If your business has no way of measuring performance then prepare to run out of fuel.
If that happens to be in the middle of nowhere, you have a big problem.

John is one of those understated guys we have the pleasure of working with.
John is an achiever – a very high achiever.
John was not just an Athlete, he was a Great Britain International Decathlete.

Recently, we were working with a group of bright young managers.
John was talking about performance, about measures and about goals.
It was a story about training, aiming, and making the very best out of all that you can be.
He should know!

He asked a simple question;
“When do you measure your performance?”
Heads went down, no volunteers to reply.
Then the Athlete used a story, it went something like this;

”A marathon runner sets a target. Let’s call it a sub 3 hour marathon.
It’s a big target, a high bar but he has prepared, trained and all is in place.
A 3 hour marathon means running 26.2 miles at just under 7 minutes a mile.
The pressure is on right from the gun”

Our audience agreed. Then John asked a pretty cool question.

“At what point do you think the Athlete checks if he is on target for his Sub 3 hour Marathon?”

The answer came quickly;

“Mile 1” they replied.

John continued;

“You see, if the marathon runner checked his watch at mile 13 he was gambling and he was out of control.
Quite simply, he would not know whether he was on target or off target.
With all that training, that focus and the desire to reach that goal, not knowing was not good enough.
The athlete simply had to know early on if he was on, ahead or behind target.
That way, he could adjust accordingly”

The heads nodded in agreement. They understood the International Athlete’s story.

How are you doing?
What mile are you at?

Have you checked?

Sitting high on some dusty shelf lies your long lost Vision and Strategy paper.
Hidden deeper is your Mission Statement.
Worth looking at today to see if it’s still relevant.

The problem with strategy and missions is that we rely on humans to deliver them.
Most people really don’t know the strategy let alone assist in its delivery.

Let’s be even more basic.
Do your people know, really know, your standards?
If they do, great.
If not, don’t you think they are worth refreshing?

A brand must (at the very least) offer a continual promise of consistency.
That can only occur if there is consistent delivery of either a service or a product.

Recently I got a bill, a very big bill.
It said lots about ‘standards’
It said even more about a complete out-of-control approach.

The bill was for “advice given”
Thing is, I received none.
The bill (and the point above) were challenged.
Then, the goalposts changed.
Desperation had taken it’s icy firm grip.

“You see Mr. Kenny, the advice you were given was by my predecessor, not me. I would have given you the opposite advice.”

Scary reply. It should worry the MD, The Board, The Stakeholders, The Public and all The Governing Bodies.
Oh, customers too if they get that far!

Somehow, it seems there is more than one standard at play.
Sometime those opposites will clash.
When there is a clash there is fallout.
Where there is fallout there is debris.
Debris can create deep wounds and wounds leave scars.

Isn’t it worth asking 2 simple questions?

How many standards does your organization have in delivering your product or service?
Do your people know your standard or standards?

After all, they are your brand.
Is their version matching your vision?

I was asked, “What’s important when selling something?”

Of course there is no ‘magic’ list, rules or definitive list.
There is wisdom though.
Here’s my 10 point take on it

First you need to be working with a product or service that the market decides they are willing to purchase because – it makes their life/work better.

Second, you have to communicate that – effectively.

Third (and most importantly) you have to ‘understand’ not where you are coming from but – where the customer is coming from.

Fourth, you must do ‘the right thing’ – that’s the truth. That’s trust, that’s integrity.

Five, you must work with their timetable – not yours.

Six, you must deliver ‘exactly what you promise – not more, not less.

Seven, it must be a good deal – for both.

Eight, you must seek feedback – no matter how uncomfortable.

Nine, you must know when to pull back – and avoid being a pest.

Finally, you must love it – or it will show.

When times are tough some people will be desperate.
That’s fair enough, we are human after all.

Some kindly people will agree to meet because they are – kind.
Some will go to the opposite extreme and completely ignore your simple requests – that’s lazy and won’t be forgotten.

Balance is the key.

You don’t have time to respond to everyone else.
You don’t have time to ignore everyone either.

You do have time to be honest and fair.

