ radical .”
As painful or potentially challenging as this may seem , every organization must periodically apply radical rethinking to itself so that it can continue to grow and scale . A straightforward example is the requirement for wholesale changes to administrative systems like accounting and human resources over time . Growing from 10 employees to 100 employees , for example , and then again to 500 or 1,000 + staff cannot occur without radical changes to administrative systems .
Although this makes intuitive sense , as many of us learn the hard way in life , logic often takes a back seat to more powerful forces within us . This is where the trouble starts with respect to radically rethinking anything inside your organization .
We humans are creatures of habit and although that ’ s mostly a good thing - habits help us automate repetitive tasks without occupying our brain ’ s processing power - there are some serious downsides . The most insidious is complacency - a seductive sense of comfort with the status quo - which is an absolute growth killer .
“ As many of us learn the hard way in life , logic often takes a back seat to more powerful forces within us .”
Because habits are automated responses to environmental cues , it ’ s easy to forget about them over time . And when something is removed from our focus and attention , it ’ s particularly challenging to change , because we forget it even exists . Consider : When was the last time you deliberately tried a different way to take your morning coffee ?
There are two types of habits : habits of doing , like brushing your teeth , driving the route to your favorite restaurant , and asking certain questions of a job candidate in an interview ; and habits of thinking , which , well , we don ’ t often think about ! Habits of thinking include your beliefs and assumptions which , in turn , have a profound impact on your decisions , your words , and your actions .
Over two decades of coaching , we observed a clear pattern of harmful impact from leadership habits and unintended complacency in three areas - People , Priorities , and Rhythms . Leaders who cling to the status quo in these areas damage morale , reduce performance , diminish profitability , and dampen overall business growth .
So , fellow habit owners , the odds are that one or more of these areas is ripe for a radical rethink in your business .
People
“ What got you here won ’ t get you there .” - Marshall Goldsmith
WHO is the most powerful question you can regularly ask as a Leader . Not WHAT , and not HOW . Because each of those lives or dies based upon WHO you have on your team .
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary , a professional “… implies professed attainments in special knowledge , as distinguished from mere skill ; a practical dealing with affairs , as distinguished from mere study or investigation ; and an application of such knowledge to uses for others as a vocation , as distinguished from its pursuit for one ’ s own purposes .”
Here ’ s the key question : Have you surrounded yourself with professionals on your leadership team ? And by professionals , according to the definition above , I mean people who have already accomplished what you are seeking to accomplish !
We told clients for years that the way to become an $ xx million pound business ( feel free to fill in any amount appropriate to your aspirations ) is to begin acting like one today . And the way to begin acting like one today is to hire professionals - people who have already built and operated at the level to which you aspire .
None of this , of course , is meant to diminish the accomplishments and capabilities of your current leadership team , however this brings us back to Marshall Goldsmith ’ s insightful quote at the beginning of this section . Are the people on your team - the people who helped you get where you are - the professionals you require to get you where you are going ? Based on my experience , in all likelihood , one or more probably aren ’ t , which is your opportunity for radical change .
There is no end to the justifications you might want to offer as to why everyone on your leadership team is 100 percent right for their role . In my nearly 20 years coaching small and mid-market CEOs , we heard them all ! However , you must consider the following reality : Your emotional attachment to longstanding members of your team interferes with your ability to objectively evaluate their performance and fit .
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