After a rocky 2020 the following guidance to myself sort of fell onto the paper. I thought I’d share in case there are other business owners who didn’t set performance records this year either.
- Humble thyself.
- People matter.
- Improve.
- Maintain room for error.
- Share in success.
- Build an asynchronous foundation.
- Install remote operating system.
- Prepare for occasional step changes.
- Be mindful of chronos vs kairos
- Reduce friction
Humble Thyself
Mistakes will be made. There are forces greater than self and we ought to humble ourselves before that reality. As a business owner, manager, or expert craftsman, the self-reliant initiative that produces worldly success can become one’s tragic flaw, and turn perception quickly to pride which produces failure. Mistakes will be made. Proceed anyway. But, remain watchful. Seek and receive counsel.
People Matter
Have dominion over things, not people. Business is nothing more than a group of people gathered around an idea. These people craft products and deliver services. Other people buy the products and employ the services. Other people own the processes, reputation or machinery of commerce. Each are worthy of love and respect.
Improve
Joy is a state of being which clings to hope of a better life for one’s self and those whom he or she loves. Reach for a higher state of being and find joy immediately. The process of positive change is a reward unto itself.
Maintain room for error
Whether subjecting one’s cash to risk of loss, or maintaining a buffer in your daily workflow, it’s important to maintain room for error. Life throws us curveballs. A little buffer in your schedule and a balance of savings will produce liberty that equips you to see and capture opportunity.
Share in Success
People respond favorably to leadership that shares in success. Hoarding one’s resources produces spite. Proactively recognize the people that contribute to your success. Most of us have far more than we need and exponentially more than some others. Help others accomplish their dreams and they’ll help you ten-fold.
Build an asynchronous foundation
People improve at various rates. Establishing a culture of written insights helps others improve faster and learn from your mistakes or discoveries. Contributing feedback or counter arguments in written form clarifies nuanced thinking. The process also invites asynchronous growth as individuals become the best versions of themselves at their own pace. Reflection on previous lines of thinking aides in thanksgiving, too.
Install remote operating system(s)
The best teammates may not be located in your community. Organizing your ideas in a manner conducive to remote workers allows the best members to join and also reduces risk. Many businesses require physical presence to perform a service or perform multiple step manufacturing processes. However, there may be elements of the procedure that could be outsourced or coordinated with remote workers. Diverse contributors reduce fragility.
Prepare for occasional step changes
A regular cadence facilitates mastery, but change is the spice of life. While marching through the doldrums of proven processes, feel free to day-dream. Imagine a world where you grow by 50-100%. Dream of 10x situations. What prevents this from occurring? Share your thoughts in writing. The shared dreaming helps teammates. Also, run mental exercises to shrink by 50%. It can happen. (Oh, and remember, you do not have to overbuild today if you know what might need to be built in your mind –you can maintain room for error, adaptation and improvement upon your idea.)
Be mindful of chronos vs kairos
There is both a proper order of operations, as well as an opportune time for everything. Your mixture, and your team’s mixture is special and changing. Be mindful of the distinction and bend these to your will to produce something special for others.
Reduce Friction
Too much process and procedure can destroy trust. Trust decreases cost and speeds change. A joyful life has low friction and high trust levels throughout all relationships. Be open and transparent about what you are trying to accomplish, where you are today, and make it safe for others to do the same with you. Winning is a mindset and can produce a contagious state of flow.
Thanks for reading. I invite you to resend this to me if I fail in these areas.