Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours. May you have a blessed, relaxing and enjoyable time with your family and friends.
While Christmas is definitely NOT about the presents, this business coaching blog will be. As a business coach, I learn a great deal from my kids. They teach me much about life, business, and how to keep things simple.
For example, every year, around October and November, my two kids become goal-seeking machines. I'm certain yours do too. My kids become very explicit about what they would like to find under the Christmas tree from their parents and Santa. They do a wonderful job of expressing, both in their spoken and written words, exactly what they desire and hope for. Trust me, there is a real level of specificity in their goals. They even clip out newspaper ads with the exact present they want (manufacturer, model, color, size, etc.) so they can show us or they take us to specific websites on our home computer so we can truly experience their "wish list".
While our kids really don't ask for much, they are quite specific about the 2-3 presents they would like to receive. I don't blame them; they don't want to leave their potential and limited gifts to chance. They want no confusion or mistakes. It's not that they don't trust their parents or even Santa in my boy's case, but they want to minimize room for error and maximize their level of enjoyment. Smart kids if I say so myself. But all kids are pretty specific about their wants, goals and dreams. As a business coach, it dawned on me...couldn't we entrepreneurs and professionals learn to be more specific in our communications, desires and requests? Without question!
For example, my 13-year old daughter wanted a specific cell phone and Ipod in certain colors. My 10-year old boy wanted specific Wii games and a particular camera. The camera he requested needed to have a certain zoom power so he could take close-up pictures of the distant animals at the zoo. Why not? If you know exactly what you want in life, you might as well ask for it in specific terms. No use being vague and indecisive. Go ahead and place your special order or request--you deserve it. You may not always get it, but you greatly increase your odds that you will. Kids have a real specificity about what they want and a strong faith that they will get it. Shouldn't we all?
Moreover, kids don't waste time telling us or Santa or even grandparents about all the things they don't want. They focus on what they DO want, not on what they DON'T. You see, they don't worry about or waste time on things they don't want (practical things like socks and underwear, clothes, wrong or uncool toys, etc.). They know they don't have enough time to address all the things they don't want...they take the positive and direct path and simply ask for what they truly want. It takes less energy and you get more of what you really want. Who cares if you get a couple pair of stinking socks or underwear in the process, just as long as you get that cool toy you really want. As your virtual business coach, let me ask you a few questions. How much time do you dwell on or tell others about all the things or outcomes you don't want? Why? Why waste your time and energy? Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.
Business owners should be as smart, specific and direct as young kids before Christmas. If so, there would be less confusion, chaos, misunderstandings, and mistakes in the world and in their companies. Here are some quick business coaching questions for you to ponder: What if owners learned from kids and started to ask for what they wanted out of business and life in very specific terms? Instead of leaving things to chance or in a cloud of confusion, what if owners were very specific in words and pictures about what they wanted? What if they learned to ask their employees for specific things, actions, and results? What if they wrote down specific outcomes they wanted to see from their salespeople? Same with their vendors and suppliers? Instead of telling people all the things they don't want, what if owners took the direct and positive path and focused only on what they truly wanted?
Think about all the time and money owners would save if they created a specific "wish list" for all those around them. Instead of others trying to read their minds, others would know exactly what is expected of them. There would be minimal errors and confusion.
If business owners, including me, were as relentless and specific in their desires as kids, they would greatly increase their odds of getting exactly what they wanted. So here's to you getting most everything you want out of your business and life. To help your cause, start asking for what you want...in specific, direct and decisive terms!
Daniel M. Murphy
President, Founder & Business Coach
The Growth Coach
Business Coaching Franchise System