If you agree to meet, to listen or to consider, be real.
If they, or their cause, is not for you, be honest.

Someone looking for your inspiration is already running on precious little fuel.
Be careful – for them – how you use it.

On their behalf, be honest when appropriate and say No.

Interviews are dreadful experiences for both parties.
Full of terror for candidates.
Full of camouflage for interviewers.
Both behave unnaturally.
Both have deadly different objectives.
In the end, one will prevail
For better or worse.

The problem with interviews is they are artificial.
They are subjective and rely generally more on the art than the science.

Sales people are especially tricky.
Their role is to persuade.
That doesn’t necessarily prove a point.
More science is needed, more proof.

A wise wise client was getting frustrated.
We were interviewing line after line for a big job.
None matched the standard.
Many thought they did.

In the end, we picked nobody.
Better to decline than to regret.

On his way out he sighed.
In the sigh was deep wisdom that is worth remembering.
This is what he said;

“You know Conor, the people you really want shouldn’t be available for interview in the first place.”

If you wanted to make your dull flat lawn into a beautiful garden, what would you do?
If you wanted to restore that vintage car into a classic, what would you do?
If you wanted to give your home a lift, what would you do?

What would happen to the garden if you didn’t spend some money?
The vintage car?
Your home?

You can cut for so long.
There is a point where you will need to stop cutting and start growing.

Growing means investing.
Not spending can mean a rusty car that is in a death spiral of value.
Eventually the ‘thing’ you ‘saved’ on will become worthless.

There is a big difference between being mean and being frugal.
Sometimes, it’s the difference between life and death.

Always, it’s your decision.

Decide wisely.

Tiger Woods is talented and famous.
So are your friends but they are not famous.
Natural talent is rare (like Tiger Woods), fame is not.

If you want to get to the top of your tree.
If you want your business to stand head and shoulders above the rest, you can do one of two things.

(1) Hope you will magically be ‘discovered’ and your talent spotted.
(2) Work hard, to a plan, climb day by day. Eventually you will reach the top.

That’s why there can only be space for one as No.1.
Peaks are tough to stand on.

They were a beautiful couple.
Him, good-looking and successful.
Her, good-looking and successful too.

For awhile, it worked.
Then it didn’t.
She wanted other things, she wanted to move on.
She is especially kind.
They parted company.
He was distraught.

Weeks went by and wounds healed (apparently).
He calls her – as ‘friends’.
She responds – as a friend.
Dinner is arranged.
Good faith everywhere.

She is clear. Her messages too. No change.
He is confused and hears what he wants to hear. All change.

Same message, two interpretations.

He wants love.
She wants friends.

No matter how clear, how forceful, how articulate, he hears what he wants to hear.
She hears him hear her message his way, certainly not her way.
Disappointment is inevitable.

If you have to deliver a message, make sure of two things;

(1) The audience is the ‘right’ audience …. In the right frame of mind
(2) The message is clear.

Remember, No.2 won’t work without No.1 …. Ever!

Your Marketing can learn from Mr. & Mrs. Good Looking
If you hear the difference, of course!

I’m not sure we resist change.
I am sure we resist loss.

Change is constant
Loss is not.

Change is also the natural evolution of life and any journey.
Change brings peaks and valleys.

Loss goes deeper.
It can threaten our nest, our comfort zone and our territory.

To lead people successfully you must understand that a resistance to change is often a resistance to loss.

When you relate it to change that has been forced on you, it will begin to make sense.

In a world of gale force winds, take time to understand just how your people (your friends and family too) feel when there is a change that equals a loss.

If you do that you will bring them with you …. And you will extinguish the fear – of loss.

When Leaders act followers follow – because they want to.
Leaders – who are not leaders – try different tactics.
Some use fear, some use superficial charm, some aggression and some use ghosts.
All of the above fail.

When you hear about Ghosts you know it’s the death spiral.
A Ghost is that unseen, unknown person who has a voice.
You know the type?

“It’s not me who says it; it’s all of the others.”

If you apply the word ‘Ghost’ instead of ‘Others’.
See what I mean?

Beware of real Ghosts masquerading as Leaders.
Worse still, as kindly human beings.