The Elixir Of Success
The fabled mediaeval king of the middle ages, King Arthur, was renowned for having a round table allowing each person sitting at it an equal voice. Fast forward several centuries and the concept of the round table remains although, too often, discussions can go round and round with very little outcome. (I call these déjà vu meetings!)
I am often asked what separates successful businesses from mediocre ones. People want to know if there is a magic formula - a recipe that they can follow and discover the elixir of success. There certainly is. It is not an easy shortcut though. One of the key ingredients is ACTION. Action Changes Talking Into Outcome Now.
Let's unpack the key ingredients:
“Action” is a verb. It involves doing something. Tim Notke said “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.” Albert Einstein observed “Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work.” My favourite reminder of the importance of action is from Calvin Coolidge. He reminds us that it is not one off action but continuous action: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
“Changes” gives the opportunity to measure success. Knowing where you are, what you have achieved and what still needs to be done can direct your actions. Do you have transparent scoreboards so your team knows they are on or off track to winning?
“Talking” is essential. Many teams fail from lack of communication. Talking without action breeds apathy and sows the seeds of discontent. Keep your communication open and transparent and ensure your feedback loops are short and tight.
“Into” denotes the going forward. It involves courage and, often, risk. As I write this, Shakespeare’s Henry V stirring war speech comes to mind “Into the breach dear friends…” (modified to modern English and to fit my acronym!)
“Outcome” demands you start with the end in mind (one of Stephen Covey's famous 7 Habits of highly successful people.) Action without clarity of what you want to achieve often leads to expending a lot of effort with very little meaningful results. Knowing what you want is one of the secret ingredients of success.
“Now” denotes the necessity for prioritising and gives a sense of urgency. Asking “What's important now?” remains one of my favourite Lou Holtz quotes. Holtz instructed his players to ask themselves this question 35 times a day. His approach led to a string of successful championship wins in American Football.
What action do you need to take today as a business owner? Is your team clear on what they need to do and what the business is trying to achieve? Are you ready to move into this new financial year with focus, purpose and intention? If so,let it be seen in the action you take. As Alexander Graham Bell noted, "The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action."
