As an owner, are you having fun yet? Enjoying the business owner journey? If not, why not? Do you wish to believe that business should be a struggle, battle or pain instead of fun and enjoyable? If so, those are your limiting beliefs. After all, didn't you go into business to have greater financial success, flexibility, fulfillment and fun?
Most of you would agree that you are 100% responsible for the shape, size and success of your business. But you are equally responsible for the level of fun that you, your employees and customers experience on a daily basis.
I was recently reminded about the need to have fun at work. At least once a quarter, we interview one of our many outstanding business coaches and create a CD so we can share their "best practices, mindsets, and habits" with everyone else in the business coaching franchise system. As the franchisor, we do everything in our power to continually shorten and broaden the success curve for everyone in The Growth Coach system by sharing success insights and innovations as often as we can (national and regional meetings, monthly conference calls and webinars, via our intranet, etc.).
Allow me to digress for a moment. That's a simple idea right there you may want to capture. Do you download the mindset and strategies of your best salespeople, customer service reps, managers, or others in your company and share them with their peers? Why not help others model the mindsets and actions of your best performers? Just an idea. Now back to having fun.
On an upcoming CD interview, one of our Texas business coaches, Ross Paterson, reminded our other franchise owners and business coaches not to forget to build fun into what they do every day ... for their own sake and the sake of employees and clients. Ross has even built "having fun" into the DNA of his business. It's part of their values statement, hiring practices and daily habits. How smart and cool is that?
Ross is a person who always walks the talk. Everything he coaches his clients to do, he does. And one thing he does very well is to enjoy his work day and his business ownership journey. He not only believes passionately in helping others to reach their potential, but he wants to have fun in the process. More importantly, he wants his employees and clients to have fun too. Why not? It's simply a matter of choice. You can go through the day being miserable OR having fun. Why not enjoy yourself at work? Besides, as the owner, think of the negative impact you have on your employees and company morale if you aren't enjoying the process.
Ross is having fun and it shows up in his success and his clients' satisfaction. And believe me, I have seen what his clients write about Ross and our coaching process ... they have fun as they go about improving themselves, their businesses and their lives. No wonder his retention rate is so good with his clients -- they are receiving tremendous value AND enjoying the process. Have no fear all you business owners, you can truly have it both ways. You don't need to look and act like a grumpy old business owner. You can be professional AND have fun at the same time. Talk about differentiating your company!
On this particular CD, Ross also reminded all the business coaches that everyone, no matter who they are or what they do, craves to have fun. People want to do business with, work for, and be around positive, supportive and fun people. Don't you think customers and clients choose, in part, to do business with companies that enjoy what they do? Don't you think employees choose to work for companies that believe in and enjoy what they do? I think the answer is quite obvious. If given a choice, people will gravitate toward an environment that is positive, fun, and fulfilling every time.
Therefore, what are you doing to have fun on a daily basis? What are you doing to ensure an environment where your employees and customers can have fun as well? Remember, as the owner, you always set the tone for your company's environment and culture. Are you having fun yet?
Daniel M. Murphy
The Growth Coach
Business Coaching Franchise System